Did I go too far on my Grade??

[Davi Silveira]

Hello,

 

I'm trying to understand color in a more professional way. I'm a Cinematographer and not a Colorist but I enjoy color grading and I've done it for several year. (not paid) I am working on a big documentary and I was hoping to get some feed back on the look I pulled off.

 

I got this look by converting my BMDfilm to LOG-C then applying the Arri LOG-C to REC709 LUT and used a reference image I liked from a feature film to fine tune the color and contrast. I think maybe I went too far... I don't want the Instagram look or candy pop look, I truly just wanted a look that was close to natural but a little better. Natural with an edge! Please let me know your thought I'd really appreciate it.

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5wBk9P7iZUMcWRiWXBya3FZYUk

 

Sincerely,

 

Davi

[Max Field]

To me these look kinda nice, but not "natural". Highlights are clipped somewhat harshly. Not sure if that happened in post or just how the camera captured it. Only immediate adjustment I could see being made is toning down the blue overcast in the shadows of the first image.

[Davi Silveira]

To me these look kinda nice, but not "natural". Highlights are clipped somewhat harshly. Not sure if that happened in post or just how the camera captured it. Only immediate adjustment I could see being made is toning down the blue overcast in the shadows of the first image.

Thanks Macks,

 

I see what you mean on the first pick, it's too blue. Specially when compared to the rest, nothing was clipped when I shot it and it's all in RAW so I fix that hard highlight clipping, I wonder if my export setting could have an influence on my grade cause I thought it looked nicer in DaVinci but not as much now (I'm speaking about the highlights)

 

Thanks again,

 

Davi

[AJ Young]

I'm trying to understand color in a more professional way. I'm a Cinematographer and not a Colorist but I enjoy color grading and I've done it for several year. (not paid) I am working on a big documentary and I was hoping to get some feed back on the look I pulled off.

 

I got this look by converting my BMDfilm to LOG-C then applying the Arri LOG-C to REC709 LUT and used a reference image I liked from a feature film to fine tune the color and contrast. I think maybe I went too far... I don't want the Instagram look or candy pop look, I truly just wanted a look that was close to natural but a little better. Natural with an edge! Please let me know your thought I'd really appreciate it.

 

Hi Davi,

 

It doesn't look bad at first glance, but it is definitely a look.

 

Can you elaborate on what you mean by a "natural look, but a little better"? What specifically are wanting to improve? Saturation, highlight roll off, shadow roll off, dynamic rang?

 

With color, it's always good to first figure out where your content will be viewed. It's safe to say most content nowadays are consumed on TV, a computer, tablet, or phone. These devices all share (with exceptions) a REC709 color space. Working within this color space on your monitor (which is most likely REC709) will ensure optimal and close-to-consistent results for your final look.

 

Cinema projection has a different color space and thus requires a different monitoring situation. If I'm not mistaken, DCI projection is a wider color gamut; essentially, more color information and dynamic range can be shown.

 

I hope this helps!

[Davi Silveira]

 

Hi Davi,

 

It doesn't look bad at first glance, but it is definitely a look.

 

Can you elaborate on what you mean by a "natural look, but a little better"? What specifically are wanting to improve? Saturation, highlight roll off, shadow roll off, dynamic rang?

 

With color, it's always good to first figure out where your content will be viewed. It's safe to say most content nowadays are consumed on TV, a computer, tablet, or phone. These devices all share (with exceptions) a REC709 color space. Working within this color space on your monitor (which is most likely REC709) will ensure optimal and close-to-consistent results for your final look.

 

Cinema projection has a different color space and thus requires a different monitoring situation. If I'm not mistaken, DCI projection is a wider color gamut; essentially, more color information and dynamic range can be shown.

 

I hope this helps!

 

AJ,

 

Thanks, totally helps. I guess what I meant by "natural look, but better" is like when your TV was switched from SD to HDTV. That difference between the two is what I want. Something natural but obviously better in color, contrast, etc overall. Maybe a better way to explain it is I just want to enhance the natural look a little, keep it real not too crazy but with an edge of enhanced features. hahaha crap I don't know what I want but I really appreciate the help, this will be going to TV, and WEB. I have been working on a REC709 space. AJ, do you like the look personally or is too much or just right?? I know not all exterior shots match in color...

[Frank Hegyi]

Personally, I like the look. It's unique (in a good way), but if you're going for a heightened naturalism, the grade is probably a little too far. The first thing to do is neutralize the shadows in shot number one. Any color in the blacks is very un-natural looking.

 

Secondly, I'm guessing here, but it looks like you've brought the midtones way up and then crushed the shadows back down. It's a cool look, but maybe dial that back a little. I think it's most noticeable on shot number 3. The trees almost look alien.

 

Like I said, I like the bright midtones. It's the core of the look. Just dial it back a little and I think you'll be closer to what you're going for.

[Frank Hegyi]

Also, (guessing again) it looks like you isolated the sky somehow and lowered the brightness (and maybe messed with the saturation)? You might want to dial that back a little too. (if you even did that. I don't actually know).

[Davi Silveira]

Also, (guessing again) it looks like you isolated the sky somehow and lowered the brightness (and maybe messed with the saturation)? You might want to dial that back a little too. (if you even did that. I don't actually know).

 

Frank, thanks man for the reply. Yeah I agree I may have gone a little too far. But dialing it back a little is easy to do. I will neutralize the blacks more, and yeah the idea is to lift the midtones while lowering the blacks, I introduced some blue into the mid's as well which spilled into the shadows. You have a good eye and I'm probably sloppy lol but yes I isolated the sky and made it bloom (trying to soften the transition of sky and other objects) but I actually removed this blooming cause it was too strong.

[Frank Hegyi]

Yeah, I dig the look. You should post the final product. I'd like to see what you do with it.

[Matthew Kane]

If your intent is to create a contrast between two looks, perhaps the "unheightened" footage should be knocked down a little (desaturated or otherwise made a little more "boring") to accentuate the change.

 

The intense greens in your screencaps seem to overwhelm the other parts of the picture, and the highlights seem overexposed, to the point that it's starting to look washed out rather than bright and colorful. Perhaps try a look with similar saturation, and bring down the overall gain so you can see more tonal depth?