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watch First attempt at color correction

cameronchapman

cameronchapman

I just posted my first attempt at doing some color correction on some test footage I shot with my hacked GH1. It's pretty basic footage, and I honestly have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to color correcting footage, but I'm pretty happy with how most of the shots came out. Would love feedback on what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong, though.

http://vimeo.com/27228295

The original footage is 1080p, but I only exported to 720p because I wanted to get the highest quality/lowest compression footage I could that fit within Vimeo's upload limits, and 1080p was pushing it over.
 
The seeming obvious use for color correction is to correct a clip's colors due to technical errors or DP errors (ie: forgot to white balance) made during filming of the footage.

However, most often I believe, especially amongst editors working feature films or lengthly shorts, is the establishing of uniformity among all the clips within the scene (or entire movie).

The more clips you have, the less likely it'll all match color-wise (the sun moves, people are human). Making all the clips match color wise is color correction.

Without seeing your original footage, I believe what you did was make a color change to give the footage a certain look.

It did look fine during the 30 seconds or so I watched. Everything matched color-wise.
 
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This makes me want to get an ATV and head into the forest surrounding Lake Tahoe. I thought that the opening shot, and all the shots, with the music, just fit so well together, and honestly it was slightly moving. Now because of my job, I would take that, add text and add narration about some saving the environment crap, then turn it in, then take home the project and just watch the footage. I LOVE IT! I've watched it probably three times?
 
Hey i see you said the camera crashed while shooting the last clip? Im sugest you try the 100mbit max latt hack i used that and did the grass test and no crash for over 30 seconds! (it would have kept going but i stoped it their)
 
Zensteve said:
Any before/after comparisons?
Click to expand...

I'll see what I can do later today about putting the raw footage up.

GuerrillaAngel said:
The seeming obvious use for color correction is to correct a clip's colors due to technical errors or DP errors (ie: forgot to white balance) made during filming of the footage.

However, most often I believe, especially amongst editors working feature films or lengthly shorts, is the establishing of uniformity among all the clips within the scene (or entire movie).

The more clips you have, the less likely it'll all match color-wise (the sun moves, people are human). Making all the clips match color wise is color correction.

Without seeing your original footage, I believe what you did was make a color change to give the footage a certain look.

It did look fine during the 30 seconds or so I watched. Everything matched color-wise.
Click to expand...

I mostly brightened up the colors a bit (to give it a little more of that HDR/nature-documentary look) and tried to fix some underexposure issues in the shots that were taken in the woods.

hunteq said:
This makes me want to get an ATV and head into the forest surrounding Lake Tahoe. I thought that the opening shot, and all the shots, with the music, just fit so well together, and honestly it was slightly moving. Now because of my job, I would take that, add text and add narration about some saving the environment crap, then turn it in, then take home the project and just watch the footage. I LOVE IT! I've watched it probably three times?
Click to expand...

That's awesome! I'm actually planning on doing something with this footage, a sort of experimental short. I just have to teach myself After Effects first... :yes: :no:

brettzdamn said:
Hey i see you said the camera crashed while shooting the last clip? Im sugest you try the 100mbit max latt hack i used that and did the grass test and no crash for over 30 seconds! (it would have kept going but i stoped it their)
Click to expand...

I've had just as many issues with crashing with the max latitude hack. I'm getting ready to try the 75Mbps high reliability hack. I might have time to go get some more footage with that this afternoon.
 
GuerrillaAngel said:
The seeming obvious use for color correction is to correct a clip's colors due to technical errors or DP errors (ie: forgot to white balance) made during filming of the footage.

However, most often I believe, especially amongst editors working feature films or lengthly shorts, is the establishing of uniformity among all the clips within the scene (or entire movie).

The more clips you have, the less likely it'll all match color-wise (the sun moves, people are human). Making all the clips match color wise is color correction.

Without seeing your original footage, I believe what you did was make a color change to give the footage a certain look.

It did look fine during the 30 seconds or so I watched. Everything matched color-wise.
Click to expand...

Firstly, Nice job Cameron, the footage looks really great, good composition, subtle color correction

about the above quote, What you're describing is extremely basic CC work, technically you should have your scenes temperature adjusted while shooting and try to match as closely as possible in cam.

After that, you do want to do a little tweaking for match, but mainly colorist work is what brings your film to life. People think it's just turning the contrast knob, but it's really way more complex (and powerful) a tool than that. I've often spent 3 hours grading a 15 second scene. My color control panel looks like an F-16 cockpit.

Here's a couple of links showing what you can do with your footage via serious colorist work, from the world leader in task specific colorist software. (amazing stuff) Once you really understand what colorist work is capable of, it will help you a great deal in the future, even if you don't use this particular software.

This clip explains it well. Notice first of all that this released film started off looking very average and weak, and then became incredible during the colorist process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSPOxFTUKBs

In This video you will see an actual color console, and an isolated example of removing the blown out look from a bright scene. (this one gets a little boring and drawn out, sorry) Console is right at the beginning.

http://vimeo.com/24636714

Then here's one showing some final results you can get.

http://vimeo.com/24891847

And lastly, an example of workflow, where colorist work can be used to isolate and fix only human complexions, allowing you to take years off of the age of your actors at will. (really impressive)

http://vimeo.com/20030498

For a cheap way to get very good results, just work with a plugin called "color finesse 3" that's included with After effects CS5. Learn about curves, and for quick grades use the HSL master RGB gain slider in conjunction with the two contrast sliders. That will get you better results.
 
Nate North said:
Firstly, Nice job Cameron, the footage looks really great, good composition, subtle color correction

about the above quote, What you're describing is extremely basic CC work, technically you should have your scenes temperature adjusted while shooting and try to match as closely as possible in cam.

After that, you do want to do a little tweaking for match, but mainly colorist work is what brings your film to life. People think it's just turning the contrast knob, but it's really way more complex (and powerful) a tool than that. I've often spent 3 hours grading a 15 second scene. My color control panel looks like an F-16 cockpit.

Here's a couple of links showing what you can do with your footage via serious colorist work, from the world leader in task specific colorist software. (amazing stuff) Once you really understand what colorist work is capable of, it will help you a great deal in the future, even if you don't use this particular software.

This clip explains it well. Notice first of all that this released film started off looking very average and weak, and then became incredible during the colorist process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSPOxFTUKBs

In This video you will see an actual color console, and an isolated example of removing the blown out look from a bright scene. (this one gets a little boring and drawn out, sorry) Console is right at the beginning.

http://vimeo.com/24636714

Then here's one showing some final results you can get.

http://vimeo.com/24891847

And lastly, an example of workflow, where colorist work can be used to isolate and fix only human complexions, allowing you to take years off of the age of your actors at will. (really impressive)

http://vimeo.com/20030498

For a cheap way to get very good results, just work with a plugin called "color finesse 3" that's included with After effects CS5. Learn about curves, and for quick grades use the HSL master RGB gain slider in conjunction with the two contrast sliders. That will get you better results.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the links and the advice!

Color correction and grading comes kind of second-nature to me from years spent working with still photos and playing around in Photoshop. I just need to learn to use all the tools available for working with motion. I feel like I've got a more solid foundation, though, from retouching and color-correcting photos (and doing things like lomo-effects and faux-HDR on stills are almost second-nature to me at this point).

And color correction and grading are one of those things that indie filmmakers can do as well as the big studios if they learn to do it properly, and it can be used to set apart footage that's just okay to begin with and make it something a lot more special. And honestly, if you have an eye for it, it's not that hard to do well (though doing something really fantastic with it is a different story, but doing something that looks good isn't that complicated with some practice).
 
You're welcome. And you're right, good color correction is the least expensive thing you can do that makes the most difference. That first video shows clearly how the colorist layer makes up much of the difference between an amateur and a pro product.

A rare opportunity to use your brain instead of your wallet to improve production values.

Keep at it, a very worthwhile skill to develop.
 
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