THIS Preset for XH A1s, Pic included at DVinfo.net

Danny Winn · May 14th, 2009, 07:24 PM

I'm wondering if anyone familiar with all the A1s presets can select a preset that would give me this look (pic below).

It is a very common LOOK in commercials, kind of a soft, de-saturated look usually in an office setting.

It baffles me cause I'm not sure what I'm seeing if anything. Is this a preset that I can get for the A1s or if it's done in post.

If you have a lot of national commercial experience or would like to just give me your best guess I'd love to hear your opinion cause it seems to be very popular.

Thanks much

http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...21c7b14bef.jpg

David Gibson · May 14th, 2009, 07:55 PM

Well, as long as we get to guess ... :-)

I'd vote for post. That's probably worth what it took me to type it so ....

Allan Black · May 15th, 2009, 02:27 AM

All commercial spots are pushed and pulled in post, it's where the agency hopes to make it's mark. The director wishes them good luck and get's the h*ll outa there.

And I don't blame him, agencies can be very dangerous to one's career.

Cheers.

David Gibson · May 16th, 2009, 03:31 PM

Danny,

I use Final Cut Express so I'm fairly limited on the color correction stuff. But one thing I have been experimenting with lately is the saturation levels of a clip. When I looked at your clips again, my first thought was the saturation levels were lowered. My guess is that there is more to it than that but that is what caught my novice eye. As I said, I've been working with saturation lately and here is one example where I lowered the sat on a clip to get a slightly different feel for the clip. The first one is how I shot the video. The second was after I lowered the sat. anyhow, it just reminded me of what I saw in your pics and supports what was said here about the work being done in post.

dave

Chris Light · May 16th, 2009, 09:39 PM

and it should go without saying, but LIGHTING and costume/set design is so much of the look.

Danny Winn · May 17th, 2009, 09:46 AM

Thanks everybody,

yeah I'm sure there's a lot to this simple look, I just wasn't sure if it was some universal commercial standard preset that I should aquire for my A1s or if it's mostly post.

I'm still not sure what I'm seeing exactly and why it looks so appealling to me.

It could also be that the camera's they use cost $80.000 and are most likely 3 1/2inch CCD's.

You could film a pile of dog crap in the grass and it would look like a million bucks. Haha

Thanks

Don Xaliman · May 17th, 2009, 12:09 PM

I don't think they slaved over the look. It seems to me to be a white balance thing. Those shots in the office all have mixed lighting.Daylight, fluorescent and some tungsten on the talent in the middle one.
They probably messed up on manual white balance with the camera and sent a large corporate invoice to the client.
I agree with it also being desaturated on the top one.

Jason Lowe · May 18th, 2009, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Xaliman

I don't think they slaved over the look. It seems to me to be a white balance thing. Those shots in the office all have mixed lighting.Daylight, fluorescent and some tungsten on the talent in the middle one.
They probably messed up on manual white balance with the camera and sent a large corporate invoice to the client.
I agree with it also being desaturated on the top one.

Plus, the color scheme they used for the set and wardrobe is very limited. No bright yellows, no reds.

Garrett Low · May 18th, 2009, 09:42 AM

I know and have worked with a lady who is an art director for a pretty large add agency (at least she worked for them up until last when she quit to start her own agency) in San Francisco. From my experience and talking with her they absolutely "slave" over every detail. I did a very small photo shot with her and from the beginning she had everything laid out and a vision for what the end product was going to be. She knew when it was important to make lighting adjustment, oversaw the shot (still pictures she was watching on a live monitor) and made very detailed "suggestions".

If an Artistic Director wants it desaturated, they will either have it shot that way or shot in a way that makes it possible for them to get the look in post.

As for the look in those examples, I would agree that the best thing would be to shoot using no presets to give a pretty flat neutral look. Then in post create the look you want. I'm not sure what the message of each spot was suppose to be but usually offices are portrayed as very neutral almost cold environments because they are suppose to give the idea of a professional environments or are used to show the contrast between work (dull and drab) and play (vibrant and happy).

May 14th, 2009, 07:24 PM	#1
Danny Winn Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 291	THIS Preset for XH A1s, Pic included I'm wondering if anyone familiar with all the A1s presets can select a preset that would give me this look (pic below). It is a very common LOOK in commercials, kind of a soft, de-saturated look usually in an office setting. It baffles me cause I'm not sure what I'm seeing if anything. Is this a preset that I can get for the A1s or if it's done in post. If you have a lot of national commercial experience or would like to just give me your best guess I'd love to hear your opinion cause it seems to be very popular. Thanks much http://c4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...21c7b14bef.jpg Attached Thumbnails

May 14th, 2009, 07:55 PM	#2
David Gibson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Abilene, Texas Posts: 42	Well, as long as we get to guess ... :-) I'd vote for post. That's probably worth what it took me to type it so .... __________________ http://dakvideo.com

May 16th, 2009, 03:31 PM	#4
David Gibson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Abilene, Texas Posts: 42	Danny, I use Final Cut Express so I'm fairly limited on the color correction stuff. But one thing I have been experimenting with lately is the saturation levels of a clip. When I looked at your clips again, my first thought was the saturation levels were lowered. My guess is that there is more to it than that but that is what caught my novice eye. As I said, I've been working with saturation lately and here is one example where I lowered the sat on a clip to get a slightly different feel for the clip. The first one is how I shot the video. The second was after I lowered the sat. anyhow, it just reminded me of what I saw in your pics and supports what was said here about the work being done in post. dave Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://dakvideo.com

May 15th, 2009, 02:27 AM	#3
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,919	All commercial spots are pushed and pulled in post, it's where the agency hopes to make it's mark. The director wishes them good luck and get's the h*ll outa there. And I don't blame him, agencies can be very dangerous to one's career. Cheers.

May 16th, 2009, 09:39 PM	#5
Chris Light Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Fallbrook, CA Posts: 49	and it should go without saying, but LIGHTING and costume/set design is so much of the look.

May 17th, 2009, 09:46 AM	#6
Danny Winn Major Player Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 291	Thanks everybody, yeah I'm sure there's a lot to this simple look, I just wasn't sure if it was some universal commercial standard preset that I should aquire for my A1s or if it's mostly post. I'm still not sure what I'm seeing exactly and why it looks so appealling to me. It could also be that the camera's they use cost $80.000 and are most likely 3 1/2inch CCD's. You could film a pile of dog crap in the grass and it would look like a million bucks. Haha Thanks

May 17th, 2009, 12:09 PM	#7
Don Xaliman Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 96	I don't think they slaved over the look. It seems to me to be a white balance thing. Those shots in the office all have mixed lighting.Daylight, fluorescent and some tungsten on the talent in the middle one. They probably messed up on manual white balance with the camera and sent a large corporate invoice to the client. I agree with it also being desaturated on the top one.

May 18th, 2009, 09:42 AM	#9
Garrett Low Trustee Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Novato, CA Posts: 1,774	I know and have worked with a lady who is an art director for a pretty large add agency (at least she worked for them up until last when she quit to start her own agency) in San Francisco. From my experience and talking with her they absolutely "slave" over every detail. I did a very small photo shot with her and from the beginning she had everything laid out and a vision for what the end product was going to be. She knew when it was important to make lighting adjustment, oversaw the shot (still pictures she was watching on a live monitor) and made very detailed "suggestions". If an Artistic Director wants it desaturated, they will either have it shot that way or shot in a way that makes it possible for them to get the look in post. As for the look in those examples, I would agree that the best thing would be to shoot using no presets to give a pretty flat neutral look. Then in post create the look you want. I'm not sure what the message of each spot was suppose to be but usually offices are portrayed as very neutral almost cold environments because they are suppose to give the idea of a professional environments or are used to show the contrast between work (dull and drab) and play (vibrant and happy).