feature post production Feature sponsored by


Over the last five years digital workflows have seen the post production industry adapting to significant changes in technology with traditional creative roles in turn changing within the post facility environment. The next generation of colourists are learning their craft on software-based systems rather than the traditional linear-based telecine workflow, often learning editing and VFX skills as well as grading, providing a sound all-round knowledge of processes within the post house. The benefits of file-based workflows are vast including greater efficiencies in time and cost over linear methods as well as more granular control over the editorial process. Martin Bennett, MD media business unit, Image Systems, reports.


Protecting the future creative craft


lost. The previous generation of colourists who cut their teeth in the traditional tape-based world provided a link to manufacturers for creative development, with tools being built around their requirements. Today the proliferation of plug-ins and the trend for free downloads means that the knowledge base of how and why those tools were developed is vanishing, denting the creative process. The role of the colourist has changed


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significantly with the development of the digital intermediate (DI) workflow. In the linear world the editor was the king pin in the post production process. He would send material to the colourist for grading, which was then sent back to the editor who would sign off the final version for delivery. Kevin Shaw, colourist, explains: “What’s important to understand, and this is key for new


66 l ibe l september/october 2011 l www.ibeweb.com


here is a risk, however, that as digital technology and workflows evolve, the scientific knowledge gained in the telecine and hardware environment is now being


Martin Bennett, MD media business unit, Image Systems.


colourists coming into the industry as well as developers of cheaper software, is in the DI workflow the whole process now revolves around the colourist. The responsibility of the colourist is to grade and finish the project, which means conforming titles, audio checks, visual effects checks and so on. The depth of experience and knowledge of what can be fixed prior to delivery falls quite heavily on the colourist’s shoulders and to have knowledge of the science and background of grading makes it easier to make those decisions. We saw this change in the industry coming, which is why we set up the International Colorist Academy (ICA) two years ago.” The ICA was founded in 2009 by


Shaw and Warren Eagles to provide a range of training courses geared towards colourists and post production facilities. Courses are delivered by independent colourists located around the world and range from basic colour theory, digital intermediate and film workflows, telecine and lab grading,


client interaction and looks and styles. The classes and workshops cover a broad range of manufacturer colour grading systems. Shaw adds: “The reason that this


shift in responsibility has occurred is mainly due to monitoring. Because CRT monitors have been replaced with various LCDs, plasmas and projectors the only place where there is anything close to a calibrated monitoring set up is the grading suite. It’s very common to pick up focus problems, cables in shot, reflections, things that have gone all the way through post production and didn’t get picked up until they were seen on the large calibrated screen in the grading suite. These problems have to be dealt with by the colourist even if it means sending back to the editor or back to VFX. In my opinion, very low-cost grading systems and colour tool add-ons encourage this problem as there’s a temptation to use a plug-in and call it colour correction. In this respect you’re actually not taking advantage of all of the new DI grading features


Continued on Page 68.


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