Level 1

6 points

Color Grading Best Practices

Although I realise that this is an ambitious topic, I'm just hoping to get a solid foundation with which to work with as I begin.

Firstly, I've heard that there are a few steps that should be taken sequentially in color grading since the effects are cumulative. Color is confusing. Color vs. hue? Saturation? LUTs vs. built-in program functions?

Is there a basic approach to dealing with color grading that can be simplified into a few steps? For example, do I begin by correcting any obvious imbalances? Then try unifying color palette between neighbouring clips? Then bounce clips and make final adjustments? Work with built-in color functions before adding LUTs?

How does composting color FX work? Can I create multiple color boarding layers on a single clip? If so, are they processed in sequence?

Overall, are there any good resources online that people can direct me to that can help train my eye in detecting what constitutes "muddy" vs. "clear" colors while I begin to learn the workflows around color grading?

Thanks!

MacBook Pro 13", macOS 10.15

Posted on May 8, 2020 7:02 AM

Similar questions

Adjustment Layers for Color Correcting Is it better to use adjustment layers for color correcting and grading or should I NOT use them for that? Does it make a difference? Thank you for your help. FCP 10.4.8 macOS 10.15.4 2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9 32 GB RAM AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB
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24 replies

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,991 points

May 8, 2020 9:46 AM in response to Sunshine_82

Motion is a graphics animation and effects application. You edit in FCP.

Sunshine_82 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 10, 2020 12:50 PM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Interesting. Good to know.

What does a "template" consist of? Does this include things like adjustment layers or is this a very specific application within FCP?

May 11, 2020 9:13 AM in response to Sunshine_82

You can monitor and adjust the effects applied to an adjustment layer just like you would any clip: in the Inspector; specifically, in the Video tab:

May 11, 2020 9:16 AM in response to Sunshine_82

You can't use an adjustment layer for audio: since it is a title, it does not have audio, so you can't add audio effects to it.

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,991 points

May 11, 2020 9:32 AM in response to Sunshine_82

Deleted

Sunshine_82 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 12, 2020 8:16 AM in response to Sunshine_82

Furthermore, I'm trying to lighten up an incredibly dark clip in which the face of my subject is nearly blacked out.

Is there a good way to lighten up clips like this?

Sunshine_82 Author

Level 1

6 points

May 8, 2020 11:20 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

I should revise my modifier to say that I "think" I understand the differences in functions between those programs. I'm still new to video editing. ;)

Okay, thanks for further explaining their relationship. Interesting, I didn't realise the potential of Motion, being able to modify features of effects and such is new to me--I've yet to use the program, just know of it as Apple's version of "After Effects" with a special focus on titling and various other graphics and such. Thanks!

May 11, 2020 12:20 AM in response to Sunshine_82

"Template" is a common word to refer to Effects, Titles, Generators and Transitions.

"Adjustment Layer" is basically an empty Title, so it is one particular kind of Template.

You use it by placing it atop other clips in the timeline. Applying effects to this Adjustment Layer will then affect all the clips underneath. This can be more convenient that applying the same effects to many clips.

This is an easy way to apply the same grading parameters to all (or some) clips in the timeline.

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

152,991 points

May 12, 2020 8:09 AM in response to Sunshine_82

No rendering takes place. Color correction effects are applied like any other from top to bottom.

When grading you use the video scopes to adjust the levels, wave form monitor for luminance levels, RGB Parade for color balance, and vectorscope for saturation.

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Color Grading Best Practices