If the production pipeline has ensured that they have been shooting in the most flexible way possible (for example RAW recording or shooting in LOG format), this means that decisions can be made regarding colour grading all the way through to the final edit.ĬG artists are acutely aware of the need to accommodate colour grading workflows, so use file formats such as EXRs, which store a wide range of colour data.

Naturally, colour grading is heavily influenced by decisions made on set by the director of photography (DOP) and the director. In cinema, colour grading is a creative choice taken by a creative individual or team on how best to represent the story being told by the use of colour. Want to improve your photography? See our post on how to boost your photography skills. This will ensure the maximum amount of flexibility in both colour processes. Render CG using a file type that can support as high a bit depth as the equipment can handle. If a camera has a neutral colour or flat profile, or a log profile use that. The one essential thing is making sure that any colour choice, whether for colour correction or grading, is made using non-destructive methods. For example 'crushing' the blacks of an image to make it feel contemporary, or taking the matched shots from a camera and tracking and lightening main characters face so that they stand out. Colour correction is also applicable to making footage from different cameras 'match' so that when the colour grader is applied, a consistent look can be achieved throughout a scene.Ĭolour grading is adjusting the image in specific ways to create a stylistic effect.

Davinci resolve cinematic color grading