Tips to become a better colorist

B eing a good colorist is a peculiar art and one that has evolved quite considerably in the past few years. The basic skill set requires a keen eye for detail, the ability to listen and then communicate effectively with patience, confidence and diplomacy. These days one needs all those skills plus a marketing strategy, the talent pool is enormous now, you'll need to either work for one of the post production giants or have a beautiful instagram feed to win new work. Becoming better is a simple concept, keep grading, keep up to date with cinema, keep up to date with your peers work, technology and fashions, keep selling, keep relevant, develop as many relationships with DP's, producers, directors and creatives as you can. If possible, collaborating with other colourists is an incredible way of learning, we all have our unique perspective, every person will approach a shot in a different way, there is always something new to be learnt from another colourist; I've been grading for 20 years and still feel I've much to learn, not just about grading, but about rapidly changing technology, about relationships, about film, about light and most of all about having a passion for it. MATT TURNER Head of Color at Absolute Post K eep abreast of modern trends and never, ever thinking you cannot improve. After every project even now I learn something new to take to the next one. PAUL ENSBY Senior Colorist at Company 3 A great colourist has to tick so many boxes. In commercials especially, you must be a great communicator and problem solver. You must be able to suggest and deliver a middle ground when views are split in the suite. Judging the suite can be difficult, and I think this side of the job can be the hardest. Getting technically good pictures is one thing, but creating a unique look and feel with an individual style in another thing altogether. I would always suggest to first get the balance right. If you’re working in a department with other colourists, grab stills of their approach and try to match it yourself. Matching is a very important discipline, and a skill in its own right. To improve you always have to move forward. If you’ve finished a grade, go back and do it in less layers, strive for cleaner pictures. If you’ve gone for a natural look, push yourself and go hyper-real / surreal. Remember lots of times you don’t slowly advance up the the optimum grade, you generally have to go too far, take a step back, and you know you’ve arrived. Don’t be scared, and put as much work in by yourself as you can. Understand the piece you are grading, figure out who are the characters and what emotions are being portrayed. Having a reason to desaturated someone’s skin tones as they are poorly is a considered approach. Putting on a film emulation LUT on a piece that is meant to be real and observed is probably not the best approach. STEFFAN PERRY Senior Colorist at Framestore I try to keep learning and keep pushing technology. Never be afraid to stop learning. There’s always new looks, new gear, new shortcuts and new ideas to learn. Keep the conversation going. Find fellow colourists and share ideas. ERIC WHIPP Senior Colorist at Alter Ego Do as much grading as you can and try to learn as much as you can from as many outlets as you can. If you have the opportunity to work with or study other colorists work, do. Exercise your color brain. Grade the same scene 3 different ways, grade a scene without scopes, then grade the same scene using only using scopes. Grade a scene using only primary controls, then grade the same scene using only curves, then to have fun and try to grade the scene using only blending modes! Go and shoot stuff to grade. Shoot a short film on your phone’s camera! Try and watch as much stuff as you can. Watch films in the theater, watch films on your TV at home, just watch films! It’s important to see how others are practicing the craft. Watch music videos, there’s lots of cool stuff happening in that space right now. Watch online content on your phone. Just stay engaged in the art. A good colorist should have a good understanding of both color science and the tools of the trade. Any decent colorist should find balance and flow easily, attack a problem in a very effective fashion. But colorists at the top of the field rarely focus on the technical. All the best colorists I know are masters at being creative with filmmakers. The top colorists I know help shape a films look in an organic and original fashion, often effortlessly. All great colorists can manage a room full of creatives and executives where everybody may not agree, and find a solution that works for all. The longer I do color the more I see these are the things that separate the best from the rest. ALASTOR ARNOLD Senior Colorist at FotoKem Watch movies, at home, in theaters, anywhere. Visit art museums and galleries. Revel in the colors of the real world. Notice the colors in the real world. Notice the difference in the colors in the morning, in the afternoon, and at night. Read books on color, read biographies on artists. Look deeply and long at all forms of photography. Keep trying different styles of grading. Teach as much as possible because you learn more by sharing than by keeping it to yourself. Lastly, don't hog the credit, give that to the photographer and crew whose work you are now charged with polishing. RANDY STARNES Senior Colorist at Arsenal

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Tips to become a better colorist

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