Ideas for Learning Color Science

[Matt Gerard]

Hey all, we got our Epic-X a couple months ago, and its been a blast learning all I can about the tech side of this camera. Its such a break from our old AF100-KiPro Mini workflow, that its been interesting to develop the new workflow, and get all the guys in the shop on board. We are getting there, though!

So, my question has to do with color science. Before we got our EPIC, color science hasn't really reared its fugly head in our shop, we set the cameras up and left them. We never before went to outside programs (davinci, color) to do grading, we did all of it in FCP and AE which served our purposes well. But now, we are trying to step things up and include a grading pass in our workflow.

Where are good resources to learn more about the different terms/names of color space, REDGamma settings, etc? Things as rudimentary as what is and when do you use linear workflows? What is sLOG? Whats the difference between REDGamma2 and REDGamma3? and REDLOG? Is there a dictionary out there?

I'm now going through the RED Grading course 302 at FXPHD. I can follwo the theory of whats going on, but since its a 300 level class, he doesn't spend a lot of time explaining the terms of the color science he is talking about and working with.

Thanks for any help! Just don't want to shoot something incorrectly and have to fix it later. I realize that how its shot and graded has a lot to do with how you want to process in post (just a one light pass in REDCineX, or do a full grading pass in davinci or Color), I just want to be aware of the different situations and when to use different setups.

Cheers!
Matt Gerard, MPLS

[paulherrin]

pick one or two.

http://www.amazon.com/Color-Correcti...4767595&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Technique-...4767595&sr=8-2

[Nick Pasquariello]

pick one or two.

http://www.amazon.com/Color-Correcti...4767595&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/The-Technique-...4767595&sr=8-2

I don't have the first, so I can't comment on it one way or the other (though I have heard a LOT of people talk about it). The latter, I have, and it is definitely what you are asking for. Has terms and definitions, starts at the basics and takes it all the way through more advanced stuff. These are THE two books that are often referenced for color grading information.

[Pete Lutz]

I have the first book and it too is what you are looking for. It's an incredibly comprehensive study.

[Matt Gerard]

Awesome thanks people! I will be getting those books, and I'm still looking around for shorter more searchable resources as well. I think fxphd has some classes in its vault, just need to find the time to sift through them all. Would be awesome to load some training onto my iphone and be able to review/listen when I have some time throughout the day. And would like some RED specific stuff as well, as that is what I'm primarily dealing with. But I understand that a comprehensive understanding of general color science theory is needed as well.

This gives me a great start, though!

Matt

[Brandon J.F.]

I have the first book. It's great.

[Nick Pasquariello]

Awesome thanks people! I will be getting those books, and I'm still looking around for shorter more searchable resources as well. I think fxphd has some classes in its vault, just need to find the time to sift through them all. Would be awesome to load some training onto my iphone and be able to review/listen when I have some time throughout the day. And would like some RED specific stuff as well, as that is what I'm primarily dealing with. But I understand that a comprehensive understanding of general color science theory is needed as well.

This gives me a great start, though!

Matt

If anything Red footage is MORE general, not more specific. Because you get control of the Raw data, you control white balance, tint, ISO, gamma curves, etc., etc.,. Whereas other footage would lock you out of some or all of that, depending on the type of footage.

Aside from that, though, it really depends on what kind of learner/worker you are. Me, I like to get a LOT of general background knowledge, and then play around a LOT to see how it all applies, and then, only once I have all that nice bed of general knowledge, do I really start working towards specific goals.

Some people learn just by doing. Some learn by having a mentor. Some learn from courses (online or otherwise). And since Color Science is both a science and an art, it's really hard to tell you how you will best learn it.

Get the books. Play a lot in RedCine-X. What's nice about the latter book (and I'm guessing the former, as well) is that it is software agnostic; it teaches you about color, about what things to try, and why, and everything can be applied to any color grading software.

Really, I would recommend getting one or both of the books, and plow through the first few chapters. I think you'll find that they are exactly what you are asking for, and that anything beyond that, you will learn best by doing.

[Marc Wielage]

Many good ideas above. I would also stress the importance of getting a good monitor and knowing how to calibrate it. All the color correction, image processing, and visual effects in the world are meaningless if you can't trust the picture you see.

Avical, THX/Cinespace, and Light Illusion are all companies that can advise you on monitor calibration, LUTs, and other aspects of color science. I find the white paper reports on Truelight are also good to know and understand, as is the Quantel Digital Factbook.

As far as I'm concerned, everything hinges on where your projects are going to be delivered. If it's just standard Rec709 broadcast HD color space, then it's just a question of calibrating your monitors so you know for a fact that what you see will translate correctly on-air.

[Will Keir]

Is an Apple 30" cinema display good for CC work?

[Marc Wielage]

Is an Apple 30" cinema display good for CC work?

In my opinion, no. Go to any major color-correction post facility in NY, Chicago, Miami, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco, LA, London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Hong Kong, you name it. People are using dedicated high-end broadcast monitors or theatrical projectors for this purpose -- not computer monitors.

Computer monitors are fine for editing, for copying files, backing up, processing R3Ds, and doing everything you need to do on a computer. But you have to have a monitor capable of real calibration to a known standard. Without that, you're flying without instruments. It would be as stupid to do that as it would be to, say, use headphones to mix a movie, or try to monitor sound on a $99.95 boombox. Both are worthwhile for certain things... but not finishing a film.

The Alexis Von Hurkman book mentioned in post #2 goes into the need for a monitor in great detail.