Peter June 6, 2017 Share June 6, 2017 Does anyone know if there is anything around that shows the techniques that Stefan Sonnenfeld uses? He always seems to get looks that other don't seem to be able create. yes they get close but its never quite the same. I've seen tutorials that show you how to create the 'blockbuster look' etc (teal and orange) but I remember reading a quote from Stefan saying that he sees these tutorials and says that they use too many nodes. He says he keeps it as simple as possible. Has anyone here actually seen him work and have an insight into his techniques? Link to comment Share on other sites
Popular Post Emily Haine June 7, 2017 Popular Post Share June 7, 2017 Remember that most looks can be achieved with a very simple node structure and primaries only. Back in the color timing days they got only global RGB and density controls and made beautiful looking films that are used as references today. It took me years to understand the power of the basic controls. Stefan got a sixth sense and has stated several times that he can see how an image should look like. Creating great looking images is all about knowing what makes your image look good, not about what buttons to push. Many of the Company 3 colorists use simlar techniques and learn from each other. So it could be a great idea to read some of the premium articles written by the CO3 colorists (Paul Ensby, Tyler Roth, Jill Bogdanowicz) to get some insight into the way they think. I also recommend to read Trish Cahill's article as her style is really close to Stefan's and it's also loaded with technicalities. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites
Peter June 7, 2017 Author Share June 7, 2017 Yes I believe that the old color timing ways have a lot to teach us. People think because theres so many features in the software the they must use everything. The most valuable technique I've learnt is to use printer lights. Link to comment Share on other sites
Frank Wylie June 8, 2017 Share June 8, 2017 In traditional color grading, you don't mess with a fixed gamma that has been determined for the project; you adapt the images to that gamma. Added to this is the logarithmic response of the print stock (which has it's own unique palette) the light valve values, trims of the printer and even the influence of local water supplies used in compounding the developer. This causes some interesting problems for the timer, who has to establish a uniform methodology of bending the subject matter to the will of the director and DP. The difference between digital color grading and film timing is both aesthetic and locked in the physical properties of the respective mediums. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites
Emily Haine June 8, 2017 Share June 8, 2017 On 6/8/2017 at 2:10 PM, Frank Wylie said: This causes some interesting problems for the timer, who has to establish a uniform methodology of bending the subject matter to the will of the director and DP. Expand At the same time, the unique palette of the print stock and the other parameters were often creative choices made by the production, so you could say that it was a part of the look development and supposed to be a great starting point for the color timers. Having said, (and what you are pointing out) it was not easy to control those elements so you could say it caused some interesting problems sometimes as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites
Popular Post Tom Poole June 14, 2017 Popular Post Share June 14, 2017 There is no secret sauce (technique). Stef uses the same LUTs most of the other guys use. He tends to keep things super simple (few nodes) and doesn't do chroma adjustments in the mids. Stef just has a great eye and works with great DP's. Simple as that. I had an editor stand behind me on a commercial job recently. He said "Don't mind me, I'm just stealing your technique". I laughed and said "No worries, because you can't steal my taste" 23 Link to comment Share on other sites
Emily Haine June 14, 2017 Share June 14, 2017 Most of the linear primary tools will affect the mid range chroma levels in one way or another anyway. Even moving the luminance levels around will slightly affect the same values, unless you isolate them totally. I can't think about a reason why he doesn't want to touch those values directly, but he probably got his reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites
Tom Poole June 14, 2017 Share June 14, 2017 Thanks for that lesson 3 Link to comment Share on other sites
Peter June 14, 2017 Author Share June 14, 2017 (edited) I'd be interested to know that too. If you take the attached reference clip and look at it on the vector scope, he get a very narrow scope which seems desaturated because the colours seem to compressed but image feels so rich. Is he desaturating the image first then saturating specific narrow Hues? Am I making sense in what I'm trying to say? Also, when you say he keeps it simple with few nodes, is he doing multiple corrections within a node? Eg, log tools, hue vs hue, hue vs sat etc. Has Stefan or any of the other guys at CO3 (like you Tom) considered making a Masterclass on grading? Edited June 14, 2017 by Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites
Popular Post Joseph Bicknell June 14, 2017 Popular Post Share June 14, 2017 (edited) I'd say the best way to break down a look is just to study the final result. That image seems to have a different colour temperature from shadows to highlights, and rich colour (mid- shadow weighted) and no extreme highlights, esp. on skin, which gives a 'creamy' pallete, and also extra depth (sat and hue has a relationship with the exposure). A print emulation LUT would do most of this but they've worked so much with it they likely could build the look from scratch easily. Obvs that's overly simplified but it's the core of it- also skintones and eyes are nailed (i believe the most important aspect in any shot.) As Tom says the means are pretty irrelevant, but the taste, characteristics of the raw footage and vision is key. Edited June 14, 2017 by Joseph Bicknell 9 Link to comment Share on other sites
Adéyẹmi September 7, 2018 Share September 7, 2018 On 6/14/2017 at 6:32 PM, Peter said: I'd be interested to know that too. If you take the attached reference clip and look at it on the vector scope, he get a very narrow scope which seems desaturated because the colours seem to compressed but image feels so rich. Is he desaturating the image first then saturating specific narrow Hues? Am I making sense in what I'm trying to say? Also, when you say he keeps it simple with few nodes, is he doing multiple corrections within a node? Eg, log tools, hue vs hue, hue vs sat etc. Has Stefan or any of the other guys at CO3 (like you Tom) considered making a Masterclass on grading? Expand Probably, his zoom settings for his scope is different from yours. Link to comment Share on other sites
Luo Liquan April 18, 2019 Share April 18, 2019 Compared to focusing on a single scene, it is worth paying attention to the global color change, This is stef most powerful magic.my Immature feeling 😛 Link to comment Share on other sites
Marc Wielage April 18, 2019 Share April 18, 2019 Stefan doesn't give many interviews, but he did chat with Steve Hullfish's book The Art & Technique of Digital Color Correction, and I found a lot of what he said enlightening. My take is that Sonnenfeld works very quickly and uses simpler techniques than a lot of people suspect. He does extraordinarily good work, and there are few other people in Hollywood (and everywhere else) who grasp the importance of client relations, sales, business, and technology and have the ability to balance all of them the way Stefan Sonnenfeld does. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites
Mark Todd Osborne April 18, 2019 Share April 18, 2019 (edited) As I worked closely with Stefan for nearly 12 years, what Tom said is correct , he keeps it simple and has great taste, which any master colorist should possess. Edited April 18, 2019 by Mark Todd Osborne 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites
Thomas Singh April 20, 2019 Share April 20, 2019 Is he a nice guy? Link to comment Share on other sites
Marc Wielage April 22, 2019 Share April 22, 2019 BTW, here's an interesting interview I missed a few months ago where Stefan was part of Panasonic's introduction of their new GZ2000 OLED display: This is the longest I've ever heard Mr. Sonnenfeld speak about anything. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites
Marc Wielage July 18 Share July 18 And a newer interview with Stefan Sonnenfeld about Dolby Vision... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites