Feature Inspired Looks - Blade Runner 2049

Feature Inspired Color Grading Looks – Blade Runner 2049

February 2, 2017

Inspired by the Blade Runner 2049 trailer Dan shares his attempt at recreateing the intense warm washed look.


Series

Color Grading Breakdown

After the success of thinking like a colorist, I thought it would be great to try and re-create some feature film looks from the trailers.

I think a big note is for this series is that the looks are inspired by these trailers, not exact replicas.

The first step to actually recreating this perfectly is to hire Rodger Deakins and plan a multi-million dollar shoot.

The rest of us regular humans can enjoy having some fun at trying the look on regular footage.

Watch The Trailer!

Check out the trailer below and in particular the warm orange scene. Starting around 27 seconds in.

This look isn’t achievable on all footage as it’s so extreme.

The main issue is if there is too much skin tone or closeups you will need to pull back the look as they did later on in the trailer.

If you are having trouble getting it to work try a different scene. I tried about 10 different shots before I could get something even close!

Jump to the video below to find out more and please do post your grades in the comments below.

If you have any requests for more looks please let me know as I had a lot of fun creating this insight.

If you’ve got any questions, be sure to leave a comment!

-Dan

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Comments

Homepage Forums Feature Inspired Color Grading Looks – Blade Runner 2049

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  • Marc Wielage
    Member

    “First, hire Roger Deakins.” Yep, that helps a lot — as do the production designer, costume people, and make up artists.


  • Marc Wielage
    Member

    “First, hire Roger Deakins.” Yep, that helps a lot — as do the production designer, costume people, and make up artists.

  • Thanks Dan for this inside…
    I recently saw the trailer of King Kong – Skull of Island in an Imax Theater. I was struck by the “warm yellowish-greenish” look. Even though this must be created with light, production design and costume design first, Grading is not less important I think.
    I’d really like to see a re-made attempt by you.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com

  • Thanks Dan for this inside…
    I recently saw the trailer of King Kong – Skull of Island in an Imax Theater. I was struck by the “warm yellowish-greenish” look. Even though this must be created with light, production design and costume design first, Grading is not less important I think.
    I’d really like to see a re-made attempt by you.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/


  • Dan Moran
    Guest

    Thats a great idea! Seems like a difficult look so I’d love to try that myself, if I can make it work I’ll post it up as an insight very soon!


  • Dan Moran
    Guest

    Thats a great idea! Seems like a difficult look so I’d love to try that myself, if I can make it work I’ll post it up as an insight very soon!


  • Jan Klier
    Member

    Since you mentioned Photoshop at the beginning, this look actually reminds me quite a bit of a gradient map.

    The Sapphire OFX suite has a set of duo/tri/quad tone effects that allow the emulation of a gradient map by selecting 2, 3, or 4 separate colors, mapping their luma ranges and adjust softness for the transition.

    Using such an effect vs. just primaries is a question of taste 🙂

    A more standard effect would be a luma key at 50 with a very high softness, the standard color generator applied for color 1 and then an outside node with a color generator of the 2nd color applied.

    Both of those methods make it easier to select and play with the two gradient map colors.


  • Jan Klier
    Member

    Since you mentioned Photoshop at the beginning, this look actually reminds me quite a bit of a gradient map.

    The Sapphire OFX suite has a set of duo/tri/quad tone effects that allow the emulation of a gradient map by selecting 2, 3, or 4 separate colors, mapping their luma ranges and adjust softness for the transition.

    Using such an effect vs. just primaries is a question of taste 🙂

    A more standard effect would be a luma key at 50 with a very high softness, the standard color generator applied for color 1 and then an outside node with a color generator of the 2nd color applied.

    Both of those methods make it easier to select and play with the two gradient map colors.

  • That’s entirely not what I expected. Blade Runner is from 1982. Now I’m irritated and confused.

  • That’s entirely not what I expected. Blade Runner is from 1982. Now I’m irritated and confused.


  • Dan Moran
    Guest

    Hey Simon, Is there anything I can help with to clear up your confusion from the insight? Or was it more the fact that there is a new Blade Runner film coming out this year?


  • Dan Moran
    Guest

    Hey Simon, Is there anything I can help with to clear up your confusion from the insight? Or was it more the fact that there is a new Blade Runner film coming out this year?

  • The latter 🙂 didn’t read the number. Was expecting reference to what is arguably one of my all time favorite films.

  • The latter 🙂 didn’t read the number. Was expecting reference to what is arguably one of my all time favorite films.


  • Dan Moran
    Guest

    Me too! I was worried until Rodger Deacons took the helm. He’s amazing and I trust him to honor Jordan Cronenweth’s original cinematography

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