Post color correct the HD100 at DVinfo.net

David Chapman · October 29th, 2007, 08:56 PM

I'm about to start some tests on different methods of color correcting footage in post. I have selected various scene files from the collection, mainly Tim Dashwood's wide latitude. This is purely a personal test to see what works best within my current Final Cut workflow. Hopefully, this will help out someone besides myself.

This is what I'll be testing:
Final Cut Pro (internally)
Apple Color
After Effects
Shake
Magic Bullet Looks

With a deep background in AE, I know I can do a lot with the footage, but the round trip I can say already will be a pain. Magic Bullet Looks and Color are what I am excited in testing. I will host video samples soon and see if I can achieve some basic and creative looks with all.

Note: I've made other adjustments to accommodate Magic Bullet. I'll let you guys know what I end up with.

Paolo Ciccone · October 29th, 2007, 11:51 PM

James, short of using Automatic Duck for round-tripping, I use SheerVideo to export/import clips between FCP and AE, which I do pretty often. Escpecially in order to preserve color information. Sheer has a 30-day evaluation period for the codec, and, for once, the evaluation doesn't have any artificial limitations or watermark. Highly recomended: http://www.bitjazz.com

I'll be looking forward to the results of your test.

David Chapman · October 30th, 2007, 11:21 AM

Wow, thanks Paolo. I wonder if this could be a great solution for live capture in with BlackMagic to get full 4:2:2 in instead of using ProRes. After this initial test, I just might have to do more with SheerVideo compared to HDV, AIC, or other options.

Tup Wright · October 30th, 2007, 12:57 PM

I've seen color finesse do some amazing things...

http://www.synthetic-ap.com/products/cf/index.html

cross platform too.

tup

David Chapman · October 30th, 2007, 01:38 PM

Hey Tup, I can't say that I have used Color Finesse that much—if at all. I have 1.5.6 with my AE 7, and I guess is a great way to see scopes in good detail for a shot, but I still like curves and the histagram with options for masking. I can't see that you can do any masking within the filter. I guess you can always apply it to a copy of the layout and mask out that layer. Hmm. This looks like an expensive option for cc compared to others, specifically for HD at around $2k. I might play around with this after the others.

Do you use it much?

Tup Wright · November 2nd, 2007, 12:18 PM

I used it for the first time this spring while working at a 3d video company. The senior editor there showed me how and it blew me away. Video that was really bad was able to be brought back. It has curves, histograms, masking capabilities all from within the AE timeline.

What I liked is you could take a still that you had either shot with a digital camera and did color correction to it in photoshop or whatever and then overlay it on the current video frame and use it as a guide to match. I think the version I used cost $575. I'm not sure, but what I think I remember is that you must buy for AE or premiere or fcp separately. The one plugin doesn't work for all three, which kinda sucks because sometimes I would like to use it right in a premiere timeline rather than have to create an aep for it. This may not be true anymore, but I faintly remember running into this issue on that project.

David Chapman · November 4th, 2007, 10:54 PM

Okay, okay. I thought this was going to be a lot quicker, but I have a good selection of footage that I will post in the morning. I shot with 4 options: Wide Lat, Low Light, Tru Color 3, and, for effect, Amelie.

I dumped the footage of buildings and sky and made my way into a beauty school and got a few of the students to model. I'm sure you will like this option better than the first. I should have some stills first thing on my website. I'll post the links in the morning.

David Chapman · November 6th, 2007, 04:02 PM

I am posting some of the stills from the shoot. None of the images have been color corrected.

Wide Lat

Low Light

TruColor v3

Amelie

I will be posting the full 1280x720 images untouched and color corrected as I work through the process so you can play with the originals as well. The shoot was an on the spot set up without a light kit.

October 29th, 2007, 08:56 PM	#1
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	Post color correct the HD100 I'm about to start some tests on different methods of color correcting footage in post. I have selected various scene files from the collection, mainly Tim Dashwood's wide latitude. This is purely a personal test to see what works best within my current Final Cut workflow. Hopefully, this will help out someone besides myself. This is what I'll be testing: Final Cut Pro (internally) Apple Color After Effects Shake Magic Bullet Looks With a deep background in AE, I know I can do a lot with the footage, but the round trip I can say already will be a pain. Magic Bullet Looks and Color are what I am excited in testing. I will host video samples soon and see if I can achieve some basic and creative looks with all. Note: I've made other adjustments to accommodate Magic Bullet. I'll let you guys know what I end up with. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

October 29th, 2007, 11:51 PM	#2
Paolo Ciccone Trustee Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 1,116	James, short of using Automatic Duck for round-tripping, I use SheerVideo to export/import clips between FCP and AE, which I do pretty often. Escpecially in order to preserve color information. Sheer has a 30-day evaluation period for the codec, and, for once, the evaluation doesn't have any artificial limitations or watermark. Highly recomended: http://www.bitjazz.com I'll be looking forward to the results of your test. __________________ Paolo http://www.paolociccone.com Demo Reel

October 30th, 2007, 11:21 AM	#3
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	Wow, thanks Paolo. I wonder if this could be a great solution for live capture in with BlackMagic to get full 4:2:2 in instead of using ProRes. After this initial test, I just might have to do more with SheerVideo compared to HDV, AIC, or other options. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

October 30th, 2007, 01:38 PM	#5
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	Hey Tup, I can't say that I have used Color Finesse that much—if at all. I have 1.5.6 with my AE 7, and I guess is a great way to see scopes in good detail for a shot, but I still like curves and the histagram with options for masking. I can't see that you can do any masking within the filter. I guess you can always apply it to a copy of the layout and mask out that layer. Hmm. This looks like an expensive option for cc compared to others, specifically for HD at around $2k. I might play around with this after the others. Do you use it much? __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com Last edited by David Chapman; October 30th, 2007 at 04:42 PM.

November 4th, 2007, 10:54 PM	#7
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	Okay, okay. I thought this was going to be a lot quicker, but I have a good selection of footage that I will post in the morning. I shot with 4 options: Wide Lat, Low Light, Tru Color 3, and, for effect, Amelie. I dumped the footage of buildings and sky and made my way into a beauty school and got a few of the students to model. I'm sure you will like this option better than the first. I should have some stills first thing on my website. I'll post the links in the morning. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com

October 30th, 2007, 12:57 PM	#4
Tup Wright Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 83	I've seen color finesse do some amazing things... http://www.synthetic-ap.com/products/cf/index.html cross platform too. tup

November 2nd, 2007, 12:18 PM	#6
Tup Wright Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 83	I used it for the first time this spring while working at a 3d video company. The senior editor there showed me how and it blew me away. Video that was really bad was able to be brought back. It has curves, histograms, masking capabilities all from within the AE timeline. What I liked is you could take a still that you had either shot with a digital camera and did color correction to it in photoshop or whatever and then overlay it on the current video frame and use it as a guide to match. I think the version I used cost $575. I'm not sure, but what I think I remember is that you must buy for AE or premiere or fcp separately. The one plugin doesn't work for all three, which kinda sucks because sometimes I would like to use it right in a premiere timeline rather than have to create an aep for it. This may not be true anymore, but I faintly remember running into this issue on that project.

November 6th, 2007, 04:02 PM	#8
David Chapman Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 346	I am posting some of the stills from the shoot. None of the images have been color corrected. Wide Lat Low Light TruColor v3 Amelie I will be posting the full 1280x720 images untouched and color corrected as I work through the process so you can play with the originals as well. The shoot was an on the spot set up without a light kit. __________________ David Chapman www.davechapfilms.com