Issue#001 • Conforming during the color grading with multiple editorial versions.
New Editorial Versions! No problem.
Send your project to your colorist, before the edit starts.
Make as many new versions of the edit as you want, we keep track in the color grading with every new XML.
Collaboration is key
Guillermo del Toro
Issue#001
This newsletter is about the timing the colorist is invited to the post production, and the possibility to start the color grading at the first days of the edit, or even during the shoot of the project.
It is about re-conform a new version of the timeline with new XML's for color, as much as necessary to finesse the cut. We can chase the edit very easy and reliable until the delivery date.
Chasing the edit towards the final edit-lock.
Edit, re-conform and copy the color grading into a new re-conformed edit.
New editorial versions, no limits, again and again.
With our workflow we are able to provide editorial with as much time as possible to do the best possible cut. That means we can chase the edit in a reliable way towards the final edit-lock until almost delivery day with ease. This maximize also the time available for color.
Conforming.
Start the conform as early as possible, even from day 1 of the edit. It gives the director & editor as much time as possible to finesse the cut, and allows us to start discussing looks and reviews earlier than anything else.
The colorist is not as familiar with the project as the director and the editor.
Therefore, we like to be involved early in the project. Together we can establish already a look that can be used for dailies. This sets the table for the entire post-production team and workflow.
New editorial versions, new XML, no problem.
Editorial changes might be difficult in color grading since re-conform and recovering color from one version to another can be challenging. Not in Mistika Boutique, wich has the best conform tools and editorial flexibility available in my opinion.
Wrap Up
The digital age brings us another name for dailies:
Proxies or proxy files.
However, proxies are vital to many crew members besides the editor.
Cinematographers , DITs, production designers, directors and studio execs use dailies to judge their work. With that, dailies are the link between on-set production and post production.
But dailies come in various flavors. One of them is
‟ Shot by shot Fully Color Graded ‟.
Fully graded dailies are a cinematographers dream. They provide the most precise and creative look of all the dailies types. They are likely created straight from the final color grading platform, like DaVinci or Mistika Boutique.
Not only can these dailies have custom color looks with secondaries and other tool sets unique to their finishing platform, but they may also have grain or other effects applied to it.
This allows everyone downstream to view the timeline with the Cinematographer’s and Director’s intent, from the earliest rough cuts trough the final approved color grade.
A skilled colorist called in early in the process may perform this job. The edit will playback cleaner, allowing the editor and director to focus on the content rather than jarring cuts. It gives the viewers a more accurate idea of what was filmed.
What about the cost of this workflow?
The color work done before the beginning of the edit, will travel all the way along the project until the final grade. It gives the director & editor as much time as possible to finesse the cut, and allow us to start discussing looks and reviews earlier than anything else.
Editorial changes in the timeline? Just send a new XML to color, done!
We perform a new conform, and copy all the color work to it, while keeping the older versions in the same timespace, to compare. This process is fast and reliable.
In my opinion there is no extra cost in this workflow. All the color work is done in an early stage, the colorist is more involved in the whole process so he has a better idea of the intention of the creative people, who are working already for months on the project. Not long after the final cut, the color grade is ready for a final review, instead of starting the color grading from the beginning.
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