Understanding the FCP X Color Board Exposure Controls

Color Board Foundations: Part 1

When Apple rolled out  FCP X, they re-visualized its color correction interface—splitting FCP Studio’s 3-Way Color Corrector into three panels: Color, Saturation and Exposure (which I prefer to think of as Contrast).Within each of these three panels we manipulate individual ‘pucks’ that control the image in four tonal ranges: Master, Shadows, Midtones, Highlights.

But how much influence does each puck have over the image?

The answer to this question will guide us to developing a fast, efficient workflow when grading.

In this article, we’ll explore FCPx’s Exposure tool – which may give us an idea as to which controls we want to grab first when initially setting the contrast in a shot. In later articles we’ll take a look at the Color and Saturation pucks – finally coming up with a ‘best practice’ to help us become as efficient as possible when color correcting within FCPx.

Note: The exploration of these controls that I present in this series of articles is one I do whenever evaluating a new color grading tool – be it a plug-in, filter or stand-alone app. I encourage you to try it out whenever you need to figure out a color correction tool.

– pat