Question about color grading in Premiere Pro.

harmonica44 · Dec 25, 2014

When I use 'color balance', or 'RGB curves', it gives the option of red, green, and blue. In my footage, I sometimes feel that the camera tends to give too much of a reddish image. So in order to grade it to look better, I pull down the reds in Premiere. It looks better, but there is still a bit of yellow, especially under halogen and tungsten lit shots. So in order to fix that I can add blue. Even though the blue gets rid of the yellow, the faces become slightly magenta, but just slightly.

Now it seems to me instead of pulling the reds way down, and then adding blue, in order to get rid of red and yellow, you should just be able to take out yellow. But RGB curves and color balance, only allow you to deal with red, green and blue. In Photostop, when you play with color balance, they allow you the options of dealing with cyan, magenta, and yellow. But they don't have those colors in Premiere, so if an image has too much yellow in for your taste, you cannot remove it. You have to add another color, blue, in order to get rid of it, but then you got a little magenta.

Is this how it goes with color grading in Premiere Pro, or with video in general, or is their a reason why they only offer three colors to play with, as oppose to Photoshop?

harmonica44 · Dec 30, 2014

Okay thanks. You're right I should have bought it back then. I am going to buy Da Vinci Resolve, and I bought Color Correction Handbook by Alexis Van Hurkman. Is that a good book, or is the other one better and more informative?

Sweetie · Dec 30, 2014

I am going to buy Da Vinci Resolve

There are 3 versions. $30k, $1k and Free. Which one are you going to buy?

Is that a good book

It's a very good book but it's not always easy for some people to understand visual from books. It's the reason why I told you to subscribe to that online course. It gives you heaps of samples to practice and challenges to try to match and see how you go.

You're right I should have bought it back then.

Ya think Sherlock?

WalterB · Dec 31, 2014

harmonica44 said:
......and I bought Color Correction Handbook by Alexis Van Hurkman. Is that a good book, or is the other one better and more informative?

You tell me: did you read it?

@sweetie:
I noticed most tutorials teach how, but not why.
Those books often start with the basic knowledge you need to understand wht and why you do something. Then how makes more sense.
Maybe the tutorials you point to are more in depth: didn't have time to check it out yet.

Sweetie · Dec 31, 2014

Those tuts are very much varied. They cover both a lot of theory and prac. Everything from beginning tuts, color theory, different software, examples, looks and feeling, thoughts behind the colorist, working with different people, traps and best advice on how to avoid, all the way to business theory on how to best work in a post prod sweatshop. They have many tutors and each have differing views, different backgrounds and different approaches.

The podcasts have really helped me with their thought process. They focus a lot on the why, to help you get to the right process.

It's really amazing to see how fast these high end, experienced graders work.

A healthy balance between how and why is important. Unfortunately H44 is lacking both which hurts him.

harmonica44 · Jan 2, 2015

Okay thanks. I read through the book. It's more of a color correction book, rather than a color grading book, but you can use a good portion of the information to learn the same thing. I learned some new things. lift/gamma/ and gain, seem to be the same as as shadows, midtones, and highlights.

Is the book Color Correction for Video a better book, and perhaps deals with the artistic more, rather than just correcting footage? Learning correction is good to of course. But I have a week to return the Color Correction Handbook, if I do not want it. Is the other book better, does anyone know?

Also does Da Vinci Resolve allow to just color correct one source of light in the room, rather than a whole shot entirely?

Sweetie · Jan 2, 2015

lift/gamma/ and gain, seem to be the same as as shadows, midtones, and highlights.

Lets look at this for a moment. You said before that you think you're getting good at it, and didn't know this basic concept? It's an amazing to learn how little you actually know.

It's more of a color correction book, rather than a color grading book

Go and read it again. If your opinion is the same, then read it again. Continue this process until one of two things happen. Either you gain an epiphany, or realize color grading is beyond your grasp and give up.

You're rushing the process. You're so focusing on trying to learn the color grading process as quickly as possible, with as many short cuts as possible, you're going to find that you won't learn anything.

The video course I suggested may be more your cup of tea. You'll still learn how to do it, even if you don't understand the basics. It'll get you caught up and cause you problems in the long term, but that's your style, isn't it?

Also does Da Vinci Resolve allow to just color correct one source of light in the room, rather than a whole shot entirely?

You do ever wonder how dumb your questions are? A). It's a node based grading software. B). It's one of two pieces of software that professional productions use. What does your common sense tell you?

harmonica44 · Jan 3, 2015

For sure I will read it again. My common sense tells me yes.

Well for the short film I want to show the actors and crew in order to get them to work with me again, I have two options. I can show it them now, as is, color wise, by the deadline I made a goal for. Or I could delay it until I have practiced grading enough to do a better job. What do you think will make a better impression with them in order to build a team for the next hopeful project? I am also checking out the videos,. Thanks.

Sweetie · Jan 3, 2015

Or I could delay it until I have practiced grading enough to do a better job. What do you think will make a better impression with them in order to build a team for the next hopeful project?

What would they want? Why don't you ask them? I know what I'd choose. If I was given the option between a blind ferret randomly pushing buttons in an attempt to mis-describe what grading is or wait for a decent result.... Do I really need to spell it out for you? Tell me you're not that stupid.

Edit: I thought about it. You are that stupid. DO THE GOOD JOB.

For sure I will read it again.

Then read the manual to Davinci Resolve.