🎨 Colorist Newsletter #527

Published: Sun, 07/31/22

 

Issue DXXVII: The Last Chance Edition
The Color Grading Newsletter
News, reviews, thoughts, career advice, and humor for professional Video / Film Colorists & Finishers. Delivered Sundays. Curated by a professional color grader.
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Curated & Published
by
Patrick Inhofer
From The Publisher
Last week we celebrated this Newsletter's 12th Anniversary edition. Tomorrow begins the month of August. That means this Newsletter's summer schedule begins.

After 12 years of publication, we've had a chance to experiment with multiple versions of our summer publishing schedule. First - there was no summer publishing schedule. Only scattered 2-week breaks.

Three years at that pace: Burnout.

Then, for many years, this publication went on August hiatus through the second Sunday in September. But 6 weeks is a long time between emails.

As a result, we switched August to an every-other-week schedule, resuming normal publishing on the second Sunday in September.

I like the latter tempo better. This year, we're reserving the right to take an extra Sunday off if I take an actual vacation. But I'll try to give you a heads-up if that's going to happen.

What does this mean to you, my loyal reader?

You'll get the next email in two Sundays, on August 14 - delivered fresh with your morning coffee (or your evening wine, if you're Down Under).

Happy Grading!

Sincerely,

Pat Inhofer
Publisher
The Craft
Featuring the work of creative craftsmen, the theory of color, and industry news. Learn practical workflows, useful theories, and actionable insights from existing (and emerging) leaders and teachers in our industry.
The new deadline is August 7: "TVBEurope hears from some of the judges at this year's FilmLight Colour Awards, which celebrate the work of colourists on TV and film productions." You can submit you entry here: https://www.filmlightcolourawards.com/entry/

(video) "IMAX posted a video showing how this massive stock is being scanned. According to IMAX, each frame takes 35 seconds to scan. Overall, it takes 14 minutes to scan one second of screen time. Check out this video below ..."

(video) "The process is one that involves high precision, with very tight tolerances, because each of the 6-12 layers that make up the light-sensitive emulsion is about half the thickness of a human hair. Making all of this even more challenging is the fact that the entire production process needs to be done in complete darkness."

Interesting: "While motion pictures have seen tremendous improvements in picture performance, with higher resolution, higher dynamic range and more colors, the motion look has remained unchanged for close to a hundred years. TrueCut Motion technology allows filmmakers to dial in the motion, with any source frame rate, shot by shot, in post-production."

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The Tools
Our craft keeps changing. And growing. Learn about updates to your favorite software. Discover new tools to help you work faster or more creatively. Build your toolchest with new techniques and approaches. 
(video) Baselight Student is now Baselight LOOK: "Learn how to download, install and set-up Baselight LOOK, the latest learning software from the industry professionals at FilmLight."

(forum) It's a small update but significant for some workflows - and one example of why waiting for the 18.1 release is a good idea if you can't afford to troubleshoot issues.

(video) "A false color representation is a graphic in which colors are used that deviate from the natural color impression. Such a representation can be helpful ..."

(video) "If I could only use one set of tools within Resolve, it would be my primaries. If I could use a second set, it would be power windows. Learn how to craft stunning images using these essential tools for shaping light and refining images to perfection."

This help document just dropped. If you find yourself supporting Premiere Pro clients or need to guide editors then consider reading the applicable sections and keep it on hand: "This document covers a broad range of essential topics, starting with how to configure and optimize your settings, establish best practices for offline dailies, and help you navigate the remaining workflow all the way through turnovers and final deliverables." (via Marc Weilage)

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Pushing Photons
These stories are from MixingLight.com's membership Library of color grading articles, tutorials, and podcasts (Tao Of Color is co-Owner). Do you want to read a story listed here but not a member? Sign up for a free 7-Day Test Drive.​​​ There's also color correction Practice Projects for purchase. 
(video) "Learn 10 essential keyboard shortcuts you can bind on the DaVinci Resolve edit page to speed up your editing workflow."
"Glow effects are versatile - but you can waste time fiddling with their controls. Learn how to work with the Glow Resolve FX, intentionally."
(video) "Learn why colorist Cullen Kelly loves Contrast-Pivot for his contrast adjustments - and how you can upgrade them for more nuanced control."
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Gear Heads
Stay updated on the latest hardware that's shipping - because the craft of color grading isn't just about software. Plus, keep an eye on future equipment trends and hardware odds-and-ends.

If you're looking to grade with a high-end home theater projector (with calibration), maybe this is worth considering: "When you dim the lights, the combination of high contrast, deft HDR handling and excellent detail rendition deliver a compelling home theater-like viewing experience. The HU915QB has a wide array of preconfigured picture modes, both for SDR and HDR."

A good roundup of options and reasoning: "Trying to decide which hard drive or SSD you should get for your next video editing project? These professional recommendations will help you make the right choice!"

(video) “What is an NAS? Do I need one?” Look no further, friend. In this video we dig deep into the philosophy behind when Network Attached Storage is right for you, and when you just need to let some of that archived footage go."

(video) Review of this update to the BMPCC 6K camera: "The update has a slew of useful updates to the interface and the camera's functioning, but the biggest feature was a hidden one: these cameras can now record gyro data to their Blackmagic raw files."

"The move to microdisplays is also needed to get to 4K x 4K resolutions. While such a resolution is possible with glass-based displays, the pixel density can only be increased by so much. As a result, the display size becomes larger and more problematic to integrate into a headset."

Agree & agree: "It is encouraging to see UHD Blu-ray make gains, but it will unfortunately not bring back discs' glory days. This one is for the collectors."

Sunday Fun(nies)
Random thoughts, tidbits, and fun stuff that caught my attention this week. Maybe it's color grading related. Maybe not. Ya got'ta read to the end of the Newsletter to find out.

Maybe we'll be able to see that shadow detail in the final battle of the North? "HBO Max next month will unleash all eight seasons of “Game of Thrones” in 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, promising richly detailed video and cinema-like sound."

"When the summer doldrums hit, these DIY activities can keep the kids occupied."

"Internet TV seems like the clear winner: a similar experience, with no pain-in-the-ass setup? Why would anyone bother with an antenna? ... one reason: local channels."

 
Th- th- th- that's all folks! I'll see you in two Sundays.
 


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