Every filmmaker starts off with a vision that is used to determine the overall look of the final product. This vision can address a multitude of variables — the equipment used on set; the angles captured by the camera; the way the sequences of the story flow; how the actors are directed to perform, etc. In the indie market, one of the issues rarely addressed properly and often times simply overlooked is finding a good colorist for grading the imagery. After all the frames are captured and all the footage is cut, the single biggest thing that can augment or hinder the mood and depth of the film is the color grade. Some treat it as “merely” icing on the cake, but what’s cake without good icing?
Here at Grand Theory, we use various different grading options depending on the project parameters, turn around requirements, and footage type. Below are a few test grades of a couple of frames from a recently shot project. These were graded in Adobe Speed Grade CC — a tool we’re starting to appreciate more and more everyday.
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