Combining Shared Nodes and Group Grades Part 1 – Applying CSTs, Looks, and LUTs

August 17, 2020

Applying the one color grade to multiple shots is easier with Resolve's Groups or with Shared nodes. Learn how to combine the two approaches.


Series

Part 1: Combining Shared Nodes and Groups to improve flexibility, efficiency, & consistency

I get a lot of questions about shared nodes.  For new colorists, or those new to Resolve, its a tricky topic that requires some explanation.  But shared nodes are incredibly powerful, especially when combined with the other organizational tools we have in Resolve.

In this two-part Insight series, I look specifically at using Shared Nodes in conjunction with Group Grades.  It’s a powerful technique that adds an additional dimension, allowing us to apply grading operations across multiple groups while maintaining a single point for revision of our Group grades.  While most colorists treat Shared nodes and Groups as an either/or approach, combining both allows us to make quick changes and revisions to multiple groups simultaneously while maintaining their individual group grades.

This combined approach is a great way to apply things like Color Space Transforms, ACES Transforms, LUTs, & looks. BUT – it helps to have a plan of action when you start combining these tools. That’s what this series is all about.

Techniques Covered

  • Creating shared nodes
  • Using groups
  • Saving pre- and post-group stills
  • Applying shared nodes across multiple groups
  • Color Space Transforms
  • Film emulation LUTs

Footage

Related Insights

Comments and Questions?

Leave them below!

– Peder


 

Member Content

Sorry... the rest of this content is for members only. You'll need to login or Join Now to continue (we hope you do!).

Need more information about our memberships? Click to learn more.

Membership options
Member Login

Are you using our app? For the best experience, please login using the app's launch screen


Comments

Homepage Forums Combining Shared Nodes and Group Grades Part 1 – Applying CSTs, Looks, and LUTs


  • charles w rodriguez
    Guest

    You make a reference in this tutorial to color separation techniques introduced by Cullen Kelly. I’ve seen all Cullen’s posts, but, I seem to have missed his color separation technique in which he uses the RGB Mixer. Where is the tutorial in which he discusses the RGB Mixer?
    TIA


  • Robbie Carman
    Guest

    Hey Charles –

    Peder mispoke a bit. In this Insight – https://mixinglight.com/color-tutorial/the-10-minute-grade-shot-balancing/ right around 6:58 Cullen discribes disabling Red and Blue channels on a node level and then using the gain control to balance a shot. It’s worth noting you def. can achieve similar results with the RGB Mixer but Cullen didn’t actually show that .


  • charles w rodriguez
    Guest

    Out of sheer curiousity, I decided to go play with the RGB mixer. It’s an interesting way, sometimes much easier to pick up the blue channel when the lows/mids seem squashed. It sure does work quite well to stretch out the vectors along the red cyan(actually the skintone axis. In some ways it’s a more complicated way, as opposed to using printer lights. I have my Elgato Streamdeck programmed to add Printer Lights. But, this RGB-mixer looks interesting for certain situations when color information in a channel is missing.


  • Peder Morgenthaler
    Guest

    Wow. I thought for sure that’s where I got that technique. Now I’ll have to actually find the source… I’ll post it here when I find it.
    Cullen is doing something similar in his Color Separation insight, but not exactly the same. Its great stuff anyways, so he deserves the shout out:)


  • Jamie Dickinson
    Guest

    I did an Insight on using the RGB Mixer too – pretty much the same technique to stretch the yellow/teal axis, I use it a lot! At around 4 minutes https://mixinglight.com/color-grading-tutorials/revisiting-the-rgb-mixer-in-davinci-resolve/

    Revisiting the RGB Mixer (in DaVinci Resolve)


  • Luca Enrico Canessa
    Guest

    Question.
    Is it possible to add a clip in more than one group?


  • Peder Morgenthaler
    Guest

    Great question, Luca. Based on the way that groups work, clips can only belong to one at a time. If a clip belonged to multiple groups, how would you resolve the differences in the pre- and post-grade areas?

    That’s why employing shared nodes in groups is great. It allows you to apply the same operation to multiple groups while maintaining a single place to make edits.


  • Peder Morgenthaler
    Guest

    YES! That’s where I got the technique. Thanks for reminding me Jamie!
    That was a great Insight. Love how you use the RGB mixer to fix some very problematic shots and create color separation.


  • Luca Enrico Canessa
    Guest

    Thanks Peder for your clear answer.

Log in to reply.

1,000+ Tutorials to Explore

Get full access to our entire library of over 1,100+ color tutorials for an entire week!


Start Your Test Drive!
Loading...