Description
Written both for students and working professionals, this book walks readers step-by-step through the foundations of color grading for projects of any size, from music videos and commercials to full-length features.
In this clear, practical, and software-agnostic guide, author Charles Haine introduces readers to the technical and artistic side of color grading and color correction. Color Grading 101 balances technical chapters like color-matching, mastering, and compression with artistic chapters like contrast/affinity, aesthetic trends, and building a color plan. The book also includes more business-focused chapters detailing best practices and expert advice on working with clients, managing a team, working with VFX, and building a business. An accompanying eResource offers downloadable footage and project files to help readers work through the exercises and examples in the book.
This book serves as a perfect introduction for aspiring colorists as well as editors, cinematographers, and directors looking to familiarize themselves with the color grading process.
Table of Contents
Introduction: "Why Doesn’t My Footage Look as Good as Other People’s?"
Overview: What is Color Grading, Exactly?
Tech 1: Hardware, Software, Monitoring
Art 1: The Story as Guide
Quiz 1
Tech 2: Codecs and Pipeline
Art 2: Color Plan
Quiz 2
Practice 1
Tech 3: Basic Primary Grading
Art 3: Basics of Additive Color
Quiz 3
Practice 2
Tech 4: Matching
Art 4: History and Genres
Quiz 4
Practice 3
Tech 5: Curves, Shapes, and Keys
Art 5: Protecting Skin Tones
Quiz 5
Practice 4
Tech 6: Tracking and Keyframing
Art 6: Clients and Decision Making
Quiz 6
Practice 5
Tech 7: Plugins, Noise Correction, and Heavy Processing
Art 7: Commercials
Quiz 7
Practice 6
Tech 8: Mattes, Alpha, Composites, and Cleanup
Art 8: Music Videos
Quiz 8
Practice 7
Tech 9: LUTs and Transforms
Art 9: Portfolio Building
Quiz 9
Practice 8
Tech 10: Onset Workflow, Panels, Dailies and Online/Conform
Art 10: Building a Business
Quiz 10
Practice 9
Conclusion
Index
