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GH2 color grading
  • All discussions about color-grading, methods, suggestions, software, plug-in's, and soon to be (hopefully) tutorials... continued from the low-GOP thread.
  • 95 Replies sorted by
  • I think the first step in color grading is fine tuning the in-camera color balance. I use both GH1 and GH2 cameras and needed to match the footage for intercutting. I recently did controlled test shots using the same lens and matched exposures on both cameras. To my eyes, the GH2's natural light color balance is quite good, but the GH1 is a little too green:

    GH2 Daylight Smooth.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 299K
    GH1 Daylight Smooth.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 339K
  • To balance the GH1 with the GH2, I adjusted the Sunlight Smooth Film Mode to the closest relative match, and then added an M-5 adjustment to the GH1:

    GH2
    White Balance - Sunlight
    Smooth
    Contrast -2
    Sharpness -2
    Saturation -1
    Noise Reduce -2

    GH1
    White Balance - Sunlight M-5
    Smooth
    Contrast -2
    Sharpness -2
    Saturation -1
    Noise Reduce -2
    GH2 Smooth Balanced.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 361K
    GH1 Smooth Balanced.jpg
    1280 x 720 - 359K
  • Grading in FCP 7
  • Perhaps the most useful demo would be correct use of Davinci Resolve Lite on GH2 Intra footage, seeing as Davinci is both a free program and a fairly high end professional program as well. This means anyone can download it, but it will also be "pro" enough (I think hopefully) for you to show us all how to really do this stuff properly. I for one wish I knew how to properly handle color/white balance from camera through to final product.
  • @LPowell, relating to colour... there are some reports in the Low Gop Thread that banding is making a bit of a comeback... what is your thoughts and findings of 8Bit colour grading + banding? A nonissue? Or something to be aware of when filming?

    Cheers in advance.
  • When I shoot cinema picture style... I always bring down the mids, as I find they're too intense (especially on skin). This also helps make some of the banding disappear.
  • What do you think about the use of wider and flatter gamma style like Cineform SiLog or even RSpace plus the use of filmstyle luts? I always use this workflow and i find it almost the only way with such contrasty footages, but i don't hear often about it and i ask myself why
  • Help is on the way. My plug-in for after effects will be available within the next month, and will be suitable for both total beginners, and the more advanced set such as myself. The prototype was used on Andrew Reid's Tokyo footage.

    Color Corrected


    Original 44Mb/s


    As well as my own GH2 footage.


    GH2 mixed with RED and Phantom


    Video demo of the plug-in and product walkthrough coming in a few weeks.
  • shian
    Very nice videos man :-)
  • @shian Looks amazing. What makes your color correction plug in different from the others? Or is it too soon to talk about?
  • @shian

    Looking forward to it - maybe a little discount for personal-view members if you're charging for it? ;)
  • @daisuke - a number of things:

    It's gonna be dirt cheap, cuz paying out the ass for something really cool and useful sucks.
    It has the ability to evolve from within itself without new programming. In other words it's much like VK's hack in that it can be modified and enhanced by the user, and these mods can be shared, so you are not stuck waiting for me to make improvements, the user community can make their own if they so choose. I will of course be updating it continually, but since it is based on AE's own functionality it becomes much more than just a plug-in.

    I am trying to make it so that absolute beginners can open AE and begin applying the type of color correction and enhancements that I do on a daily basis, and as they become more familiar with AE and the toolkit, they'll be able to do advanced Davinci style correction easily. And while it can't be node based, many users of node based programs will find that with a slight change in thinking, layers and presets can be used in much the same way as nodes with my system.

    And finally, I will teach you to use the toolkit along with AE, and will continue to post tutorials (a la Andrew Kramer) for new ways to use the system as well as a system of thinking and planning so that you can shoot and deliver the type of images that I do. And, of course, user feedback is always welcome.

    I've worked as a restoration specialist as well as colorist for nearly a decade on everything from the restoration of the entire James Bond catalogue, the Star Wars trilogy, Disney's animated classics, as well as a few newer feature films, I'm a DP as well as a colorist. I've worked in the VFX realm as well, and so I have a vast store of knowledge that allows me to create the images I do. You not only get a plug-in that allows you to work the way I do, but the wealth of knowledge that I've accumulated over the years on how to make magic on a limited budget.
  • @shian

    Cool. So users can save presets and share them? That would be a huge feature.
  • Star Wars? So you worked to restore that precious cultural treasure, only to have George piss all over it with CGI?
  • @shian there is a white line at the bottom of both videos. Grading looks good. Looking forward to the plug-in.
  • @shian
    Great stuff: I'm all in!
  • @B3Guy pretty much... :(

    @ehr yeah, it's a weird vimeo conversion thing, I'm still trying to figure out what's causing it. It's not there in any of the source files.
  • ah, that's too bad. he's an idiot. I'm 100% sure I will not be buying Star Wars films (beyond the VHS copies I already have of IV-V-VI) until George releases original restored theatrical cuts in "Greater than HD" (whatever the next standard is- 2K/4K etc.)

    Just not worth it to me until it is that good.
  • @Shian, I am so looking forward to this, thanks.
  • @B3Guy yeah I skipped the blurays for that exact reason. He'd sell a lot more copies if the consumer had the option to choose the version.
  • @Shian.............DYAMM!! I love how your colors punch through the image. How in the heck...????
  • Bluray is not worth the higher price to me. HD is nice, but DVDs on a good TV are just fine for me until something closer to cinema grade is available (4K would be nice). Of course George is going to have to be pushing up daisies before we get 4K restored original theatrical Star Wars . . . he is on this new "make them 3D" kick, which he will no doubt milk for at least a year on each of the 6 films, if not more . . . then there will be Blu-ray 3D, then Boxset 3D, then *insert next format here* 3D, then he will re film the originals with Shia Labeouf playing Luke Skywalker, take a break to ruin Spielberg's next Indiana Jones movie (yes, the flying saucer in the latest one was all George.) . . .

    I joke, of course, but there's no denying the man is out to milk every option he has for as much cash as possible irrespective of what the fans or anyone else thinks.
  • @shian
    Do you plan to make plugin for AvidStudio v1 ?
  • @shian
    Thanks for sharing your videos
  • @feha not at present. If this launch is successful enough for me to hire programmers to translate the system to other platforms I will definitely pursue it, but for now, AFX is the only platform short of Davinci with a compatible render engine to produce these kinds of results. And the plug-in will work on footage from RED, Phantom, Alexis, 5D, 35mm film... the list goes on and on. I use it on everything I do, and its all based on techniques and knowledge learned using Davinci and Speedgrade on DPX scans of 35mm film but designed to be easier to use, and more versatile.

    I can't afford a Davinci of my own, so I had to build one out of After Effects (In a manner of speaking)