[Scott O’hara]

Hey Toby,

Thanks for the response.

I didn’t try that yet, just because I applied a Gaussian Blur in AE and then exported… and it did the same thing (changed color temp) so I figured it was AE causing the issue and not Neat.

But maybe I’m wrong?

[Scott O’hara]

Hello all,

So if anyone is reading this thought I’d update and ask for some help.

Simply put here’s the issue:

-Have DPX VFX files 10 bit log ungraded.

-Need to apply Noise Reduction so used Neat Video in AE.

-Upon bringing DPX into Resolve (after exporting from AE) to reapply grade, the color temperature is different (when I apply the grade).

-This temp change ONLY happens when applying Neat Video or another filter i.e. Gaussian Blur in AE.

-Temp change does NOT happen if I simply export the DPX out of AE and bring into Resolve and add the grade. So it’s not in the AE DPX export settings…

-WHY is this happening when I apply filters? Anybody have any idea?

Any help would be extremely appreciated!

[Scott O’hara]

A quick update.

After playing around with it, I’ve found it is indeed Neat Video that’s causing the color temperature to shift.

My thought is, the noise has some color to it (cool) and by taking it out I’m making the warmth in the shot more noticeable, therefore appearing to shift the color temperature of the entire shot.

Maybe this is a setting inside Neat Video that can help with this, or maybe I’ll have to try doing the NR after the grade has been applied. Either way I’ll have to do some more digging and possibly contact the Neat Video support group to see if they have an answer for this.

Fun fun fun….

[Scott O’hara]

Okay,

So I have 6 channels. And the dialogue is coming from just the center channel. No other BG going on in that channel. Obviously I would have to match tone and such as mentioned above. Hopefully they didn’t do anything crazy in ProTools…

But having 6 channels is what you mean by discreets?

Thanks for the help guys.

[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…

[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.

[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!

[Scott O’hara]

Thanks for the advice Darby.

When you refer to CCing the assets that are added to the clips, can you give me an example of what you’re referring to? I’m assume you talking about VFX? Again just making sure I’m not missing anything.

Good call on the blurs. Thanks.

I’ve thought about using something other than AE. I couldn’t, but I’ve spoken with a couple VFX artists who do use Nuke, etc. The biggest issue is cost, being that those people seem to charge more. Maybe I’m wrong there but I’ll keep looking around. I guess it matters more on the experience and ability of the VFX artist than the program, but I know Nuke has a lot more to offer.

Thanks again.

[Scott O’hara]

I was meaning white balance because a lot of wasn’t done while shooting. So I have the RAW data, but some of it may be difficult to see/work with unless some grading is done. (i.e., certain shots were underexposed).

So I was figuring to just do a pass in REDCine or if someone else does it, in Resolve, to give the VFX person something to work off of. Also, if I don’t correct the white balance, etc. at a minimal level before VFX, won’t that screw up their work afterward if I start doing that once the fx are finished?

If I’m wrong let me know and I’ll make sure to do ALL CC after the VFX work including correcting white balance, etc.

Thanks guys.

[Scott O’hara]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the advice so far.

Yeah, I think the 4K monitors would be out of the question, just due to cost, though I know that’s a good idea.

Ultimately the master is going to be 1080p or 2K at most.

So to make sure I understand, the most important part is blending the VFX with color? So would the artifacting and similar issues arise from a bad grade, and not necessarily with the VFX themselves?

I have a separate question about removing objects with AE. If I use clone stamp, etc., I feel like that would become really obvious if you blew that up on a big screen? Any experience with that? Any better tools for object removal?

I’m currently looking for a colourist, and plan on working off the RAW files for that and VFX.

Thanks for the tip on doing VFX before color. What I was planning to do was do a quick pass for white balance, etc. then doing the VFX on the clips, then brining back for final color (the majority of it). All on the RAW files.

Thanks again for the help.