[Tig] compositors doing grading

Mon Aug 7 22:17:51 PDT 2006

Hey guys,

Re Robs quote on compositors,

It seems very unlikely that we in our business have university trained 
colorist working on the stations instead they come in from various fields of 
the industry or at times rather very much by accident specially like tape 
loaders, runners etc..or some one looking for a job in films.

So having some one trained on grading stations as a promotion need not mean 
that he or she is a colorist, instead one has to appreciate that a 
individual creative and understanding of color is in natural born skill and 
to top it off... very few of them have it.

Compositors are a breed of highly skilled artists who actually align various 
sources of images to one and blend them for a great looking image and having 
the knowledge of digital processing plus editing and story telling in their 
images...  so in reality they have a better chance of knowing colors 
provided they look into films in totality. As Cem mentioned they are not 
only fixers of flaws but real creative people who have graduated in digital 
imaging as compared to some telecine or lab colorist getting into Digital 
Grading relm. Yes compositors will eventually make it to digital grading 
very soon agreeing with Rob every one needs exposure and training and 
understanding of medium and thats a long process, it will happen globally an 
am certian that real talanted compositors will excel in grading having a 
strong imaging background.

Regards
Rahul P

>From: Cem Ozkilicci <cemoz101 at yahoo.com>
>To: tig at colorist.org
>Subject: Re: [Tig] compositors doing grading
>Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 03:31:04 -0700 (PDT)
>
>the TIG is supported by subscribers.
>see http://tig.colorist.org for
>donation button interface.  Thanks to
>Scott Klein, Glenn Chan, and Hakan Toptas.
>--
>
>
>Hey guys,
>
>being an ex-flame artist I must say that as Rob
>pointed out, most compositors feel the need to correct
>aspects of a film rather than grade. This is mostly
>because of the fact that compositors are usually not
>given the chance to color correct or grade(unless
>something drastic seeds fixing). They are usually used
>as people to fix flaws and remove wires and rigs than
>give films their look. So therefore the notion of
>fixing something comes before the notion of grading.
>
>I remember from my previous days were I had come up
>with an interesting look as a flame artist and the
>director I was working with said something along the
>lines of "why are you trying to establish a look ? I
>know the one we have isn't great but we dont have time
>to come up with a new one" ... so actually from that
>day on I sort of decided to go into grading and felt
>that was or would be my stronger side.
>
>But now coming to a time where compositing and grading
>and compositors and colorists slowly merge it's
>interesting to see the different approaches and
>mentalities colorists and compositors adopt.
>
>Those are my two cents ...
>
>Cem Ozkilicci
>Colorist/House Engineer
>Compugraf / Istanbul
>
>
>
>--- Rob Lingelbach <rob at colorist.org> wrote:
>
> > the TIG is supported by subscribers.
> > see http://tig.colorist.org for
> > donation button interface.  Thanks to
> > Scott Klein, Glenn Chan, and Hakan Toptas.
> > --
> >
> >
> > Fri Aug 4 2006
> >
> > I have been with compositors and other editing/3d/2d
> > artists for the
> > last week and have come to the nonpremature
> > conclusion that they
> > have trouble in working with DoPs and Directors for
> > color
> > correction.
> > I suppose I should have known this, but these folks
> > need some help
> > in the
> > concept of grading.  Let it be known that this was
> > not at the
> > facility where
> > I currently work.
> >
> > It seems the very first thing a comp artist wants to
> > do when presented
> > with a raw scan is go in and construct a window to
> > correct
> > a flaw in the image.  There isn't a constructive
> > dialog with the DoP
> > about color, feel, look, presentation, continuity,
> > etc.   It almost
> > seems
> > like a lost cause from the beginning, but I can also
> > see how
> > hopefully, the
> > more astute among the compostiors would understand
> > about color and
> > density.
> > But many don't have any idea.  In other words, a
> > compositor
> > approaches the session
> > as if it's ready to be fixed, not ready to be
> > orchestrated.
> >
> > Regarding prints from the labs: there are certain
> > tendencies the lab
> > prints have that the DI shows to poor advantage.
> > Example 1,2,3:
> > I've been to 3 labs with Truelight LUTs for each
> > one, printing at
> > each lab.  Every print looks (relatively, with some
> > color problems) the
> > same, except that *there is way too much contrast in
> > the image*.
> > Now we can assume that going "down a generation" is
> > going to lose
> > detail.
> >
> > But:
> > Take the BKSTS chart for grayscale, res, color
> > chips, and
> > resolution.   Ingest it into smoke. flame, whatever.
> >  Output it for
> > scan, record frames of neg.  Do test prints as 10
> > feet loops to
> > ensure lineup with the projectors you know best in
> > town they seem
> > realtively
> > equal....  but at least we have the equality).
> > Colorist uses has as first frame of every scan of
> > reel the first
> > frame, which is
> > this chart,  as lineup.   Ensures the following:
> > video projector
> > resolution,
> > color rendition, grayscale separation.     THEN *Do
> > DI job* with
> > client.
> >
> > bring loop of test chart (calibrated by eye back to
> > neg, by great
> > color timer or colorist) to test print stage of DI
> > job.   Look at and
> > check loop on projector.  Then put up the DI print.
> > it should be
> > good.  This is a huge lack of understanding between
> > labs and
> > facilities in
> > certain countries.  they don't seem to understand
> > the idea of
> > calibration.
> >
> > I see a huge need of training comp artists on color
> > grading.
> > I also see, in an even greater sense, the need of
> > SMPTE chapters
> > more active
> > in certain countries, in getting information out to
> > (mainly) DoPs.
> >
> > Rob
> > --
> > Rob Lingelbach    colorist, Pixion, Mumbai
> > TIG
> > founder/devel/admin
> > http://www.colorist.org/robhome.html
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Tig at tig.colorist.org
> > http://tig.colorist.org/mailman/listinfo/tig
> >
>
>
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