Grade School: Watch a Senior Colorist Color Grade in Real Time

In this week's episode of Grade School, follow along with senior colorist Cullen Kelly as he grades a project live and shares his thoughts, insights, and decision-making along the way.

3:00 Project intro
4:45 Applying color management
10:50 Setting the overall look
15:05 Creating a fixed node tree for the project
17:55 Project level settings
19:40 Q: Why use a previously built preset/LUT/look instead of building from scratch with each project?
23:10 Finalizing node tree/setting up linear adjustments
24:15 Making shot level adjustments
37:20 Q: Does the HDR tool provide photometric exposure?
38:28 Q: Primary or HDR wheels?
39:55 Q: Why place noise reduction at the end of the node tree?
41:04 Back to shot-level adjustments/rippling grades
45:14 Why Cullen will rely on the same tools over and over
46:00 Shot-level adjustments
49:00 More about the node tree and overall process
52:12 Q: Do you still use printer points or only photometrically accurate adjustments?
52:27 Q: How do you handle color spaces for exporting when working with a VFX team?
54:42 Shot-level adjustments and a discussion on using Kelvin and cooling/warming footage
1:02:47 Q: Do you use printer points in linear?
1:03:15 Q: How do you evaluate that contrast is the same between two shots?
1:06:10 Q: Is it okay to clip the blacks?
1:08:43 Q: Do you do heavier light reshaping on projects that give you more time, and how do you approach it?
1:10:52 Q: Where did you start with grading and what are your favorite resources?


Leave a comment below and let me know:
What was your biggest takeaway?
What else would you like to see or learn on another episode of Grade School?


Thanks for watching!

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