Coloring for weddings
 

I'm hoping this post is in the right spot. Since it pertains to wedding videos, that's the reason for putting it here.

I'm upgrading to FCS2 so I'll have Color available, but the learning curve is fairly steep... or so I've heard.

So I'm wondering what would be the best route to go: MB Looks, NewBlue FX or Color.

Just curious as to what you use (if any) and why. Price, ease of use, etc.?

I'd start with FCP's own 3-way Color Correction filter. It can go a long way before you need something else.

You'll need some accurate/calibratable video monitoring facilities though, otherwise you're just pi**ing in the wind! :D

(I'm sure you know that the Canvas alone won't cut it when you're after color-correction - but some others reading this might not!)

I've wizzed in the wind plenty of times! :)
I'm familiar with FCP's 3-way CC.... just wondering about taking it up a step (or two) as far as coloring goes.

Not an FCP user but since I've gotten quite serious about doing "good" color in the last two years, I found the best thing I've done is learn about the fundamentals. I got "coloring" books for both still photography and video. Read them and learned quite a bit. Whether that translated into better coloring I'll have to leave to others, but it has given me confidence and I more often end up with a result I'm happy with.

Once you understand the underpinnings, you can maximize the tools you have and then figure out which tools you need.

Color has a bunch of presets that come with it. You can simply use them without ever having to dig too deep into the program.

Color correction can be as simple as boosting saturation or as complicated as changing and tracking an individual color (like the color of someone's shirt).

I've heard the rumor going around that Color is difficult to learn, but I have to disagree. I think that, like Final Cut Pro, it can look daunting the first time a user opens it up, but as he/she fiddles around, it becomes clear that it's easier than expected to get started, but difficult to master (because of the breadth and capability of the application).

I watched a twenty minute tutorial from IzzyVideo on the Color workflow, fiddled around with it on one project, and feel comfortable in using it to make adjustments to images. Of course, I won't even go so far as to say that I'm good with it, but I was able to open it up and make the image "pop" a little bit. As I learn more and keep playing with it, my skills will increase.

Instead of considering the difficulty of education yourself in how to use the applications, I would instead focus on the time management and processing aspect. The biggest off-putting factor that I have for Color is the amount of time it takes to render, and the file space that those renders take up. Unfortunately, I work solely on a Macbook Pro, which I need to almost never stays in the same place for more than 12 hours. That makes rendering and whatnot a pain for me, but it might be easier for you if you have a desktop machine. Also, consider the increased turn-around time in color-correcting and rendering.

I'm not sure about the workflow with the other applications (plug-ins?) that you mentioned. That would definitely be the first thing I would look in to so that you don't invest money into a product that you never use since it's inconvenient or takes too long. Of course, it could be that Color has the shortest rendering times of all 3! I really can't say since I've never used the other plug-ins, and I haven't even looked at their websites.

Let us know what you choose, I'm curious to see what you pick!

Best Regards,
Glenn Fisher

For some reason MB Looks keeps calling out to me...

'Pick me....' it says. 'I'm easy. You'll love me. Order a pizza while I render and then come back and look how awesome I am.'

Color comes across to me as saying 'I'm awesome as well... once you spend the next 28 weeks figuring me out.'

I use both. And I don't think it will take you long to get up to speed with Color. May I recommend a book?

Color - Correcting and Grading in Final Cut Studio
by: Michael Wohl and David Gross

It's part of the Apple Pro Training Series 380 pages, available at Amazon.

As the above poster mentioned, you'll need an external NTSC broadcast monitor to do Standard Definition correctly. You can find a JVC or Sony 9" for a few hundred dollars.

If you plan on color grading HD, you'll also need to get a card that is capable of providing HD out, such as an Intensity, or Decklink, and then connect an HDTV that suits your budget / needs.

Good Luck!

makes a lot of sense to me, I'm looking at MB looks and while it seems easy, that's the trap - you never get to really understand the fundamentals.

BTW what books did to read Tripp? - any recommendations?

The cool thing is that once you understand the fundamentals, you can fine tune the controls within MBL. You'll know how to tweak them and why to get just the look you want. Many of MBL's presets are sledgehammers. Sometimes you really want a scalpel.

"Color Correction for Digital Video" by Hullfish & Fowler. I also found "Scott Kelby's 7 Point System for Adobe Photoshop" helpful. True, it's for still image and there's a bunch that doesn't transfer to video, but many of the "hows" and "whys" do.

speaking of NewBlueFX....

for those interested in ultra cool/different transitions and effects, def. worth checking this offer out:

NewBlueFX Motion Bundle

(looks like it ends this week though!!!)

I can't go past Magic Bullet Colorista and Magic Bullet Looks for all my colour correction. Although, since switching to Final Cut Pro from Premiere I've started playing around with the 3-way colour correction.

I don't like it as much as the Magic Bullet gear but the render times are a whole lot better that's for sure. As soon as you add Magic Bullet the render times for me triple or quadruple. That's the trade-off you have to make I guess.

Cheers,

Matthew.

hey matt

just wait till we get together - ill show you some mad FCP tips and tricks so you never have to think about MB again

P.

I like the sound of that!

Color does it for me for some serious color correction with primary and secondary colors, curves, among many other things. The material is converted into 422 Prorez HQ off course for more subtle color manipulation.
Straight in FCP there are great tools as well.

I'm with you Blake ...& time is money. The more stuff I can accomplish inside FC the better.

An update... I ordered the NewBlueFX Video Essentials. Hard to beat at $80 bucks, so I figured... WHY NOT?

Once I spend more time with it I'll give a more thorough review... but I like it so far!

Hey Patrick,
Mind sharing some of your FCP secrets, I would love my render times to reduce using MBL.

Cool

Ooo patrick, is colour going to be a topic at reframe, please please please say it is.

Also try not to be too Adobe as some of us are still using vegas ;) although I think the methods are still the same. Does FCP or premier have some special colour thingys?

And matt, how can anyone teach you about colour. Your work is by far some of my fav. Such vibrant colours and richness. Im not sure if I can re-create that here in the UK. On the footage we have where its clear skys and sunny the colours are great but for the other 364 days of the year we have typical british and no matter what I do it just still has a bit of a dull feeling to it. Unless I turn the skintones into some mutant shade of pink.

If your using MB which I touch on occasion (really do prefer using 3way, secondary colour and levels to start with) what do you tend to start with. No wait, tell me at the end of April :)

That used to be true but not now, IMHO. The new inexpensive flat screen monitors available that have 100% + color gamut work just fine for color correction. It was a great day when I could banish my 13" CRT to the eBay pile...

MB is the "easy button" in my opinion. However, the render times for me are absurd when working with HD. For that reason alone, I'm trying to get away from it.

For me and probably a lot of us here, efficiency is an important yet underrated part of our business operation. I'm trying to get more streamlined, and that has meant spending less time doing cc and less time rendering.

Cant wait till Feb Patrick exciting stuff Still Motion Downunder