Inside Light Iron: Senior Colorist Ethan Schwartz on Thriving on Post Production

From aspiring cinematographer to mastering multi-platform workflows

When you’re juggling Baselight, DaVinci Resolve, and Nucoda across feature films and prestige TV shows, you learn that flexibility isn’t optional—it’s survival. In this wide-ranging conversation, senior colorist Ethan Schwartz takes us inside Light Iron’s approach to everything from dailies workflows to HDR delivery, revealing the technical chops and collaborative instincts that define modern high-end post-production.

Whether you’re curious about the DIT-to-colorist pipeline, navigating ACES color management across platforms, or understanding how a fresh perspective transforms the final grade, Ethan’s journey offers practical insights for anyone working in professional color.

“What always works for me is…making sure the grade baseline is correct before I do anything creative. Once I have that baseline…then I can start thinking about film stocks, contrast curves, grain structure, all that fun stuff. But if the baseline isn’t right, none of [the creative choices] will look good.”

Ethan Schwartz, Senior Colorist

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