| Color Correction |
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The right color pallete helps tell the story Color Correction and Color Grading will give your production a professional polish. Color affects us on a subliminal level: dramas sometimes rely on intense color palletes that help heighten the action, whereas documentary films are usually best served by mostly natural looking images. Color Grading can add textures or EFX to alter a scene, or give video a warm, film-like impression. Both Color Correction and Color Grading are a crucial step in the HD Finishing Mastering process A Modulus Color session includes an experienced colorist and powerful 32-bit, 4:4:4 calibrated color system. Throughout the process clients can review the work on an evaluation-grade 900-line 20" Sony CRT tube, or a 27" color-precise LCD screen that displays up to a billion colors. Final assemblies are "screened" at 1080p in the lounge on our "dot for dot" 50" Kuro plasma. Typically we start with a locked picture as a Final Cut or Avid sequence that links back to the native video footage (4K Red Raw, Arri Raw, Phantom Flex, DVCProHD), then after creating an optimal Master QT. Color sessions at Modulus are approached with four goals in mind:
RESTORE NATURAL COLORRaw film footage, transfers and especially video footage need enhancement to show color accurately. The example below shows a color cast removed from a 35mm Ektachrome blow-up transferred to a DigiBeta master. The mid-blacks have been slightly raised to bring out detail in the backlit subject.
Stlll frame from RIVERS OF SAND by Robert Gardner
COMPENSATE FOR UNDEREXPOSED AREASUnderexposed areas can be brought out or ‘unblocked’. Similarly, areas with too much light can be ‘toned down’. Smaller productions dealing with 'run-and-gun' footage will be quite pleased with what we can pull out of an underexposed image once it has been up-res'd to 32-bit resolution and 4:4:4 color space.The Noam Chomsky video interview below was shot verité, on DV, in a cramped office with existing interior light. The original has poor detail in the dark areas and purple skin tones. The color corrected version has healthier skin tone and better realism in the sweater and background.
Still frame from Jeff Silva's BALKAN RHAPSODIES FILM EMULATION FOR VIDEOThe image below was enlarged from footage from a one-chip miniDV camera. The image was de-interlaced and a film emulation effect was added. The film grain evens out some overexposure problems, removes some of the "jaggies", and lends a kind of 'vintage glamour' to the piece. Note the examples below had been adjusted for color prior to film emulation being added.
2x enlarged detail from Juliana Hatfield music video "This Lonely Love"
24 FRAME PROGRESSIVE VIDEOVideos that are derived from film sources should be restored to their original cadence - either, 24p or 23.98p progressive display when creating video masters destined for Blu-Ray, DVD, Broadcast, or Archival purposes. Progressive video looks better on computer monitors and LCD screens. For more info see Image Mastering.If you are interested in Color Correction at Modulus please contact us.
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