[Tig] color

[Tyler Hawes]

At Liquid we have two full-time and one part-time colorist using solely
FinalTouch 2K & HDs. Most of our clients are independent films. Aggregating
all three of us colorists, we're working on our 22nd feature with
FinalTouch. It is a 1400-screen wide release. The client worked with us
before on a smaller film and was happy to come back to our FT-based workflow
with this larger work. So to me, I think there's no question you can do
professional grade DI for features with FT, granting that you'll be at some
disadvantages for it.

To do this work required a lot of costly infrastructure (SAN, DLP projector,
control surfaces, monitors, color management, etc., etc.) that made the
previous $25K price tag of Final Touch 2k already a small component. Making
it a free part of Final Cut Studio doesn't really seem to change that
equation much, at least not for theatrical features. Instead, I worry about
how it changes client perception, and that is hard to foresee.

In the past couple of months we've started looking seriously at upgrading to
Baselight or Filmmaster. While there are many features in those products we
really look forward to, we were also surprised to see how many things FT
already does very well, in some cases better (in our opinions) than those
much costlier tools.

My point is we find ourselves looking at it from both angles. As current FT
users, we of course want to see the potential we've always seen in the
product truly realized, and Apple has the resources to do it if they want
to. However, as a company on the verge of a major investment in higher end
systems, we are already imagining ourselves as a shop worried about the
eroding value of our big iron systems. We know first-hand how much you can
squeeze out of FT, and I think to pooh-pooh Color and act as if it's not a
direct threat to the high-end systems might be sticking your head in the
sand. I think this really could be a significant earth-shaking for DI, but
that it will take two or three years for the shockwave to reach us.

To pay for or not have paid for our shiny new systems by then? That is the
question :)

Tyler Hawes
Liquid DI, Santa Monica
www.LiquidCompanies.com



On 5/1/07 8:16 AM, "Sebastian Sylwan - LIST ADDR ONLY" <sylwan at gmail.com>
wrote:

> don't you think the tool doesn't define the quality of the job ?
> I believe today the most experienced colorist, if working as a favour
> for a no-budget movie, could probably make great images with FCP-color.
> 
> Tools do not substitute talent, but real talent doesn't rely on the tool.