Handle client micro managing versions

[Orash Rahnema]

Hi all!

I wanted to ask how do you handle versioning so you can go back to a previous grade when needed.

I work in resolve so my workflow is based on what it provide, but i would be happy to hear also a software agnostic approach

Usually if i do a grade and I have a revision to do,  I save stills for all frames of the timeline in a stills folder with the date

My problem comes with micro versioning:

a real world scenario, I have done a job with the dop sitting next to me, we get to a point where is happy and asked me to export it out and upload it on vimeo so he could check it on his device (lets not talk about this problem  )

then he said, ok, all good but i want to de sat a tiny bit everything (done, export, upload on vimeo)

Then he said, alright, you know what maybe this few shots you can cool them down a little bit (done, export, upload on vimeo)

He goes, sleep on it, then watch all 3 links and come back saying that he likes it better version01 and some clips of version02

Unfortunatelly since were such small and quick turnaround I didn't save stills everytime and i didn't add more nodes as i didn't want to over complicate the node tree.

So when he got back i had to manually go back to what i have done in V01.

I wanted to know if you have a better and easier workflow.

cheers,

Orash

 

 

 

[Bruno Mansi]

Isn't this a case of never throwing anything away and just making a copy of the entire timeline?

Alternatively, you can make versions of any of your graded shots and just do the necessary changes. Resolve keeps all your versions, so you can always go back to the original/previous grade.

[Jonnie Sirotek]

Ah yes, I think we can all empathize with that.

In Resolve, you can very quickly add a new version (Color -> Add Version) which will duplicate all of your work and allow you to start making changes. What's also great about this is that all of your tracking and keyframing come through as well. 

For your example you could have had the first pass as Version 1.  When he came back with the notes then you make Version 2. For the next round of notes where you're only cooling off certain shots, change those specific shots to Version 3.  That way in the morning, when he said "I like these shots V1, these V2, these V3" you would have all of those grades ready to go - just pick which version of each shot before rendering. Also, taking the little extra time to label nodes when you have specific changes can really help you remember what the intention was.

If you want stills for each version, you can quickly make a new still album, and in your viewer right click - grab all stills.  You may not have the exact frame you want, but all of your node work will be there.

Hope this helps!

[Orash Rahnema]

I use versioning mostly to brake the remote grade link in this way i can set slightly different grade for continuity on long take. 

I'm afraid that keep adding stills i could easly get confused After a while, above all if the changes are microscopic. 

Maybe i should start using versions as you said and changing my workflow into local grades rather then remote. 

[Margus Voll]

For small changes post - group adjustments seems also good in some cases. Specially when multiple shots have same treatment either one way or the other. I use that on top of initial looks or adjustments just to adjust look to some degree like you mention colder or more sat etc.

[Dylan R. Hopkin]

Totally agree with Margus, Groups are great! 

I use them constantly. Great for versioning scenes quickly.

Save your Post-Clip-Group stills as your “looks”, balance individual shots at clip level. Very flexible.

[dermot.shane]

i use all the above, i have save version / recall next / last version mapped to my Artist Color softkeys right above the gain ring.. it's stupid fast and easy to access, and it's used ALL the time

i make new timelines for versions, if it was me i'd have v01, v02, v03  timelines etc to refrence / recall

i don't make stills for everything, more typicaly i save mem's and then pull the mem's once full into a v01, v02, v03 etc folder to match the timeline

i use groups constantly, often for grain in post group, using diffrent options for day int / day ext / night just as camera film stocks react, so it's easy to group a scene together and apply global changes

also note that everytime i make a new timeline version, i also make a new DRP.... yesterday i made five in total.... takes about 45 seconds, and it's better safe than sorry