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Crafting Looks, Building Workflows, and Thriving in a New Market
Senior Colorist Abe Wynen shares how to succeed as a colorist when moving from Melbourne to Toronto and building client trust from scratch.
Building 'Crayon' - An Artist-Focused Color Grading Boutique
Colorist Daniel Stonehouse shares why a successful grading career requires more than a great reel and how he helps creatives collaborate.
Interact Live And Remote With Louper.io - CEO Alex Williams
The Color Timer learns about Louper.io with CEO Alex Williams. We discuss workflows, collaboration, whether remote grading is here to stay?
Office Hours Live-NAB 2024 What We Expected + iPad Calibration
We discuss what we expected at NAB 2024, calibrating an iPad Pro, and how/if we're using the headline Resolve features of prior years.
The Career Lessons Learned Of Senior Colourist Ferg Rotherham
Senior Colorist Ferg Rotherham shares wisdom learned from his mentors and cinematographers, freelancing, and how to surprise your clients.
Color Management With Log, The Elusive "Filmic" Look, & Clients
Mixing Light's panel of Colorists answers questions on color management with log footage, the "filmic" look, and choosing your clients.
Writing Legally Protective Bids & Quotes For Post Production Pros
Mixing Light's Attorney Seth Polanski Esq. shares how you can set fair legal Terms and Conditions when quoting and bidding jobs.
Paul Harrison: Winning Awards on both sides of the Atlantic
Season 1 of The Color Timer Podcast wraps: We chat with Paul Harrison, a colorist renowned for his award-winning short-form work and films.
Are You Earning What Your Skills Are Worth? Discover The Answer.
Join Mixing Light contributor Katie Hinsen as she walks through the Annual Post Production Salary Survey - helping us understand fair wages.
Leaning In: Handling the mental pressure of Post-Production
Mixing Light Contributor and Clinical Psychologist Scott Stacy, CSI shares tactics for dealing with intense emotions and difficult clients.
How To Actively Manage Your Post Production Career
Mixing Light contributors answer questions on practical ways to handle career choices, find enjoyable work and take side steps to get ahead.
15 minutes with Color Scientist Matthew Tomlinson
The Color Timer podcast discovers what a color scientist actually does, why they are a colorist's best friend and how to shepherd a show look.
15 Minutes with Tattoo Artist Jhon Gutti - The Color Timer Podcast
What does an award-winning tattoo artist have to say about color? Special guest Jhon Gutti talks about shades of gray in his craft and art.
15 Minutes With Legendary Colorist Peter Doyle
The Color Timer Podcast speaks with legendary colorist Peter Doyle on the nature of color, metameric failure, and the 'why' of every grade.
15 Minutes With Award-Winning Colorist Ana Escorse
The Color Timer speaks with award-winning colorist Ana Escorse about; her unlikely career path, love of Brazillian Baroque art, and judging.
15 Minutes With Colorist Eric Weidt - The Color Timer Podcast
Freelance colorist Eric Weidt has worked exclusively with director David Fincher since 2015. Tune in for a talk about ‘Mank' and his career.
A Conversation With Senior Colourist Vincent Taylor CSI
We're happy to introduce our newest Contributor, colorist Kali Bateman. She's relaunching our interview series. Starting with Vincent Taylor.
How To Edit Successfully With A Client In The Room
We welcome freelance editor Jonny Elwyn to Mixing Light! His first Insight shares his strategies for successful client-attended sessions.
Delivery Tips for Remote Sessions and DaVinci Resolve Trainers
When it’s time to share your Resolve User Interface with a remote client or classroom, a few simple tips and optimizations can win the day!
How To Compare Grades With Clients In Baselight LOOK
In Part 16 of our 'Learning Baselight' series, Luke Ross compares grade versions using Baselight's powerful 'cursor' and Jobs manager.
Using Color Grading To Tell A Decades-Long Story
Colorist Joey D'Anna breaks down his color grade of an indie feature - showing how he executed the goals & technical challenges of this film.
Streaming Dolby Vision, REC-709a, And Consumer OLED Displays
Team Mixing Light, and members, discuss streaming Dolby Vision mp4s; Rec. 709a (what is to be done); and consumer displays for grading.
How Do You Succeed Running A Color Grading Business?
The team is joined by our newest Contributor, Zeb Chadfield, answering business-related questions on being a colorist and getting paid.
Evaluating Skin Tones, Working With Drone Footage, Grading On Laptops
Team Mixing Light helps our members work through confidence problems color grading skin tones, drones, and laptop displays in a live call.
The HDR Palette One Year Later & Selling Your Project Files: Good Ideas?
Team Mixing Light, in a live conference call, takes member questions on Resolve's HDR palette and the practice of handing over project files.
Looking Forward To 2022 - Improving Myself, My Grading, My Business
Colorist Robbie Carman looks forward to 2022 and the steps he's to improve his color grading skills, business, and personal well-being.
Building A Dynamic Demo Reel With Dávid Láposi - Mailbag LIVE!
Team Mixing Light hosts Hungarian colorist Dávid Láposi to discuss creating a personal, story-based demo reel to help advance your career.
Good Grades: Documentary Masterclass with Evan Anthony
In this installment of Good Grades we sit down with renowned documentary colorist Evan Anthony and talk about his start, work and more!
Finding Success Within Failure: How Can We Change the Conversation?
In this Insight, I'd like to start a conversation about something we seldom discuss in post-production; failure.
A Beginners Journey Using Instagram For Marketing & Brand Awareness
In this Insight follow Robbie's start into using Instagram for marketing, sales & brand awareness of his color correction buisness.
Good Grades: Talking Color & Suite Design With Shawn King
We welcome new contributor Jason Druss to Team Mixing Light as he kicks off his new 'Good Grades' series talking to top colorists. First up Shawn King
Working With Reference Images: Part 1
In part 1 of a new series, learn the essentials of how to interpret and read references for contrast, tonality, and other key factors.
Color & Finishing In A Global Pandemic
In this From The Mailbag, we discuss the current and the possible future of work from home & remote workflows + concerns that we might not be consindering.
Creative Professionals, Contracts, Force Majeure in the Age of Covid-19
Attorney Seth Polansky, Esq, discusses the rights of creative pros if clients start pulling your jobs (and you've turned away other work).
Running A Stronger Color Correction Business in 2020
In this Insight, Robbie reflects on 2019 and shares some of his goals for 2020 to help run a stronger color correction buisness
Pay Transparency - What Are Current Rates for US Colorists and DITs?
Are you wondering how much colorists, DITs, or one of their assistants charge per-hour in your city? Katie shares the findings from a survey.
Are You Punching Below Your Weight? Is There Anything To Be Done?
In this episode of From The Mailbag we discuss a member's email about how he feels he should be landing bigger projects but isn't.
Am I ready for client supervised color grading sessions?
A Mixing Light member has color graded for an internal team for years. But how does he know if he's ready for outside client color sessions?
How to Protect Your Company and Clients from Email Spoofing
As media professionals we need to protect our digital identities from being used to spear-phish our clients. Learn how DMARC does this.
Accurate Monitoring in Premiere - HDR and Apple displayP3 Colorspace
Learn how to set up Adobe Premiere Pro for HDR workflows and to make Apple Retina's displayP3 monitors 'accurate' for web-based deliverables.
ACES Color Correction in Action: An Indie Case Study Part 1
The ACES color management workflow is a key technology for major Hollywood productions. Learn how an Indie film implemented ACES.
The Game Of Thrones 'Too Dark' Kerfuffle
We take a look at Game Of Thrones Season 8, Episode 3 and ask, as creative professionals, was it too dark and where did it go wrong?
What to do if your client doesn't trust any of your reference displays?
Team Mixing Light tackles a member's question on how to handle a DP who doesn't trust any monitor in a facility?
You Failed...Now What?
Failure is a part of any business, but how you process and recover from failure can make a big difference on how you succeed next time.
Revisiting Strategies For Getting Paid (on time and without hassle)
Getting paid quickly is a key part to running your own business. In this Mailbag we discuss strategies for getting paid on-time.
Revisiting Using A Single Large Format Monitor
Team Mixing Light revisits the idea of using a single large format monitor in a color suite. Is it a viable solution?
Is It Your Responsibility to Archive a Color Grading Project?
Multiple members have recently written asking the same question: Is it a colorists' responsibility to archive media and project files?
Before The Grade: 5 Pre-Grade Tips To Improve Session Speed
In this Insight, Robbie looks at 5 pre-grade tips that can help you increase your overall session speed when it comes time to grade a project.
Color Grading Challenge: Recreating the 90s Pop Video Look
Dan kicks off a new grading challenge where he plays your client. It's based on a 90s pop video style color grade he recently recreated.
What Can DPs Do To Make Final Color Easier?
Pat, Robbie and Mixing Light Contributor Joey D'Anna discuss what can DPs and onset staff do to make the final color grade easier?
A Career As A Colorist: The Best Advice We've Received
We discuss the best advice we've received for our color grading careers. From attitude to technical to creative, we share what's worked.
How To Network Professionally (without leaving the house)
Learn some of my best tips and tricks for self-promotion and building a strong personal brand online, without feeling weird or insincere - even if you're socially awkward and aren't good at 'networking'.
Getting Started As A Colorist & What's Changed In Grading?
We've got lots of questions from members asking how to get started as a professional colorist and how has grading changed over the years?
Colorist Podcast EP 022: Dado Valentic
In this installment of the Colorist Podcast, Josh sits down with colorist, trainer and industry visionary Dado Valentic to discuss his much talked about presentation on color grading and AI, HDR workflow, on tools for colorists and more!
Handling A Rejected Grade, As A Freelance Colorist
Dan Moran recently joined the freelance world. He's curious how Pat and Robbie handle a client who rejects a grade - fix it or charge more?
Being Flexible As A DIT: The Always Evolving DIT Cart
We all know that a good cart is essential to a DIT's kit. But what if there is no room for your cart? What options do you have when size becomes a cause for concern? Get a list of differently-sized DIT Carts for odd situations.
Getting Sh*t Done: How To Do More And Have It All
Do you want to cram a ton of productivity into your life? Get insight into how to do that from a highly productive post professional.Get tips and strategies to maximize your down time or add something to your life you never had time for.
Colorist Podcast EP 020: Ian Vertovec
In the first installment of the Colorist Podcast for 2018, Josh sits down with well-known colorist Ian Vertovec from Light Iron. They discuss Ian's work, ACES, HDR, VFX workflow and much more!
On The Road: How to Work Internationally As A Colorist
As post production becomes increasingly decentralized, there are growing opportunities for us to take our talents and work abroad. This Insight offers first-hand wisdom from editors and colorists all over the world, working internationally.
Hollywood Restoration and Remastering: Colorist Marc Wielage
Film restoration and remastering is a specialty in the craft of color grading. Learn how a Hollywood colorist handles its unique challenges?
Which Hard Drive do you recommend for this production?
As a DIT, at some point you will be asked, "What hard drive do you recommend for our shoot?" Before you answer, ask yourself: Is your favorite hard drive the proper drive for THIS job?
Failing Gracefully, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love to Bomb
We all fail. The trick is to learn how to learn from our failures; by setting up a system for honest evaluation that serves you, years into the future.
Colorist Podcast Episode 019: 2017 Year In Review
In the last installment for 2017, the Colorist Podcast looks back at some key moments from the series this year with a year in review highlights episode
The 12 Days Of Running A Better Color Correction Business
Getting into the holiday spirit, in this Insight Robbie shares 12 strategies to improving your color correction business in 2018
Colorist Podcast Episode 18: Patrick Woodard
In this installment, Josh talks to Digital Film Tree lead colorist Patrick Woodard about color correcting high-end TV, remote sessions, ACES and more!
Colorist Podcast Episode 17: Bob Festa
In this episode, Josh talks to legendary colorist Bob Festa about his gigantic body of work, grading techniques and much more!
Surviving (And Finishing) A 1000 Shot Project In 2 Days Or Less
Coloring long form projects with very quick turn arounds can be very challenging. In this article, learn techniques for surviving & finishing big projects
When To Sell Yourself Short?
When is it ok to "sell myself short"? Katie Hinsen suggests taking a more holistic approach to value when considering an opportunity, job or client.
Colorist Podcast Episode 15: Alexis Van Hurkman
In this installment of the Colorist Podcast Josh talks to well known author, director, and colorist Alexis Van Hurkman about a wide variety of color topics
A Modern Approach To Cold-Calls
In this Insight, ML contributor Katie Hinsen shares her thoughts about cold calling as well as several practical tips on making contact more effective.
Grading Challenge - Follow My Brief
Following a brief for unattended grades can be incredibly difficult. Dan sets up a virtual client grade and will give feedback on your grade in the comments
Colorist Inspiration – August 2017
Dan is turning 30 and shares his work from across the years to show how his grading has evolved and improved year after year
Client Communication: A Short Primer For Young Colorists
The hardest part about color correction is not learning new software or pushing buttons but communication with clients. Learn more in this Insight.
Pressure: How To Get Things Done Without Having A Breakdown
Pressure is an unavoidable part of being a professional colorist. In this Insight, learn strategies to alleviate pressure so you avoid a complete meltdown!
From The Grading Room - Are We Sterilizing Images?
Now that most people have a basic knowledge of color correction thanks to Instagram what does that mean for us colorists?
Colorist Podcast Episode 010
In this edition of the Colorist podcast Josh talk to the famed Warren Eagles from the International Colorist Academy.
Is Perception Hurting Your Color Correction Business?
Client perception about you & your business plays a large role in winning work.In this Insight learn how to shape client perception
Screwing Up A Flat Bid: 5 Strategies To Prevent & Fix Low Flat Bids
In this Insight, Robbie shares some hard-won tips on what to do when you screw up the pricing on a flat bid & how to prevent these mistakes.
Colorist Podcast Episode 08
In this episode of the colorist podcast, Josh talks to industry veteran/legend Dale Grahn about his storied career & many other subjects
How To Quickly Generate Color Correction Ideas At The Start Of A Session
Are you having problems deciding how to attack color correcting your images? Learn how to quickly generate ideas in this video.
An Interview with Colorist Ayumi Ashley
In this episode of the colorist podcast Josh talks to colorist Ayumi Ashley from Mission Film & Design about her work & career
An Interview with Professional Colorist Rob Bessette
In Episode 6 of the Colorist Podcast, Josh Petok talks to commercial colorist Rob Bessette about his career, grading commercials & more!
What is the Golden Rule of Conforming Timelines?
If you move your timeline from one bit of post-production software to another then you need to know the 'Golden Rule of Conforming'.
From The Grading Room -Â Behind The Looks of 2016 UK Best Nominated Commercials
First, explore the list of the UK's 2016 Best Nominated Commerials - then ask a professional colorist to breakdown how they achieved their Looks.
Colorist Podcast Episode 005
In Episode 5 of the Colorist Podcast, Josh talks to well-known online editor & colorist Terence Curren about his work & other sujbects
Showreel 2016 - Showcasing Your Creative Range To Win Clients
Are you showcasing your range of looks and grades with your showreel? Dan breaks down his latest reel and explains his approach.
Remote Grading Via Skype
When Your Director Is 6000 Miles Away In this Insight I’d like to share an experience I had this week. I had a room full of clients in London but…
You'll Get Paid, When We Get Paid - 5 Ways To Avoid This Trap
Have you ever had a client say that won't pay you until they're paid by their client? Learn 5 techniques for avoiding this issue
From The Grading Room – Radiohead
Dan shares his story from the grading room on grading a short promo project for radiohead
5 Ways To Sell Clients On NOT Color Correcting In-House
In this Insight, discover 5 strategies for convincing clients to grade with you rather than color correct projects in-house.
Should You Go For That Film Look Or Embrace The Digital Clean Look?
Sometimes going for the film look is not the right decision. Dan shares his tips on going digital to give us great punchy sharp images.
Modulating Your Time Based On Client Budget & Needs
With constrained budgets, clients can't always afford your services. But maybe you can modulate your time and effort to meet their needs?
How to Protect Skin Tones While Color Grading with a Heavy Look
When working with heavy looks we sometimes forget about protecting skin tone and making our artist/actor look as good as possible
How to Color Grade With Client Revisions In Mind
Sometimes we get lost in the heat of the moment and over complicate our grades. Dan shares his tips for responsible grading when time is short
Delivering Project Files: Making The Choice About Your IP
You always deliver final video files but should you deliver project files to your clients too? Learn more in this Insight.
5 Strategies For Managing A Supervised Session
Supervised color grading is hard! In this Insight, Robbie shares 5 strategies for managing a supervised session.
Chasing Down Money: 6 Strategies For Overdue Payments
Running a creative business is fun until someone is long overdue paying you! Learn 6 Strategies for chasing down overdue money
From The Grading Room: Turning A Session Around
not every session can be amazing and Dan shares his tips on turning a session around and winning over a client when things don't go your way.
Getting More When You're Getting Paid Less
In this Insight, learn ways that you get more benefits for your buisiness out of a project even when a client isn't paying you all that much. Â Â
How to Build a Color Correction Demo Reel, Part 2
Watch a professional colorist share his process for creating a 3-minute Color Correction Demo Reel - including missteps.
Colorist Inspiration - November
Its time for the big christmas ads to roll out and more colorist inspiration. Dan share's some of the top work and one of his own.
How to Build a Color Correction Demo Reel
A Demo Reel attracts clients—but is it the 'right' kind of client? Learn to build a color correction demo reel that builds your career.
Finding Opportunities When Color Correcting
How do you stay creative when you're not feeling creative? Learn how one professional is always finding opportunities when color correcting.
Tales From The Grading Suite - Lighting The Looks
When jobs look good you wonder why your own work might not look as good. In this insight Dan shares his thoughts on Lighting The Looks.
Using Resolve's 'Layer Mixer' to Switch Between Looks
If you need to switch between different Looks in a single shot, learn how to use DaVinci Resolve's 'Layer Mixer' node for fine-tuned control.
DaVinci Resolve Remote Grading : An Introduction
Remote grading in DaVinci Resolve is a unique way to color grade. It allows clients to view real time grading anywhere in the world.
Rebooting Your Eyes : How To Step Back From Your Grade
Rebooting Your eyes can be tricky after spending hours, days or even weeks on a project. Dan shares how to refresh your eyes for a grade.
Anatomy Of A Commercial Color Grade
The question of how to commercials look so good crops up constantly. Dan shares the in and outs of a grading session to show you how
5 Ways To Get More Color Grading Work
No matter if you're currently slow or are looking for ways to stay busy, in this Insight learn 5 ways to get more color grading work
Using Milestone Payments to Get Paid More Reliably
Having problems getting clients to pay you in 30 days? Maybe it's time to switch to Milestone payments. For ideas on this, keep reading...
Why You Should Avoid Net 30 Billing Terms
Are you starting a company or are a freelancer and think Net 30 billing is what 'real' businesses do? It's not. Net 30 is a trap. Here's why.
How to Track Your Time and Invoice Your Clients, Stress-free
Learn how to track your time—and easily bill your clients, with automated integration in your Accounting package.
How to Get Faster at Color Correction by Increasing Your Daily Shot Count
Do you want to color grade more shots in a single working day? Part 3 gives you solid tips for increasing your daily shot count.
Part 2: How to Estimate Time for Color Correction
Explore the 6 'slices' of a color correction session and how we manage our time across them. This lets us bid & quote more accurately.
How to Estimate Time for a Color Correction Session
How long will it take you color correct a 10 minute timeline? In Part 1 of this series, we discuss the anatomy of a color correction session.
Dealing With Helicopter Clients
Helicopters can hover, so can helicopter clients. Learn how to deal with micro managing clients in your next grading session.
Colorist Block - When Nothing Looks Good
Sometimes you just can't make a grade look good no matter what you do! The Colorist Block is real and dangerous but defeatable.
5 Things Keeping You From Becoming A Better Colorist
Everyone wants to get better at their craft. In this Insight learn about how to overcome 5 common barriers to becoming a better colorist
Being A Supervising Colorist - Tips For Managing Others
Managing other colorists creative work can be challenging. In this Insight, learn key ways to make that process efficient and stress free.
Footage Quality Control - When To Reject Footage
Footage Quality Control in a modern file based world can be tricky. Dan shares his advice on how and when to reject source material.
Commercial Breakdown - Smirnoff
Dan takes a look at his latest commercial grade and shares the thinking and techniques behind the grades.
Evaluating A Project - What Will A Grade Really Take?
Evaluating a project so you know how much time it will take is an essential part of color grading. Check out this Insight for more key tips.
When Color Management Fails : Dan's Strategy
Have you had a client reject a grade after they left the color correction suite? Learn how handle this problem without losing your client.
How to Improve the Client Experience: A Check List
How to keep a client comfortable & productive as a key part of postproduction client services. A checklist for client happiness.
Sales Techniques For The Owner/Operator
Part 2 in the series The Science Of Not Selling Yourself short explores sales for owner/operators and strategies to get more sales.
Narrative Color Grading: Practice Your Craft By Setting Time Periods
Have you ever had to build a look that helps put a shot into a certain era? Learn how to approach this challenge - and download a 6K RED Dragon shot to give it a shot and share with us.
The Science Of NOT Selling Yourself Short Part 1
In this Insight learn how by combining traditional sales with talent know how a facility can build an efficient sales pipeline.
Colorist Tip: How to Build a Color Correction Showreel
How do you build a colorist showreel / demo reel that condenses your whole career into 3mins? Dan shares with you his approach.
Managing A Grade – The Music Video
Grading a music video can be challenging from a time perspective. In this Insight learn about Managing A Grade for when time is tight.
The Unsupervised Session: Tips For Offsite Client Review
When color grading, unsupervised sessions can be difficult. In this Insight, learn strategies and techniques to handle these types sessions.
Getting Up To Speed With Monitor Calibration
Monitor Calibration is essential to have success color correcting and grading projects. Check out this Insight to learn the essentials.
Mailbag: Beating A Creative Funk & Consolidating Reels
In this episode of From The Mail Bag we discuss getting out of creative funk & consolidating a multi-reel project in Resolve.
How To Recharge Your Creativity (In 5 Simple Steps)
Feeling uncreative? We've all been there. Keeping your creativity at a high level is something you have to work at. Learn how in 5 steps.
How To Keep Your Clients (Using 6 Easy Strategies)
Keeping Clients Is Hard! But essential. This Article explores techniques to keep your clients happy and coming back with 6 Key Strategies.
Is Working For Free A No No? (Or Can It Be Good For You?)
Is working for free a huge professional mistake? Not necessarily. Learn how to handle these requests like the video professional you are.
Creating Color Correction Looks: The Low Contrast Look
The Low Contrast Look is a flat style of color correcting. In this video, learn how we execute it without making our images look lifeless.
How To Quote Your Color Correction Jobs: Hourly Billing or Flat Bidding?
How should you quote your color correction jobs? Flat bid or bill by the hour? We map this crater-filled landscape with Do's and Do Not's.
How Do You Get Hired As A Professional Colorist?
There are common points that are useful for you to understand when trying to become a professional colorist. We share our top tips in this article.
How to Prepare Your Timeline for Color Correction
Learn how to prepare you timeline for color correction with these useful tips and techniques from an experience editor.
Color Correcting Food for Commercial Clients in Digital Video
How does a professional colorist color correct food? Our guest colorist Rob Bessette shares his secrets and the keys for a successful session.
Tips & Tricks for Time Remapping in DaVinci Resolve 9 & 10
Dealing with Time Warps in a color correction workflow is difficult to manage. I found a workflow, saving time and money for you and your clients!
New SpeedGrade CC Courses + Working With A DP + Video Displays
Podcast: Learn about a new training title for SpeedGrade CC + How to work with a DP in a color correction session + Choosing video displays for grading.
Color Correcting In Sections with Avid Media Composer
If your client is asking for changes in your color corrections that effect entire scenes then here's how to quickly make those fixes in Avid.
Preparing A Color Correction Session For A Commercial Client
You can learn my tips and tricks to prepare for a client-supervised commercial color correction session. it's not just about your skill. Preparation counts.
How Do You Decide Your Base Rate (For Digital Video Color Correction)?
If you're a freelancer or solo-preneur then setting your base rate of pay can be challenging. Learn how to set your rates with confidence.
Color Correcting A Music Video: Ask Me Anything
Do you have burning questions about color correcting music videos? Professional colorist Dan Moran, CSI is here to give you his answers.
Podcast: Managing Difficult Clients + The Problem Of Consumer TVs
In this Podcast we're answering two questions: Managing unhappy clients + helping clients understand why their color decisions look different at home.
DaVinci Resolve: Preconform or Conform Before Starting A Job?
When preparing to color correct a job in DaVinci Resolve, to Preconform or Conform is a question you need to ask yourself (and know their differences).
Respecting Time: The Hold and Will-buy System for Booking Clients
Learn a simple system you can use to protect yourself from cancelled clients. As an added bonus you can (sometimes) make money from those cancellations.