VFX for the big screen

[Chris Brett]

—- I have heard that colour correcting can cause problems with keying ………………

————————— chris —

[Tero Ahlfors]

[chris brett] “I have heard that colour correcting can cause problems with keying”

Actually sometimes you’ll probably want to color correct to do a key. But then you are manipulating the colours to give you a better matte as the result. The footage itself might get a little crazy so you wouldn’t want to use that.

[Scott O’hara]

Okay, so if I’m understanding you guys correctly: Even though the white balance and such might differ from clip to clip on the RAW, I shouldn’t mess with it until after the VFX.

So for underexposed shots where it’s tough to see all the details for VFX work (tracking, etc.) I should add an adjustment layer, CC that so I can see the clip, do the FX work then turn off the adjustment layer?

Then once I have completed all the FX, go to color grading and correct all the footage and VFX together at once.

Sound right? If so, when I have that adjustment layer active, and I’m working on the VFX portion, is there a way to make the settings or color neutral so when I turn off the adjustment layer, my VFX aren’t all crazy with color?

Basically what I’m asking is there a way or setting to keep all the VFX (say a milky white eye composited onto someone’s face) settings at some sort of baseline, so it’s easy to grade with the rest of the footage? Or am I just making sure I blend it with the RAW footage as best as possible?

Sorry if I’m being redundant.

Thanks!

[Chris Brett]

Hi — my point originally is that it is best to get the rushes with maximum picture information ( grading loses information )

—- unless you have been asked to grade it would be inclined to ask the director how he wants to handle this —- match grain yes but grade along with FX work not so sure …… it depends…..

— last time I did anything like this the Fx was graded along with the rest of the edit at the finishing stage….

———————– chris —

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[Chris Brett]

— obviously cc elements so that comp works — but sort key first then cc downstream —c—

[Tero Ahlfors]

[Scott O'Hara] “Even though the white balance and such might differ from clip to clip on the RAW, I shouldn’t mess with it until after the VFX.”

That’s the colorists job. I usually only have individual VFX shots and I have no idea what the surrounding clips look like so it’s not my job to try to balance anything.

[Scott O'Hara] “Then once I have completed all the FX, go to color grading and correct all the footage and VFX together at once.”

Grading is the last part of the production, yes.

[Scott O'Hara] “Or am I just making sure I blend it with the RAW footage as best as possible?”

Yes. You’ll want to keep as much dynamic range/image quality for the colorist to work with.

[Tudor “ted” jelescu]

Work @32bit color, match the effects to the footage as close as possible ( color, grain, softness…) and grade the final.

Tudor “Ted” Jelescu
Senior VFX Artist

[Scott O’hara]

Thanks Ted.

I’ve been dabbling with this a bit, working with some r3d files in AE CS6. One question I had from this is in regards to color. I’ll run this by the colorist as well. But in your interpret footage / main / more options tabs, you can get to the metadata. Working with the RAW clips, and the REDLog settings, it washes out the colors, which I’ve always understood to be true RAW before the color is manipulated at all.

I’m assuming this is what the colorists go off of when they start grading. And I’m assuming when you say to match the colors of the footage as best you can, I should be matching to this setting, instead of the other settings you can manipulate (i.e., Redgamma, etc.). Cause honestly those settings look like crap.

[Tero Ahlfors]

[Scott O'Hara] “I’m assuming this is what the colorists go off of when they start grading.”

You’ll need to consult the colorist what he/she wants as the RED settings.

[Scott O'Hara] “Cause honestly those settings look like crap.”

That’s why you use an adjustment layer or a LUT to turn washed out looking RedLOG stuff to something that you can work with.

[Scott O’hara]

Still looking for a colorist, but as soon as I find one I’ll start that conversation. I was leaning toward doing some of the VFX myself, but with all the matching of color, etc. etc. I’m not sure if I should.

But if the budget becomes an increasing issue, I may have to do that, and possibly color in something like Magic Bullet.. It’s been years since I’ve used anything other than CC tools in Premiere and FCP so…. yah…