-
Color Correction Workflow
Hello,
So I am somewhat new to Premiere Pro CS6, but I know the basics and have no problems editing together a video. I am currently working on a music video which means that I have several clips that last the entire song, yet they are different scenes.
My first stage of production for this video was to shoot four different scenes of the artists lip syncing the entire song. I then synced all the clips up in Premiere to the track and chopped them up so that it would switch scenes up every few seconds. Next I will shoot some storyline material and overlay that.
At my current stage, I have only four three-minute shots. I cut these shots up how I wanted, so that the video would switch scenes often. I decided to color correct after this process (not the best order?). So what I had to do was apply an instance of MB Looks to every clip. Mind you that I have about 60 clips at this point.
My only way to streamline this process a bit was to color correct a clip, then save the preset and drag it onto every cut clip from the same source.
This really becomes an issue when I want to tweak my color correction and have to repeat the save preset and drag it onto every clip all over again.
Since there are only four different source clips, I should only have to color correct four times, correct?
Using the process above, I technically only did four color correction effects, but If I tweak it, then it only tweaks one clip rather then all of them. This is because premiere treat each cut clip as unique and therefore separate from the source.
Finally, I am wondering if there is a better workflow to color correcting. For instance, can I color correct a clip before it is dragged into the timeline and chopped so that all the chopped clips are already color corrected? My current technique is very cumbersome and impractical.
Thanks for the help!
-
2 Replies
-
Easiest solution: Color correct the clip before you cut it up. Drag the clip onto the timeline (a complete 4-minute take), color correct that, then edit. As you cut up the clip it will still retain the original color you applied. If you tweak the color then you have a problem.
Or if they are already cut up, then place each take on it’s own track (camera 1 is on track 1, camera 2 is on track 2, etc.). Color correct the first shot on the track, then you can copy/paste the effect quickly to all the other shots on that track (copy the FX you want from the first clip, then highlight the rest of them on that track by clicking+dragging in the timeline, then paste the effect onto those highlighted clips.
Traditional solution: Because color work is best done when looking shot to shot to shot in context, people don’t typically color grade until the end of a project. While you can match your 3-camearas at the start (i.e. color correction), once you drop in story elements you may not like the color change between the shots as much and may then tweak (i.e. color grading, which is more creating a look than merely balancing cameras). Color correction is best done in an app that is made for that (Speedgrade, DaVinci Resolve, Color, etc.). Those apps allow you to setup a look and easily apply it to other similar shots in your timeline. It may be time for you to start learning a color app so you have more control (Resolve Lite is free, and Speedgrade is bundled with CS6).
Ryan Holmes
http://www.ryanholmes.me
@CutColorPost -
Great advice! Much appreciated! I will have to look into a color correction app.
Thanks!
Austin
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up