Fix node structure

[Marcelo Cosme]

Good morning, reading a news with the excellent Walter Volpatto, 
I noticed the gigantic structure of fixed nodes he uses.

https://video.repubblica.it/spettacoli-e-cultura/oscar-e-italiano-il-mago-dei-colori-di-hollywood-da-star-wars-a-green-book-cosi-creo- emozioni / 327436/328037? fbclid = IwAR1D6Qfv3Wzcebhy6f4IcobJaRMnQaDGQgY5VpEeLl-aTBgF4pFlrfrwX44

Does anyone here also use something like that?

If you use like and its structure?

I always use a structure like this: Noise reduction, Base, Curves, Key adjustments for faces and other details (parallels), Vignette and a Fine adjustments if necessary.

[Kai Klassen]

wow. looks insanely huge...guess that's hollywood

But yes in my experience it is good to have a fixed node structure as it is more or less the only way to make 'ripple grading' possible. For that having some extra nodes left (that you'll possibly never use) is good, as i find it difficult to insert a new node in the middle of a node tree, if you have to do that on several shots...

 

But how is it possible to connect node 3 and node 9 with the green/image line? as this is a input/input link...in a parallel environment?

Edited February 28, 2019 by Kai Klassen

[Dylan R. Hopkin]

I have used a fixed node structure for years. A couple of times a year I evaluate the current version, and try to improve it. Often I tailor the structure for a specific project for a specific workflow. But the core setup is usually constant.

* I also scratched my head when I saw the connection between node 3 and 9 in Walter Volpatto`s setup. I must investigate what sorcery this is 🦄.

Edited February 28, 2019 by Dylan R. Hopkin

[Kai Klassen]

Hehe, by looking at it again...the links actually come out of the node 2 ouput for both nodes... its just perfectly allingned so that it looks like its the input/input connection... 

To my defense, i have the feeling the picture may be a tiny bit out of focus

 

Edited March 1, 2019 by Kai Klassen

[Jussi Rovanperä]

For projects with hundreds/thousands of cuts, it makes sense to have a fixed structure. I've been using 16 serial nodes, and "Switching clips selects" is set to "same node", so when you change clips, the same node stays active.

For short projects it doesn't really matter.

[Marcelo Cosme]

Insane this structure of Volpatto. Any day, I will try to recreate to understand these relinked nodes.

 

 

Edited March 1, 2019 by Marcelo Cosme

[Jussi Rovanperä]

Walter posted an earlier version in facebook, and wrote a little breakdown of the nodes. I saved it because I thought this is an interesting approach.

[Marc Wielage]

Walter is a very bright guy. I also use a fixed node tree and (because great minds think alike) I also have preset Left / Center / Right masks when needed plus a vignette.

One thing I got out of this was I've always had a TRIM node at the end for client trimming, but at Walter's level, he needs a DP Trim mode, an Exec Trim mode, and a Director Trim mode, which I had never thought of. That's a clever idea. 

Walter has said many times (so this is no secret) that it's very important to get a solid "balanced" image early in the image chain, and that's all part of the Node Order of Operations. As an alternate approach, look at the similarity of this technique to Mark Todd Osborne, who is also a very fine colorist here in LA:

I do a variation of this with some parallel nodes early on right after normalizing the image with a node for Offset/Printer Lights and a second node for a Custom Curve and/or individual YRGB pots (with Lum Mix at 0), followed by 16 more preset nodes. Most of them are turned off 90% of the time and I only activate them when they're actually used. 

But then there's days when this happens...

(That would be a joke. I do not actually use this many nodes.)

[Bruno Mansi]

Yikes!

With this many nodes it's time for an ultra,ultra wide monitor!

[Marc Wielage]

Naw, we go with just the 2-up Display at the moment. It's been fine. It's rare I ever go beyond 25 nodes. 18 is more normal for the way I work. There are always exceptions: a few weeks ago, I did a 90-minute documentary in 12 hours in 5 nodes, whole thing, maybe 900 shots. It's more a time/budget exercise, not "how many nodes can I make?"

The wide displays give me a headache because I'm breaking my neck on the keyframe window. I also like breaking out the external scopes to a 3rd display.

[itai bachar]

On 3/13/2019 at 8:48 AM, Marc Wielage said:

Hey, thanks for this, I wish it was sharper so I/we can learn from this.

I can make out:

base contrast face key XXX

XXX WHITE? ....

ANGLE? DEFOCUS TOUCHUP

thanks

itai

 

 

 

[Marc Wielage]

You'd have to ask Mark. The link for the page with a shot of his node tree is here:

https://www.hurlbutacademy.com/director-of-photography-why-do-we-color/

My guess is that it's a key on the window. One trick of these fixed node trees is that you have to be very careful of anything adjusting level, because that will affect keys on down the signal path. For that reason, you either have to break out Parallel nodes or just structure the keys earlier in the chain. There are valid reasons to go either way.

[Anton Meleshkevich]

Here is one of my node trees.
This one is for documentary films shot in rec709.