Where to Begin

[Kevin Cannon]

Check in the support section of the Blackmagic website to see their configuration guide as well as the Resolve manual… but basically:

Mac Pro – check
GUI Graphics card – check
CUDA graphics card – look at flashed GTX285s on eBay for least expensive options
Video interface card – look at Decklink Extreme 3/3D/3D+
Grading monitor – check

You can certainly learn the software with the Lite version (soon) and no interface, the lower priced panels are the Tangent Wave and the Avid MC Color. Both are in the 1,300-1,500 range I think, I like them both but have only used the Wave with Resolve.

I enjoyed “The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction” by Steve Hullfish and the newer “Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema” by Alexis Van Hurkman. And “The Print” by Ansel Adams!

KC

prehistoricdigital.com
hardworkingpixels.com

[Ola Haldor voll]

Welcome to our world of crazy!

When I started to learn Resolve about a year ago, I started with a keyboard, Wacom tablet and a ShuttlePro2 which I assigned the most used shortcuts to.

It wasn’t as intuitive as if it had color wheels, but on the on ther hand, this was never built to be used with mouse or tablet. It’s not impossible. I used the software for 8 months before I bought a control surface. On one hand I’m glad I waited – I got to learn the software and it’s functions at a slower pace to really get into it bit by bit. And when I got the control surface, it was an upgrade which made me work faster. The JL Cooper Eclipse is super! But of course I’d like to get the mother ship one day…. 😉

I recommend taking a course at fxphd if they have a resolve course available this term.

[Sascha Haber]

…and buy yourself Johannes Itten’s “The art of color” , the bible and ultimately the most important book to understand why your are doing what your are doing and why stuff looks wrong or right and … everything.
Not the easiest thing to read, but once it sinks in, you see the world with the eyes of a colorist, not a computer operator.

A slice of color…

DaVinci 7.1.2 OSX 10.6.7
MacPro 5.1 2x 2,4 24GB
RAID0 8TB eSata 6TB
GTX 285 / GT 120
Extreme 3D+ WAVE

http://www.saschahaber.com

[Margus Voll]

Wow. this is the 1970 book you mean ?

—

Margus

https://iconstudios.eu

[Sascha Haber]

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Color-Subjective-Experience-Objective/dp/0471289280

That one..

Yeah, its from 1961 originally 🙂
My reprint is from 2004 so it shows correct colors.
Its fully calibrated…hehe

A slice of color…

DaVinci 7.1.2 OSX 10.6.7
MacPro 5.1 2x 2,4 24GB
RAID0 8TB eSata 6TB
GTX 285 / GT 120
Extreme 3D+ WAVE

http://www.saschahaber.com

[Marcin Zwolski]

Craig,

Here’s the list of books you could find interesting

https://www.finalcolor.com/Booklist.htm

I would second Sascha and recommend Itten’s ‘The Art Of Color’. But add to this ‘Number by colors’ (a bit of geekery), funny ‘If it’s purple someone’s gonna die’ and comprehensive ‘Film into Video’. I haven’t looked at Ansel’s ‘The Print’ or ‘The Negative’ but heard they’re a must read.

You might consider signing up for ICA classes (although fxphd might be a cheaper way – https://www.fxphd.com/page/5/ with Warren Eagles, one of ICA co-founders)

Cheers,
M

[Joseph Owens]

[Marcin Zwolski] ” ‘If it’s purple someone’s gonna die'”

At first, I thought this title was a kind of inside joke, since I know a few dp’s that absolutely detest the hue and there ‘better not be any of it’ in the image. However, those familiar with the title will soon realize that its more about color design and impression than about intrinsic technical transforms. Its a good reference for its subjective value, and a very anecdotal approach to what Art Directors are trying to achieve, therefore an excellent vocabulary base.

Itten is starting to feel a little bit outdated, even though, yes it is a bible of sorts. And there is no denying the Bauhaus.

Oddly enough, there are some artists’ handbooks (example: COLOR THEORY by José M. Parramón, ISBN 0-8230-0755-3) that I found instructive in terms of pigment/light mixing, simultaneous contrast, metamerism and harmonic balance.

There are tons of academic and popular treatments of the subject in books and web-based lecture series. Color is not an objective destination. There are discussions that range from Goethe to Edwin Land. There are theories that argue that not only is color psychologically mediated, but also culturally. Anyone who thinks they can successfully execute the function with numbers… a) is deluded and b) doesn’t and likely won’t ever, “get it”.

Ultimately, you are the filter, every colorist has a fingerprint, and like a fine musician, when you find your “voice”, perhaps it will be pleasing. I hope so.

(Could be the forward to my book if it would ever stop turning into a rant.)
My friends tell me “that is what editros are for”… maybe… if they would stop ranting about FCX!

jPo

You mean “Old Ben”? Ben Kenobi?

[Joseph Owens]

Oops… what’s an “editro”? Maybe its an accidentally-invented term for, like an edit-robot, you know FCPXX. comes with robo- colorist.

jPo

You mean “Old Ben”? Ben Kenobi?

[Craig Alan]

Thanks so much.

I’ve downloaded both documents and will read through them. Wow three cards for one app.

Is there a breakout box (MATROX?) that could replace the two cards? The reason I’m asking is I’d like to be able to move set up to different computers — home and at work and on the road.

If possible, I’d like the breakout box to function on both a macbook pro and macpro. The macbook pro does have ExpressCard/34 slot.

I’ve been using a Ki Pro both live and to copy Tapes as ProRes 422 files. It works like a charm and I don’t have to tie up my computer capturing from my cameras. Unlike some card-based cameras, I don’t have to copy over entire folder structures, the individual clips work just fine. I’m mentioning this only because these cards allow for capture as well as output.

That said I know I’ll be moving to higher end formats in the future. But for now this is what I’m using.

One more question: Do you think that thunderbolt will effect any of these choices? Will it allow for cheaper better breakout boxes, interface with a broadcast monitor, etc. I know it does look like the future of array connections. And unlike other things Apple (FCP X), it is backwards compatible.

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Thanks so much everyone. Very generous. I’ll start by getting my system functioning and trying out on some old projects. I really hope Apple adds the ability to send projects to and from color correction systems in FCP X.

OSX 10.5.8; MacBookPro4,1 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz MacPro4,1 2.66GHz 8 core 12gigs of ram. GPU: Nvidia Geoforce GT120 with Vram 512. OS X 10.6.x; Camcorders: Sony Z7U, Canon HV30/40, Sony vx2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.