Color Correction Handbook: Professional Techniques for Video and Cinema (Digital Video & Audio Editing Courses) 2nd Edition

Description

The colorist is responsible for the critical final stage of refinement of the film and broadcast image. Using all of the controls modern color correction software provides, colorists refine the mood, create style, add polish to scenes, and breathe life into the visuals. The craft of color correction can take considerable trial and error to learn, while the art of color grading takes years to perfect. Alexis Van Hurkman draws on his wealth of industry experience to provide a thoroughly updated edition of what has become the standard guide to color correction. Using a friendly, clear teaching style and a slew of real-world examples and anecdotes, Alexis demonstrates how to achieve professional results for any project, using any number of dedicated grading applications, or even an editing program’s built-in color correction tools. From the most basic methods for evaluating and correcting an overall image to the most advanced targeted corrections and creative stylizations, Color Correction Handbook, Second Edition, is your one-stop guide. Among many valuable concepts and techniques, you’ll learn to: • Set up a professional color correction environment using the latest technologies and adhere to the most up-to-date standards • Work with log-encoded media and LUTs • Analyze shots quickly and correct errors of color and exposure • Create idealized adjustments for key features such as skin tone, skies, and product shots • Develop strategies for balancing clips in a scene to match one another for continuity, and grading greenscreen clips destined for visual effects • Master a variety of stylistic techniques used to set a scene’s mood • Apply principles of color and contrast to add depth and visual interest • Browse valuable research about memory colors, audience preferences, and critical corrections for achieving appealing skin tones and controlled environments • Follow along with the downloadable files that accompany this book, including HD footage, cross-platform exercises, and project files. Title Page......Page 2 How to Get Your Media Files......Page 3 Copyright Page......Page 4 Dedication......Page 6 Table of Contents......Page 7 Foreword......Page 11 Introduction......Page 13 Where Colorists Fit In......Page 22 Before the Shoot: Choosing a Recording Format......Page 24 Digital Dailies: the Start of Postproduction......Page 30 Round-Trip Workflows......Page 35 Understanding Display-Referred Color Management......Page 41 Choosing a Display......Page 44 Display Calibration......Page 63 Setting Up a Color Correction Suite......Page 72 Configuring a Grading Theater......Page 79 Other Hardware for Color Correction......Page 84 How We See Color......Page 90 Luminance and Luma......Page 91 Evaluating Contrast Using Video Scopes......Page 99 Controls to Adjust Contrast......Page 104 Expanding Contrast......Page 120 Compressing Contrast......Page 123 Y’CBCR Luma Adjustments vs. RGB Luma Adjustments......Page 125 Redistributing Midtone Contrast......Page 127 Adjusting Log-Encoded Contrast......Page 133 Setting Appropriate Highlights and Shadows......Page 143 Working with High Dynamic Range (HDR) Media......Page 152 Contrast and Perception......Page 156 Contrast During Exhibition......Page 160 Dealing with Underexposure......Page 161 Dealing with Overexposure......Page 169 Chapter 4. Primary Color Adjustments......Page 185 Color Temperature......Page 187 What Is Chroma?......Page 191 Analyzing Color Balance......Page 203 Using Color Balance Controls......Page 215 Using Log Color Controls......Page 243 Using Color Curves......Page 250 Saturation Adjustments......Page 265 Understanding and Controlling Color Contrast......Page 278 HSL Qualification in Theory......Page 289 Individual Qualifier Controls......Page 293 A Basic HSL Qualification Workflow......Page 304 Tips for Using and Optimizing HSL Qualifications......Page 311 Different Ways of Using HSL Qualifiers......Page 318 Hue Curve Adjustments......Page 328 Other Types of HSL Adjustments......Page 335 Advanced Keyers......Page 337 Chapter 6. Shapes......Page 343 Shape UI and Controls......Page 344 Highlighting Subjects......Page 351 Creating Depth......Page 357 Shapes + HSL Qualifiers......Page 362 Aggressive Digital Relighting......Page 363 Shapes and Motion......Page 367 Grade Animation Controls Compared......Page 377 Correcting Changes in Exposure......Page 384 Correcting Hue Shifts......Page 386 Grade Transitions Using Through Edits and Dissolves......Page 395 Artificial Lighting Changes......Page 397 Creative Grade Animation......Page 402 What Are Memory Colors?......Page 406 Ideals for Skin Tone......Page 418 Techniques for Adjusting Complexion Using Secondaries......Page 465 Ideals for Skies......Page 481 Techniques for Adjusting Skies......Page 492 Ideals for Foliage......Page 510 Color Timing......Page 524 Strategies for Working with Clients......Page 528 How to Begin Balancing a Scene......Page 530 How to Match One Shot to Another......Page 532 Recycling Grades......Page 547 Scene Matching in Action......Page 553 Chapter 10. Quality Control and Broadcast Safe......Page 561 Grading for Film Output......Page 563 Video Signal Standards and Limits......Page 564 Quality Control Issues That Affect Colorists......Page 570 Six Structured Steps to Legalizing Your Picture......Page 571 Monitoring and Legalizing Saturation in Detail......Page 572 RGB Color Space Legality and the RGB Parade Scope......Page 584 Soft Clipping for Luma and RGB......Page 587 Other Video Scope Options for Broadcast Gamut Monitoring......Page 588 Creating Graphics and Animation with Legal Values......Page 593 Broadcast-Safe Settings in Grading Applications......Page 595 Broadcast-Safe Settings in Editing Applications......Page 596 Avid Media Composer and Symphony Broadcast-Safe Settings......Page 597 Adobe Premiere Pro Broadcast-Safe Settings......Page 598 Final Cut Pro X Broadcast-Safe Settings......Page 599 Final Cut Pro 7 Broadcast-Safe Settings......Page 600 Tints and Color Washes......Page 604 Undertones......Page 613 Vibrance and Targeted Saturation......Page 621 Index......Page 625