Re: color correction

hey guys
I was wondering if it is possible to color correct a footage shot with Gradient filter! how would you do that?

thanks

Hi Harriet,

By Gradient Filter I guess you mean a color gradient filter, because shading gradient filters won't give you any problems during color grading.

First of all there is one big rule people should respect: if you are going to color grade your footage in post, you NEVER use color gradients during the shoot. Professional grading applications have all the options you need to add realistic color gradients in post, so it is quite pointless to use color gradient flters during the shoot.

Of course you can color correct footage which has been recorded with a Color Gradient Filter, but that is not easy if you want to achieve realistic results. You can change the entire color tone of the image (including the gradient) if your entire image color is too warm or too cold. That's the easiest way, but I doubt if it will look any good. It will very much depend on the tone you want to achieve and the color of the gradient. For a more realistic color grading you can apply selective masks over the gradient, you can pick different color tones and apply selective grading to the tones, a.s.o.

To make long story short: you will need someone who has good knowledge of color grading to do this.

Best wishes,

Ronny

Hey Ronny, you're my star, you always answer my questions :) thank you

by color gradient I mean when the camera uses a filter that changes only the upper side of the frame, such as when shooting a sky (it is used a lot in CSI Miami) but how do you color correct when this filter is used? especially when the camera moves or when there are people in the shot? I need to fix a couple of shots like that, so could you please tell me how do I do that? and how do I use masks in FCP?

many thanks
- H

Hi Harriet,

Yes, that's what I was saying. People should never use on-camera color grad filters when they know their footage will go to color grading. The nice sky grad shots in CSI Miami are most probably done in post, not while shooting.

But hey, you are stuck with it so let's try and find a solution. In fact there is no one-way trick for this. So the only way I can help you with this in FCP is if you send me a frame grab of a problematic shot and tell me what you would like to change. Then I can see what kind of method you can apply for that specific shot.

By the way, FCP is not really made for this kind of work. If you know how to use Motion or Color it would be a lot easier.

Best wishes,

Ronny

hmmm Motion for color correction!! never heard of that!
can I send you the file via PM?

Harriet,

Ronny didn't touch on masks, they are clumsy at best in FCP, there are a few garbage mattes, the only real masking in FCP is with Silhouette Roto that I know of. But, masking is pretty good in Motion, and of course, in After Effects.

Chris

thanks a lot Chris, will try that