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Automatic color correction?
Ok, here’s the thing.
Where I work we’re doing a little series pilot to start selling around, since it’s a pilot we can’t really hire more people until it’s sold so basically I’ve been doing all the editing, video effects, motion graphics and so on.
We’re already taking more time than we wanted to (mainly because of lack of organization at first), but now we’re at the point where the entire first episode is edited and everything is in place except for color correction. There are some scenes where the color levels are all over the place in the different cameras used, and even between different takes of the same camera.
I’ve been trying to use the built in color correction plugin in final cut, and exporting to color, but while both can get great results, they take a long time, so I was wondering if it was a faster way, or maybe some plugin or software that would do automatic color correction to several clips, or any workflow ideas to make the process go faster.
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13 Replies
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[Roberto Etcheverry] “I’ve been trying to use the built in color correction plugin in final cut, and exporting to color, but while both can get great results, they take a long time, so I was wondering if it was a faster way, or maybe some plugin or software that would do automatic color correction to several clips, or any workflow ideas to make the process go faster.”
Yes, Color enhancement takes time.
The only “automatic color correction” is the Auto Balance feature in Color. But don’t expect great results from that. There’s no such thing as “Automatic Color Correction” since there’s no way for the software to know what you want it to do. There’s color balancing, there’s color treatment, there’s looks, there’s all sorts of things. Kind of like saying you want a “automatic editing plug-in” so you don’t have to edit the project, just let it edit itself.
The workflow is quite fast and efficient through Color if your sequence is set up correctly and you know how to work the application.
The workflow is very easy in FCP using the 3 Way CC tool.
Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author, Chef.
HD Post and Production
Biscardi Creative Media“Foul Water, Fiery Serpent” featuring Sigourney Weaver coming soon.
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“…so I was wondering if it was a faster way, or maybe some plugin or software that would do automatic color correction to several clips…”
How would a piece of software know what you want your shots to look like?
There are ‘automated’ level controls like the ‘Broadcast Safe’, but that isn’t really color correction.it is pretty straight forward to match shots from multiple cameras quickly in the 3 way color corrector in FCP. Once you get the first shots (under the same lighting/scene) of each camera matched to your liking, you can drag those settings to all the following shots using that camera. Then most of the time you just need a little fine tuning here and there.
Since you are involved in the entire process, you might want to look at having the camera ops using preset White Balance , instead of a bunch of different ‘Auto White Balances’. In my experience, treating the cameras more like film and fixing them at either 3200, or 5600 depending on the scene lighting, will make CC work a lot easier, especially between cameras. Nothing is a bigger buzzkill then getting a really good match, just to have the op re-white after a break, and changing the balance.
Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
The only thing that will speed up your color correction workflow is hiring an experienced colorist. That’s just part of the game.
But not all is lost. You DID learn a valuable lesson! Include grading in your budget next time.
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Mark,
What are your thoughts on the editor doing some initial 3WCC work just to get things in the ballpark?Scott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
Hey, go for it. I’m sure he could put a clutch in my car for a lot less than the transmission shop would charge me too.
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“Hey, go for it. I’m sure he could put a clutch in my car for a lot less than the transmission shop would charge me too.”
Shop charges:
$40 per hour
$50 per hour if you watch
$75 per hour if you help
$100 per hour if you started the jobScott Sheriff
Director
SST Digital Media
https://www.sstdigitalmedia.com -
I’m not a colorist but I’d assume that “getting it in the ballpark” would either do nothing to help the colorist or, more likely, would actually get in his way and slow him down. Just like it’s normally easier to edit something from scratch than to fix a poor edit.
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Good, fast or cheap: pick any two.
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Good and cheap please.
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Dave, shoot a grey (US “gray”) card … hmmm? … Wait a minute … isn’t that how people used to do it way-back-when? That can’t be right.
Matt.
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