Color

Reduce the Need for Color Correction

Set up your camera and shots properly:

White Balance

Ensure that your camera is set to the correct white balance setting for the lighting conditions you are shooting in. This can help to avoid color casts and ensure that the colors in your footage are accurate.

Exposure

Properly exposing your shots can help to avoid overexposed or underexposed areas, which can be difficult to correct in post-production.

Color Chart

Use a color chart or reference card to help ensure accurate color reproduction. This can help to avoid color shifts and make it easier to match shots in post-production.

Quality Lenses

Use high-quality lenses that are known for their color accuracy and consistency. Cheaper lenses may introduce color fringing or other issues that can be difficult to correct in post-production.

Avoid extreme lighting

Avoid shooting in extreme lighting conditions, such as bright sunlight or artificial lighting with strong color casts. This can make it difficult to achieve accurate color reproduction.

Color Correction Steps

Exposure & Contrast

Use the exposure and contrast tools to balance the shot. Adjust the exposure slider until the image is not too dark or too bright. Then adjust the contrast slider to give the image a good range of tones.

Levels (B&W points)

Set the black and white points by using the levels tool. Drag the black point slider to the right until the darkest areas of the shot are pure black. Then drag the white point slider to the left until the lightest areas of the shot are pure white.

Color Temperature / White Balance

Adjust the color temperature of the shot using the white balance tool. Use the temperature slider to adjust the overall color of the shot, making whites appear neutral. Then use the tint slider to adjust any remaining color casts.

Saturation/Vibrance

Use the saturation and vibrance tools to adjust the overall color intensity of the shot. Drag the saturation slider to the right to make the colors more intense. Then adjust the vibrance slider to give the colors a more natural look.

Selective Color Correction

If there are any individual colors that need to be corrected, use the selective color correction tool. For example, if the skin tones appear too orange or yellow, select the skin tone color and drag the sliders to adjust the color balance.

Match

Match shots by adjusting the color and exposure of each shot so that they match the surrounding shots. This involves using the color correction tools to adjust the color and exposure of each shot, making them consistent with the surrounding shots.

Sharpen/Contrast

Add any final touches, such as sharpening the image or adding contrast, to enhance the overall look of the shot.

Color


Color Theory

Color Palette

A film's color palette can be created using:

Color Grading in Premiere Pro

Set the mood

Decide on the overall mood or feel you want to create for the film. This can help guide your color grading decisions.

Adjust the color temperature

Adjust the color temperature of the shot to give it the desired tone. Cooler colors such as blues can give a moody feel, while warmer colors such as oranges and yellows can create a more upbeat or romantic feel.

Apply a color filter

Apply a color filter to the shot to give it a specific color tone. This can help to enhance the mood of the shot. For example, you could apply a blue filter to create a cold or somber mood, or a yellow filter to create a warm and nostalgic feel.

Match

Match the color grading of each shot to ensure consistency throughout the film. Use the same color grading techniques for each shot to create a cohesive look.

Add final touches

Add any final touches, such as adjusting the saturation or applying a vignette, to enhance the overall look of the film.

Color Grading Examples

Ava DuVernay

Selma (2014)

Warm, earthy tones with a focus on browns and yellows

Wes Anderson

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Pastel colors, with a focus on pinks, yellows, and blues

Christopher Nolan

The Dark Knight (2008) 

Desaturated, muted colors, with a focus on blues and grays