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color correcting for film look in FCP
Looking for tips and tricks for color correcting for film look in FCP. The Varicam HD footage we’re using is great to begin with, but I’m curious to know if anybody is pushing the footage further toward a more convincing film look using just FCP tools like basic color correction and perhaps composite techniques. Any 3rd party filters worth recommending? Thanks in advance.
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9 Replies
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Try the 3rd Party Plugin “Magic Bullet For Editors” https://store.yahoo.com/redgiantsoftware/mbforeditors.html
It has some fantastic presets which are contained in a Final Cut Project file. You can just drag them into your clips and tweek them to your hearts content.
You can also go from scratch and create your own.
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Graeme Nattress’ filters come to mind first:
http://www.nattress.com/filmEffects.htmMagicbullet and Cinelook/Cinemotion also come to mind.
Maybe check out Ken Stone’s site too:
https://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/feature_video_film.htmlBTW, if you do a simple Google search, maybe type film effects video, you’ll get a bunch of hits.
Ed -
Alan,
FinalTouch was demoed last night at the LAFCPUG meeting. It was pretty impressive and in real time too! It uses the Graphics Card (ATI X800?) instead of the CPU. I don’t have a link, sorry.. Oh and of course Nattress Film effects for FCP!! Do a search. I bought a stinking lotto ticket last night and all I really wanted was Nattress Film Effects, oh… and that 500.00 from Telecine. But nooooo, Mr. So&So had to buy a thousand dollars of fricken tickets and win like everything! I never win…Hope this is as helpful as it is confusing. 😉
Chris -
Sorry about that! It can be infuriating, I know!!
Certainly Film Effects will have some stuff that will help even Varicam footage, renders faster than MB for E too.
Graeme
– http://www.nattress.com – Film Effects and Standards Conversion for FCP
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I love the presets from MB, BUT on our G5 dual 2gig with 3gigsRAM and 9800SEpro, there very slow. Otherwise worth it.
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The Nattress film effects are great for tweaking in FCP. Get better render times than with Magic Bullet.
Hope this is helpful.
Brett
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Looking for tips and tricks for color correcting for film look in FCP. The Varicam HD footage we’re using is great to begin with, but I’m curious to know if anybody is pushing the footage further toward a more convincing film look using just FCP tools like basic color correction and perhaps composite techniques.
HUH? The why not do this in the Vaircam?
film look is a combo of mimicking 24 frame, RGB Film.. Using the Cine Gamma settings and shooting at 24 frames with the Varicam will achieve a Film-Look of unparalleled quality. This camera is the FCP recommended method for Film Out. ( don’t blast me – I did not right the manual) It’s ability to achieve a film look is nothing short of astonishing , I have seen a properly configured Varicam create a look so much like film that many people could not tell the difference.
get a copy of Goodmans Guide for the Varicam at the dealer that sold you the camera to learn how to set it up.
gary adcock
Studio37
HD and Film Consultation
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Changing gamma curve response to mimic film: (likely the #1 thing you can do)
A- Stib’s film curves (Free)
B- Nattress’s Film effects (excellent value, excellent support) I believe the result is similar to Stib’s, but I haven’t played around with this much and both were kind of buggy when I tried it.
C- Magic Bullet Editor’s – easy looks, very very slow renders
D- Final Touch (nice for other things…)
E- Synthetic Aperture Color Finesse (more adjustable than above)
F- Gary’s post leads me to believe adjusting gamma curves is possible in camera. You may need to be more careful about white balance.24p or 30p:
I assume the camera can do either.Saturation: Most people like higher than normal saturation.
In Final Cut, use the 3-way CC to bump up saturation. You can add a second CC filter and use the secondary controls to isolate flesh tones. You may want to then manually bring these tones down.
Apply color smoothing before for slightly better results. Nattress’ G nicer may give slightly better results.Skies:
You can use the 3-way CC’s secondary controls to play around with the sky. Typically you may want to make it darker before it hits the gamma curve adjustments (see above) so it maintains its color. Deep blue skies are nice, but so are colored skies like when the sun sets and there’s lots of pollution (those nice pink sunsets).
The secondary CC has a defocus or blur option which may help get rid of “chunkiness” in the key. Try chroma smoothing too.Creative color correction:
Magic Bullet Editors, to me, seems the easiest.
*Haven’t played around with Nattress’ filters much, but they seem like an excellent alternative to MBE (did I mention MBE was slow???)
Another option is to hire a colorist.
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