tricks in premiere/aspect to improve contrast after ND filter at DVinfo.net

Lisa Lee · December 2nd, 2003, 02:54 AM

Anyone have any suggestions on how to improve contrast after shooting with an ND filter to avoid blown out whites in post using premiere/aspect combination??
I've heard of people being successful in FCP doing this, but not sure what to try in premiere since I'm an FCP person myself.

David Newman · December 2nd, 2003, 09:53 AM

In the Video Effects windows select "Aspect HD Color" -- drag the "Color Corrector" effect onto the timeline clip you need to correct. Adjust the contrast and brightness as needed -- all will be in real-time.

Erik Rangel · December 2nd, 2003, 10:17 AM

no kidding, the color corrector saved my ass. The jvc had a tendancy to change colors right in the middle of a scene. haven't quite figured out why yet, but while editing the ability to color correct real time was invaluable.

E.

Chaim Bianco · December 2nd, 2003, 07:02 PM

" The jvc had a tendancy to change colors right in the middle of a scene. "

erik,
go into the camera's menu settings and changes the white balance to something other than auto.

" any suggestions on how to improv contrast after shooting with an ND filter to avoid blown out whites in post "

lisa,
all an nd filter does for this particular low-latitude camera is subtract enough light so that you can stop-up or lower the shutter speed. it doesnt lower contrast. nothing can, actually -- without compromising sharpness. the best and only way to control unwanted clipped whites & unwanted crushed muddy darks is through through careful framing and fill-lighting.

david n,
i am a happy aspectHD user. very happy in fact. i noticed your recent lamentation re: the lack of testimonials. when i get a break from my shooting sched i'll try to collect a few thoughts about your fine product.

les dit,
i am accutely interested in any experiences you may have in scanning jvc-hd material back to color neg. i remember your posts from alt.movies.visualeffects and recall them as being extremely informative re: realworld facts, as well as being quite entertaining in their rhetorical bluntness. in any case your POV is very good medicine on this board and i hope you keep posting.

Jay Nemeth · December 2nd, 2003, 08:06 PM

Fixing blown out whites is next to impossible. This camera needs to err on the underexposed side. There is lots of detail buried in the blacks. Raise the master ped in post to recover the detail, I don't know what Premeire calls the "blacks" but it should be pedastal or something like that. Pull the Gamma curve around to help out.

The lattitude on this camera is not that bad, it seems to crush the blacks on output for some reason.

Chaim Bianco · December 2nd, 2003, 08:26 PM

jay wrote:

"Fixing blown out whites is next to impossible."

preach it, brother.

"The lattitude on this camera is not that bad, ..'

the midrange grays are creamy enough to make anyone happy, as paul m discovered when he saw the some jvc footage stripped down to its unperverted luminance channel during a color correction session.

but unfortunately, it gets a little too steep at the top and bottom of the curve. what should be the halfstop or so range above black doesnt exist. instead you get a crumbly Dance Of The Macroblocks. try lighting a face in profile with a strong soft source on the other side of their nose. what starts as a pleasing wrap ends in angry mpeg confusion.

Les Dit · December 6th, 2003, 07:48 PM

Chaim,
I don't even remember what I was posting back then, but thanks for the compliment!

I want to film out some HD10 footage in the next week or two. A company I helped start has an ArriLaser recorder, and they will tack a test on the end of a roll for me. I may not even bother with the 30 to 24 issue, I'll ignore it for now. I just want to see the picture.

As far as blow out, if it is blown out on tape, it's too late, as someone else correctly stated. But remember, film print stock kinda blows out too, in bright skys, etc. It's OK sometimes. The neg. has all the info there, but not the print.

-Les

<<<-- Originally posted by Chaim Bianco : " The jvc had a tendancy to change colors right in the middle of a scene. "

les dit,
i am accutely interested in any experiences you may have in scanning jvc-hd material back to color neg. i remember your posts from alt.movies.visualeffects and recall them as being extremely informative re: realworld facts, as well as being quite entertaining in their rhetorical bluntness. in any case your POV is very good medicine on this board and i hope you keep posting. -->>>

December 2nd, 2003, 02:54 AM	#1
Lisa Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 86	tricks in premiere/aspect to improve contrast after ND filter Anyone have any suggestions on how to improve contrast after shooting with an ND filter to avoid blown out whites in post using premiere/aspect combination?? I've heard of people being successful in FCP doing this, but not sure what to try in premiere since I'm an FCP person myself.

December 2nd, 2003, 10:17 AM	#3
Erik Rangel Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 125	no kidding, the color corrector saved my ass. The jvc had a tendancy to change colors right in the middle of a scene. haven't quite figured out why yet, but while editing the ability to color correct real time was invaluable. E. __________________ Erik Rangel www.inthemind.com

December 2nd, 2003, 09:53 AM	#2
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	In the Video Effects windows select "Aspect HD Color" -- drag the "Color Corrector" effect onto the timeline clip you need to correct. Adjust the contrast and brightness as needed -- all will be in real-time.

December 2nd, 2003, 07:02 PM	#4
Chaim Bianco Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Philadelphia , PA Posts: 39	" The jvc had a tendancy to change colors right in the middle of a scene. " erik, go into the camera's menu settings and changes the white balance to something other than auto. " any suggestions on how to improv contrast after shooting with an ND filter to avoid blown out whites in post " lisa, all an nd filter does for this particular low-latitude camera is subtract enough light so that you can stop-up or lower the shutter speed. it doesnt lower contrast. nothing can, actually -- without compromising sharpness. the best and only way to control unwanted clipped whites & unwanted crushed muddy darks is through through careful framing and fill-lighting. david n, i am a happy aspectHD user. very happy in fact. i noticed your recent lamentation re: the lack of testimonials. when i get a break from my shooting sched i'll try to collect a few thoughts about your fine product. les dit, i am accutely interested in any experiences you may have in scanning jvc-hd material back to color neg. i remember your posts from alt.movies.visualeffects and recall them as being extremely informative re: realworld facts, as well as being quite entertaining in their rhetorical bluntness. in any case your POV is very good medicine on this board and i hope you keep posting.

December 2nd, 2003, 08:06 PM	#5
Jay Nemeth Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 64	Fixing blown out whites is next to impossible. This camera needs to err on the underexposed side. There is lots of detail buried in the blacks. Raise the master ped in post to recover the detail, I don't know what Premeire calls the "blacks" but it should be pedastal or something like that. Pull the Gamma curve around to help out. The lattitude on this camera is not that bad, it seems to crush the blacks on output for some reason.

December 2nd, 2003, 08:26 PM	#6
Chaim Bianco Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Philadelphia , PA Posts: 39	jay wrote: "Fixing blown out whites is next to impossible." preach it, brother. "The lattitude on this camera is not that bad, ..' the midrange grays are creamy enough to make anyone happy, as paul m discovered when he saw the some jvc footage stripped down to its unperverted luminance channel during a color correction session. but unfortunately, it gets a little too steep at the top and bottom of the curve. what should be the halfstop or so range above black doesnt exist. instead you get a crumbly Dance Of The Macroblocks. try lighting a face in profile with a strong soft source on the other side of their nose. what starts as a pleasing wrap ends in angry mpeg confusion.

December 6th, 2003, 07:48 PM	#7
Les Dit Major Player Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-Ni-ya Posts: 608	Chaim, I don't even remember what I was posting back then, but thanks for the compliment! I want to film out some HD10 footage in the next week or two. A company I helped start has an ArriLaser recorder, and they will tack a test on the end of a roll for me. I may not even bother with the 30 to 24 issue, I'll ignore it for now. I just want to see the picture. As far as blow out, if it is blown out on tape, it's too late, as someone else correctly stated. But remember, film print stock kinda blows out too, in bright skys, etc. It's OK sometimes. The neg. has all the info there, but not the print. -Les <<<-- Originally posted by Chaim Bianco : " The jvc had a tendancy to change colors right in the middle of a scene. " les dit, i am accutely interested in any experiences you may have in scanning jvc-hd material back to color neg. i remember your posts from alt.movies.visualeffects and recall them as being extremely informative re: realworld facts, as well as being quite entertaining in their rhetorical bluntness. in any case your POV is very good medicine on this board and i hope you keep posting. -->>>