Green cast of fluorescent bulbs at DVinfo.net

Mike Andrade · January 17th, 2007, 06:21 PM

Does anyone have any tips for getting rid of the green cast of fluorscent bulbs in Final Cut Pro? I am trying to clean up some footage for a client and there is a shot in a gas station lit by these. The actor looks sickly and I'm trying to get his skin tone back to normal. Any help would be appreciated.

David W. Jones · January 17th, 2007, 06:39 PM

Use the 3-way color corrector.

Mike Andrade · January 17th, 2007, 07:11 PM

Thats what I have been trying but I just wind up with an oversaturated green skin tone. I'm gonna try a warming filter if I can find one.

David W. Jones · January 17th, 2007, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Andrade

Thats what I have been trying but I just wind up with an oversaturated green skin tone. I'm gonna try a warming filter if I can find one.

A warming filter is not the answer.
Your white balance was set incorrect when the footage was shot.
Try selecting an area of the frame that you know is white with the eyedropper on the white corrector.

Nick Weeks · January 18th, 2007, 08:02 AM

You need to add some red (magenta) to counter-balance the green. Try playing with the mid and high color wheels and add a little red.

Also, try David's suggestion about the white, but if you have something around 18% gray in your shot, use the middle wheel eyedropper for it, that should help get you started. You'll need to get close using the eyedropper, then if it still looks green, play with the color wheel adding a little more red.

I've also found that some badly colored clips can be "fine-tuned" if you apply the color correction twice, but then it gets tricky to adjust because adjusting one effects the other one, and remember it makes a difference which one comes first in the filter list.

Good luck

Mike Andrade · January 19th, 2007, 07:46 PM

Thanks alot Nick. That actually help me get alot closer. There just happened to be alot of red in the background of this particular shot so balancing it out was a pain but it looks way better.

Nick Weeks · January 19th, 2007, 09:19 PM

You can play around with the "limit effect" at the bottom of the color corrector screen to get some better results. If you check the manual it helps a lot... the printed one is not good for the color correction because the pictures are B&W, so check the PDF.

January 17th, 2007, 06:21 PM	#1
Mike Andrade Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 136	Green cast of fluorescent bulbs Does anyone have any tips for getting rid of the green cast of fluorscent bulbs in Final Cut Pro? I am trying to clean up some footage for a client and there is a shot in a gas station lit by these. The actor looks sickly and I'm trying to get his skin tone back to normal. Any help would be appreciated. __________________ Mike A

January 17th, 2007, 07:11 PM	#3
Mike Andrade Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 136	Thats what I have been trying but I just wind up with an oversaturated green skin tone. I'm gonna try a warming filter if I can find one. __________________ Mike A

January 19th, 2007, 07:46 PM	#6
Mike Andrade Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, Tx Posts: 136	Thanks alot Nick. That actually help me get alot closer. There just happened to be alot of red in the background of this particular shot so balancing it out was a pain but it looks way better. __________________ Mike A

January 17th, 2007, 06:39 PM	#2
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Use the 3-way color corrector.

January 18th, 2007, 08:02 AM	#5
Nick Weeks Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 722	You need to add some red (magenta) to counter-balance the green. Try playing with the mid and high color wheels and add a little red. Also, try David's suggestion about the white, but if you have something around 18% gray in your shot, use the middle wheel eyedropper for it, that should help get you started. You'll need to get close using the eyedropper, then if it still looks green, play with the color wheel adding a little more red. I've also found that some badly colored clips can be "fine-tuned" if you apply the color correction twice, but then it gets tricky to adjust because adjusting one effects the other one, and remember it makes a difference which one comes first in the filter list. Good luck

January 19th, 2007, 09:19 PM	#7
Nick Weeks Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 722	You can play around with the "limit effect" at the bottom of the color corrector screen to get some better results. If you check the manual it helps a lot... the printed one is not good for the color correction because the pictures are B&W, so check the PDF.