Changing Color in FCP at DVinfo.net

Dana Rice · May 2nd, 2008, 08:14 PM

I'm currently editing a music video in Final Cut Studio 2, this is my first time using the software so I'm not real familiar with it yet. Anyhow, I am trying to change the hair color of my subject... it is currently black. I have messed with the color corrector and the limit effect and I find that it works great when changing a color such as green to red or blue to yellow, but when trying to change black into another color it is not working good at all. I have tweaked what seems to be every possible setting and still can not get anything that looks close to acceptable... it either doesn't change all of the hair color or it does too much and bleeds into her facial area. Also, since her pupils are black, it is also changing her eye color.

Anyone have any advice for a better method?

James Brill · May 2nd, 2008, 11:26 PM

Either get really good at secondary color correction which is going to be tough since the color you are trying to narrow down is in everything. You could also do a frame by frame rotoscoping in after effects or color. Basically you will make a selection of the hair like using the lasso tool in photoshop except since this is video you have to change the selection every frame according to the movement of your subject. Very tough stuff no matter what.

Liam Hall · May 3rd, 2008, 03:50 AM

Black isn't a color.

James Brill · May 3rd, 2008, 10:45 AM

And that is the problem. Which is why I think rotoscoping is they only way to do it.

Liam Hall · May 4th, 2008, 03:17 AM

You could try a luminance key and use a garbage matte to isolate the parts of the shot you don't want to key.

Benjamin Hill · May 5th, 2008, 06:11 AM

If you post a screen grab or still from a movie that uses the effect you want, it might give people a clearer idea of what you are trying to do so they could help you better.

May 2nd, 2008, 08:14 PM	#1
Dana Rice Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 37	Changing Color in FCP I'm currently editing a music video in Final Cut Studio 2, this is my first time using the software so I'm not real familiar with it yet. Anyhow, I am trying to change the hair color of my subject... it is currently black. I have messed with the color corrector and the limit effect and I find that it works great when changing a color such as green to red or blue to yellow, but when trying to change black into another color it is not working good at all. I have tweaked what seems to be every possible setting and still can not get anything that looks close to acceptable... it either doesn't change all of the hair color or it does too much and bleeds into her facial area. Also, since her pupils are black, it is also changing her eye color. Anyone have any advice for a better method?

May 3rd, 2008, 03:50 AM	#3
Liam Hall Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 969	Black isn't a color. __________________ Writer-Director-DOP www.liamhall.net

May 4th, 2008, 03:17 AM	#5
Liam Hall Major Player Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: London, England Posts: 969	You could try a luminance key and use a garbage matte to isolate the parts of the shot you don't want to key. __________________ Writer-Director-DOP www.liamhall.net

May 5th, 2008, 06:11 AM	#6
Benjamin Hill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa City, Iowa Posts: 670	Post a sample If you post a screen grab or still from a movie that uses the effect you want, it might give people a clearer idea of what you are trying to do so they could help you better. __________________ youtube.com/benhillmedia linkedin.com/in/benhillmedia

May 2nd, 2008, 11:26 PM	#2
James Brill Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Goleta, CA Posts: 299	Either get really good at secondary color correction which is going to be tough since the color you are trying to narrow down is in everything. You could also do a frame by frame rotoscoping in after effects or color. Basically you will make a selection of the hair like using the lasso tool in photoshop except since this is video you have to change the selection every frame according to the movement of your subject. Very tough stuff no matter what.

May 3rd, 2008, 10:45 AM	#4
James Brill Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Goleta, CA Posts: 299	And that is the problem. Which is why I think rotoscoping is they only way to do it.