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Emulating Baselight's Texture Blend Tool For Noisy Secondaries

Colorist Marty Webb shows how to emulate Baselight's Texture Blending in DaVinci Resolve to control noisy secondary operations.

A Career Empowering Colorists: Talking with Peter Postma

Peter Postma of FilmLight shares his involvement in creating foundational color grading tools and standards at Kodak and FilmLight.

Upgrade Your Toolkit By Creating A Subtractive Color Balance Tool

Colorist Cullen Kelly teaches you to create a subtractive color balance tool for more pleasing color washes & looks in DaVinci Resolve.

Accurately Viewing Fusion Compositions in ACES Workflows

Images in Fusion can look different to the Edit and Color pages when color management systems clash. Here's how to fix that in ACES workflows

Office Hours LIVE! HDR White, Saturation Controls, New Displays

Mixing Light's professional colorists answer questions on graphic white points in HDR, crafting meaty saturation and the limitations of AI.

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.

How To Manipulate Hue More Effectively In DaVinci Resolve

Learn how to dramatically improve your Hue vs. Hue adjustments in DaVinci Resolve by changing a node's color model - and why this works.

The Do’s And Don’ts of Color Correcting with Hue-vs-Sat Curves

Colorist Cullen Kelly explores his favorite uses of the Sat vs Lum curve in Resolve and best practices for consistently great results.

Fixing Oversaturated and Out-of-Gamut Colours in Baselight LOOK

Colourist Luke Ross is back with Part 18 of his 'Learning Baselight Look' series. Learn how to fix oversaturated and out-of-gamut colours.

Texture Management - BYO Advanced Unsharp Mask tool in RGB & LAB

In Part 4, Hector Berrebi shows how to add clipping and range controls to our basic Unsharp Mask node tree in DaVinci Resolve in LAB and RGB.

ResolveFX Surface Tracker Part 2 - Beauty Work Within Fusion

In Part 2, Igor Ridanovic leverages the stabilization work of the new Surface Tracker plugin to execute beauty work on the Fusion page.

Deconstructing Blur, Mist, and Unsharp Mask Operations

In Part 3 of Hector Berrebi's 'Texture Management' series, learn what blur is doing to your images and build an Unsharp Mask using nodes.

How Do You Avoid Adding Visual Artifacts When Sharpening Your Images?

Are you adding RGB artifacts into images when sharpening? How is Midtone Detail different (in DaVinci Resolve)? Plus, sharpening in LAB space.

An Introduction to Texture Management (using DaVinci Resolve)

In the start of a new series, colorist & educator Hector Berrebi defines the terms and tools of the important concept: Texture Management.

Building Custom 'Lum vs Sat' Curves In HSL Using Resolve's Node Tree

In Part 5 of our 'Visual Math' series, learn how 'vs. Curves' work from within Resolve's node graph by building your own in HSL space.

Extracting Only The Hue Or Saturation of a LUT using DaVinci Resolve

Learn how to extract the hue and/or saturation shifts of a 3D LUT, without getting stuck with the LUT's accompanying contrast adjustment.

Creating And Evaluating PowerGrade Tools - Tips and Tricks

Colorist Jason Bowdach teaches you his approach to developing and evaluating technical PowerGrades (and how it helps your creative grading).

Building A Subtractive Saturation Node Tree In DaVinci Resolve

'Subtractive saturation' is a hot topic with colorists. Learn how to manually build this tool in DaVinci Resolve for more natural results.

Elsewhere On The Web: Netflix Recommended Displays (and more)

This series returns with stories on Netflix recommended displays; being a better colorist; color harmonies; and note-taking.

Demystifying The Horseshoe - A Guided Dive Into The 1931 CIE Chart

We've all seen the 1931 CIE RGB Chromaticity Chart but do you understand its importance to film and video? How does it map to human vision?

Binary Logic In The Node Tree: Creating Procedural Node Structures

What does binary logic have to do with color grading? Colorist Joey D'Anna shows you how to build switches and logic into your Resolve node structure.

Creative Coding With DCTL: Part 3

In part 3 of this ongoing series, with foundational knowledge in place, start coding your first DCTL a colorist Cullen Kelly guides you step by step.

Creative Coding With DCTL: Part 2

In Part 2 of his series on coding DCTLs, Cullen Kelly covers some additional setup and tools you'll need to successfully build DCTLs

Webinar: The Birth Of Color Photography & The RGB Color Process

Help us celebrate the 160th Anniversary of the color photograph, its history, and the RGB color model! Presented by colorist Hector Berrebi.

Good Grades: Color Grading at NFL Films with Chris Pepperman

In this installment of Good Grades we sit down with Sr. Managing Colorist at NFL Films, Chris Pepperman.

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!

HDR Palette 101 - Resolve Color Management 2.0 + Contrast Controls

In Part 3 of this series, learn how the color grading controls work differently with RCM 2 enabled. Plus, contrast control in the HDR Palette.

Help Matching These Shots, Please!

A member asked for some advice on matching two shots that had distinctly different looks. In this Mailbag, we discuss strategies for matching these shots.

What's Tone Mapping?

In this installment of From The Mailbag we sit down to talk about tone mapping and how's used in software and on consumer displays.

The 10-Minute Grade: Shot Balancing

In this installment of The 10-Minute Grade, Cullen Kelly walks you thru a few different techniques to quickly get shots balanced when time is of the essence

Three Strategies for Increasing Color Separation in DaVinci Resolve

Do your images need to look more colorful? In this Insight, learn 3 color separation tools for increasing perceptual colorfulness.

Color Grading 'Origins' In Baselight - Project Overview

In this new series, Dan's grading the short film 'Origins' (using Baselight). It's got VFX, ACES, multiple deliverables (and light sabers).

Emulating Film Halation in DaVinci Resolve

Learn two different methods (with different levels of control) of emualting the beauty of film halation using DaVinci Resolve.

Broadcast Promo Finishing Workflows in DaVinci Resolve

Learn how to use DaVinci Resolve to finish and output coutless versions of broadcast promos, easy fast and without any mistakes.

Color Grading In Spectachrome - Starting With Grain

Dan answers some comments from members about why he adds his grain to the image at the very beginning of his node graph

Color Grading In Spectachrome - Going Full Wes Anderson Part One

Dan cracks open another project fresh from the grading suite. In this part we take a look at the Spectachrome brief & project organisation.

Exploring Saturation Controls in DaVinci Resolve - Color Boost Part 3

Learn how various Saturation controls in DaVinci Resolve are identical to each other. Plus, understanding saturation-related hue shifts.

Understanding Color Boost in DaVinci Resolve - Part 2

We continue deconstructing Resolve's Color Boost controls, offer an alternative definition, and demonstrate how it differs from Saturation.

Understanding How Color Boost Works in DaVinci Resolve - Part 1

It's not always clear how Resolve's 'Color Boost' tool works differently than its 'Saturation' tool. This video breaks down the differences.

Troubleshooting 101 – Color Compressor & Node Resizing

Dan shares his breakdown of cleaning up a bike frame using the color compressor and node resizing in Resolve

Troubleshooting 101 - Cleaning Up An Annoying Background

Dan shares his thoughts behind his solution to removing a reflection using Resolve's Color Page - on a 16mm shot with moving grain structure.

Look Inspiration - Emulating VHS Camcorder Footage

What's harder than faking a VHS-look from a high-end camera? Intercutting that look with actual crummy VHS. Learn one way to do it.

Colorist Inspiration January 2019 - Most Memorable Jobs of 2018

Every year Dan looks back at the previous year and shares his greatest successes. This year, he focuses on his most memorable jobs.

How To Avoid Two Gotchas In The Lumetri Workflow

Learn how to avoid two problems when color correcting using Premerie Pro's Lumetri workflow. It's all about recovering clipped detail.

Behind The Curtain - 16mm Style Grade Part Four

Dan wraps up his behind the curtain series with a watch through and matching pass on the whole video to make sure it flows as a whole film

Behind The Curtain - Not So Near-Set Grading

Dan shares his story from a recent "not so near-set grade" for an upcoming collaboration with friends on a short film.

Behind The Curtain - 16mm Style Grade Part Three

Dan is back in part three of his unfiltered look at a recent grade. In this part we take a look at matching the externals in this 16mm style

Behind The Curtain - 16mm Style Grade Part Two

Dan picks up where he left off in this series on real time grading a music video. In part 2 we look at the noisy internal scene.

Making It Pop: Evaluating Methods of Adjusting Saturation

Do all saturation controls behave similarly? Or are there subtle differences that add new arrows in your quiver of saturation controls?

Behind The Curtain - Cleaning Up For 2019

Dan shares his thoughts on trying to clean up his grades in 2019 and moving away from his favourite film emulation techniques.

Behind The Curtain - 16mm Film Emulation

In this Insight, Dan shares his approach to creating a classic 16mm Film Emulation that he used on a recent music video.

Behind The Curtain - 80s Release Print Dirt & Texture

Finding the right balance of noticable and realistic is always a challenge. Dan shares behind the curtain on a film release print style grade.

Color Correcting With Blending Modes -Recovering Highlights With Multiply

Dan shares his technique of using the multiply blending mode to recover highlights easily and naturally via a layer node.

Getting To Know Dolby Vision Part 3: Dolby Vision For Everyone!

In part 3 of our ongoing Dolby Vision series, learn about big changes to Dolby Vision & Resolve in 2018, plus new tools & workflows.

Grading Challenge - 90s Video Review

Dan shares his 90s video review and his attempt at going bold, bright soft and crushed in this grading challenge.

Understanding The Future Of Post Production and Color Grading: Part 2

The 5 'pillars' of the digital video revolution evolve at a different paces - but are driven by the same force. We covers two more pillars.

Integrating Graphics & Text Into A Dobly Vision HDR Project

Team Mixing Light is once again joined by Joey D'Anna to discuss integrating graphics and text into Dobly Vision HDR projects.

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.

Behind The Curtain - Liberty Commercials: Adding Depth To Drone Footage

Drone footage is a very common occurance on timelines these days. Dan shares his techniques for adding depth to the footage.

Behind The Curtain - Liberty Commercials Sun vs No Sun

Sometimes we are gifted with better sun than other times. In this Insight Dan shares his experience on a job shot over multiple months.

Behind The Curtain - Thrice The Grey

In this Insight, Dan shares his experience in developing a look to back up the lyrics and narrative in a music video by his favourite band.

Rediscover The Basics - Fixing Exposure Shifts

Exposure shifts creep up in projects regularly. With the right node structure and correct technique you can easily fix these in seconds.

Behind The Curtain - Live Concert Grade

Dan shares a tale of things going a bit wrong on a live concert grade w/ high powered LED lights and how moving over to ACES solved things.

Colorist Toolbox 2.0 - Building A Look Library 2018

The only person that is going to inspire you is yourself. A Look Library surrounds you with inspiration keeping you motivated and current.

DaVinci Resolve Compound Nodes: Efficiently Managing Looks

Now that DaVinci Resolve is gaining tools by the month, Dan takes a look at managing the node graph to keep things organised and flexible - with the goal of allowing for quick changes.

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.

A Month Later: Team Mixing Light's Take On NAB 2018

It's been a little over a month since NAB 2018. We discuss what we saw including Resolve 15, new HDR monitoring, control surfaces and more.

Is Your LUT Damaging Your Image? How To Do A LUT Stress Test

Look-Up Tables (LUTs) are black boxes that make it difficult to know what precisely they're doing to your image. Colorist Jason Bowdach shows you how to stress test and evaluate your LUTs.

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?

Practical Beauty Color Grading Level One: Quick and Effective

Sometimes even offering the smallest level of beauty work for a client can go a long way. Learn quick skin-smoothing / eyebag-reducing tips .

Color Correction Gear Head: May 2018 Edition

In this installment of the Color Correction Gear Head series, Robbie takes a look at the 2018 LG OLEDs (C8), the HD Fury Integral 4k, Aja 1616 12G Router, OWC Mercury HeliosFX and remote control application Splashtop.

Practical Beauty Work - Why You Need To Be Offering It

Beauty work and re-touching can be a great additional source of income as a freelance colourist. Dan shares his thoughts and kicks off a new series on getting involved in retouching.

Resolve 15 New Color Page Features

In this Insight, colorist Joey D'Anna, fresh off demoing Resolve 15 at the Blackmagic booth at NAB 2018, shares his thoughts on the top new features that benefit the dedicated colorist the most in Resolve 15.

Behind The Curtain - Can You Prebuild An Ideal Node Structure?

Can you prebuild a perfect node structure and use it to speed up your grading? Dan is taking a deep dive to find out how well it works, and if it's a genius idea or a total waste of time.

From The Grading Room – Is Yellow The New Orange?

In the last couple of years there has been a shift away from teal and orange to teal and yellow. Dan investigates that transition and looks at his own grades. He also asks do you miss teal and orange?

Behind The Curtain - Refining and Enhancing 'Bread'

In this insight, we take a look at the final pass on the bread short film. Dan looks at his matching with fresh eyes, checks his black and white levels and decides on the sharpening and grain levels of the film.

Colorist Challenge: Moving From A Direct View Monitor To The Cinema

A member asks about grading on a direct view monitor vs. the cinema. We discuss the differences and why overcomplicating it is a bad idea!

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!

Behind The Curtain - Shot Matching 'Bread'

In part two of grading the bread short film, Dan dives into the matching side of things. Although it's the least glamorous part of grading it's also the most important.

How To Migrate PowerBins, PowerGrades, Configs Between Databases?

Team Mixing Light discusses strategies for moving Resolve PowerGrades, PowerBins & project configurations between databases.

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?

Grading The White Cyc Stand Up - When White Is Not White

In this video, you learn techniques for color correcting log encoded white cyc footage. Plus get several solutions for fixing common problems with these types of shoots and why, many times, your corrections are a compromise.

CalMAN Part 10: Using Calibration Test Patterns In Your NLE

If you want to calibrate your reference display through your main non-linear editing software then you want to use calibration test patterns playing through a timeline. Learn how to be sure you don't have Data- and Video- level mismatches.

Behind the Curtain - Commercial #1: From Base Grade to Final Look

Dan returns to his Behind The Curtain series with a real-time insight that shows his approaches to this commercial grade. He covers primaries, look theory, shot matching and Look refinement.

How To Back Up Your Resolve Databases And Your Computer

One of our members asks about backing up Resolve databases and computers. This is an essential skill for colorists, listen to how we do it.

Colorist Podcast EP 021:Shane Mario Ruggieri

In this episode, Josh talks to Shane Mario Ruggieri, C.S.I. from Dolby. Learn about HDR from the colorists perspective, Dolby Vision, HDR 10, grading HDR and SDR and more! If you're interested in HDR this episode is a must listen!

How Do You Choose A 4k Reference Monitor For Color Grading?

The Team discusses the pros/cons of 4k monitoring. We explore new offerings from Flanders Scientific including the XM650U and XM310K.

Demystifying Contrast and Brightness Calibration Test Images

In our reference display calibration series we've been using a specific set of calibration test images. But two test images (used to precalibrate our Contrast and Brightness settings) generate a lot of confusion. Get unconfused in this Insight.

How To Color Grade Full Range for Data Level Broadcast Delivery?

A member asks a question about working in Full Range but delivering a video rendered to legal/broadcast levels. We work through the thinking.

From The Grading Suite: From Short Form To Reality

Dan shares the tale of his attempt at grading long-form reality television after spending 10 years being a pampered commercial colorist.

Grading A Short Film Part 2 - Testing The Feel Of The Footage

Dan shares his assessment of how to get the feel of the footage before you speak to the director. It helps when you can be upfront about what is and isn't possible.

Precalibrating A Reference Display (without using LUTs) Part 1

In this CalMAN Studio series you've learned how to calibrate a video reference display using Look Up Tables (LUTs). Not every display supports internal LUTs. If you don't have (or want) an external LUT box then what do you do then? Watch and learn.

Revisiting The Judd Modification When Calibrating OLED Displays

Team Mixing Light answers a member question about using the Judd Modification for an OLED reference monitor. What is it? When to use it?

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.

Telestream Switch: A Media Player For Pros?

QC and media inspection are an essential part of 'finishing' process. In this Insight, Robbie shares his experience with Telestream Switch which is a full featured media player, inspector and QC tool.

Grading A Short Film Part 1 - Download The Footage

Dan is excited to launch a new series on Mixing Light that will feature a briefing from the real director of the project. In this intro Insight, download some RED 8k footage to attempt a grade before getting creative brief from the client.

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!

Talking About and Understanding Dolby Vision Color Grading

Building on Robbie's recent articles, Pat and Dan ask questions about workflow and Robbie's recent trip to Dolby in Burbank, CA.

What Not To Do When A Client Asks For A New Direction

Dan shares a tale from the grading room of a film emulation gone wrong and how by missing the mistake was destined to fail in the grade with his clients.

Building A Show LUT to Keep Your Looks Consistent

When you have complex node trees, rolling it into a show LUT can make your life. Learn how to build your own LUT for your project.

Getting To Know Dolby Vision Part 2: Delivering To non-HDR Televisions

In part 2 of our Dolby Vision series you learn more about suite setup. Then you dive into using the Dolby Vision trim controls (in DaVinci Resolve) for Standard Dynamic Range TVs. Plus, Dolby Vision 'mezzanine' file creation.

Learn How to Start Scripting El Gato's Stream Deck Using Autohotkey

The Elgato Stream Deck is a powerful control surface add-on for colorists, especially when paired with autohotkey. In this insight, learn to take that functionality to the next level with advanced scripts and workflow examples.

Colorist Inspiration - January 2018 Edition

Colorist Dan Moran spends the first day of January 2018 looking back on his best work from 2017. Picking his favourite commercials, music videos and long form narrative projects and also sharing the stories behind when he enjoyed them so much.

Image Cleanup In Resolve - Rotoscoping, Cloning, and Repeated Frames

Being able to offer Basic Cleanup in the grade is a great ability. It saves moving to and from a compositing application and helps finish off that job.

The Fundamentals of Rotoscoping in DaVinci Resolve

Sometimes a shot is so basic that a little VFX knowledge goes a long way. In this insight Dan shares his real world rotoscoping example

Fixing VFX Colorspace Issues In A Problematic Pipeline

VFX colorspace issues are the last thing you need when you are on a tight deadline. Dan shares his experience solving issues like these.

Inside the Color Grade Of A Furniture Brand - Series Overview

In a new series Dan shares a look behind the curtain at a real world grading project. From quoting to delivery he dives deep on his process.

Color Correcting Using New Software - Have Confidence In Yourself

Most of us are more comfortable using the same software all the time but why limit your opportunities? Dan shares his tips on learning a new software.

Colorist Inspiration - UKMVAs Best Color Nominations 2017

Dan shares his thoughts about the UKMVA nominations 2017 for best music video color grading award and asks you to predict the winner

Color Grading Challenge - Beauty Grading Review

Dan critiques your beauty grading entries and shares his attempt. The challenge was quite advanced and the results are great. Dan's DRX is also downloadable

Colorist Inspiration – September 2017

Dan shares his inspiration for this month by checking out the nominations for Outstanding Color Grading at the HPA awards

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

Colorist Podcast Episode 16: Alexis Van Hurkman Part 2

In this episode, Josh continues his conversation with director, author and colorist Alexis Van Hurkman. they talk HDR, ACES and more!

Grading Challenge - Beauty Grading Brief

Beauty grading is a discipline all on its own. Dan shares a typical client brief and will offer stages of feedback like a real world client

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.

Grading Challenge - Reviewing My Car Brief Grades

In this insight Dan is reviewing your efforts on his car brief and also sharing his attempt at the shot to show his approach to the grade.

Thinking Like A Colorist - The "Final Grade"

An old school technique that is still regularly used today in commercials. Having a break between grading the same footage has huge advantages.

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

Eye Training : Diagnose and Compare

In a new series Dan shares his guide to training your eye for contrast issues. Follow this four step process to learn how to diagnose and fix your images

RED's IPP2 Pipeline In Resolve (Sort Of)

RED's new IPP2 processing pipeline has a lot to offer, in this Insight, we explore the new pipeline setup in RedCineX & DaVinci Resolve 14

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

Is Resolve 14's New Stabilizer An Upgrade (or is it dumbed down)?

In DaVinci Resolve 14, the Stabilizer got a new set of controls that seem overly simple. Has this tool been upgraded? Or should you work in Classic mode?

Thinking Like A Colorist - Assessing Tonal Range

Dan shares his new approach to Assessing Tonal Range and the initial grading moves by asking. Are you trying to make it look better or different?

Colorist Podcast Episode 014: Juan Ignacio Cabrera, CSI

in this installment of the Colorist Podcast, Josh talk to colorist Juan Ignacio Cabrera about his work on cutting edge projects & many other subjects.

Creative Color Grading - Blending LUTs | Mixing Light

Some jobs just call for the grade to be turned up to 11. A fun way to do this is by blending multiple LUTs together and enjoying the happy accidents!

Dust Busting - Removing Dirt In Resolve

Dust Busting in one of those tools you don't know exists in Resolve. Dan shares his tips on how and when to use it in the grade

Our New DaVinci Resolve14 Traning & Revisiting Remote Rendering

The Team discusses our new Resolve 14 New Features title as well as DaVinci Resolve Remote Rendering with guest Joey D'Anna.

From The Grading Room – Grading Lucy Rose

Dan shares the behind the scenes thoughts that go into such a stylised 70s era music video for Lucy Rose. 80% in camera and 20% in the grade

Colorist Podcast Episode 013: Vanessa Taylor

In this installment of the Colorist Podcast, Josh is joined by colorist Vanessa Taylor. From balancing tech & art, grading HDR this is a great listen!

Dan's Month In ACES

Dan spent a month in ACES getting to know the new way of grading. In this insight he shares his thoughts on the good the bad and the ugly of ACES.

Creative Grading - Retro Sci-fi Look

Sometimes you have to go full cheese and pay homage to looks and films from the 70s and 80s. In this insight we create a retro Sci-Fi look

Colorist Inspiration - ACES In May

Dan is committing to doing work only in ACES in May. It's time to get out of the comfort zone & stop testing. Changing our technique is scary but also fun!

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 Inspiration – March 2017

Dan shares his inspiration for this month including BTS on Moonlight, Peter Doyle, A$AP Rocky and a Lorde video shot on 16mm

Becoming A Better Colorist - Stop Focusing On Individual Shots

We should be spending more time looking at the timeline as a whole than focusing on shots. Nobody ever watches a single shot!

Skin Tone Essentials: Hands, Arms, Legs and Feet Part One

Have you ever considered hands or legs when doing a beauty grade? We spend hours on faces but the skin should match all over the body.

From The Grading Room – Knowing When To Start From Scratch

Sometimes when grading you end up going in totally the wrong direction have to just stop what your doing and start from scratch.

Lens Profiling - What Is It And Why Could It Be Useful?

Is lens profiling something we should be looking at as colorists or is it a lot of extra effort to save a small amount of time in the grade?

Getting To Know The EasyDCP Resolve Plugin: Streamlined DCP Creation

Want to make a DCP directly from Resolve? In this Insight, Robbie explores the essentials of using the EasyDCP Resolve plugin.

Feature Grading: Getting Started

Getting started on a feature film can be a daunting process. Dan shares his experience on getting the ball rolling slowly and carefully

Colorist Podcast Episode 09

In this episode of the colorist podcast, Josh talks to Technicolor senior colorist Peter Doyle about his amazing career & many other subjects

Feature Inspired Color Grading Looks - Blade Runner 2049

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

Developing Looks And Settling On Your Exposure Levels

In How I Grade Part Two Dan shares more steps in his grading process. We look at auditioning looks and checking the correct exposure

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 A Colorist Makes Decisions Through The Grading Process

Dan attempts to walk through his thoughts when grading step by step from quality control to setting the first primary correction

Sky Replacement - Is It An Essential Skill For Colorists?

If a client asks for a sky replacement; as a colourist, should you? If so, how? Plus a tip on where to start when evaluating a sequence.

Why We Love LUTs and How To Replace Your LUT Addiction

Most of us love to use LUTs behind closed doors. Dan shares his thoughts on why and how to break out of needing LUTs

Creating Haze To Add Depth To Your Image Without Using Shapes

Using Haze as a grading tool is an alternative method to using Vignettes. Making things lower contrast helps them sit back in the image.

Finishing In Resolve - Reframing, Blanking & Delivering

Reframing in Resolve as become common practice. Dan shares his approach to finishing in the box and shares his tips and tricks

Creating the Classic Black and White Look By Thinking Like A Colorist

Dan shares the skills he learned in the darkroom and how he applies them to grading black and white in DaVinci Resolve

Thinking Like A Colorist: Breaking Down the Western Scene

Download the footage and follow along as professional Colorist Dan Moran, CSI color corrects a classic shot in the style of a Hollywood Western Look.

Thinking Like A Colorist - Color Correcting A Forest Scene

Colorist Dan Moran shares a color correction breakdown on how he approaches a new shot, sight unseen. How to make it an alien planet or a shed in a garden?

Matching Pantone References - And When To Say No

Matching Pantone references to video can be tricky at the best of the times. Get advice on getting that exact match - even if it's not precisely correct.

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!

Warm Looks: Yellow Warmth Vs Red Warmth (which are you?)

Warm looks don't always have to be rosy red and cozy looking. Take a look at a non-traditional warm color and learn how to add it to your color toolkit.

Getting To Know ACES Part 4: The Latest In ACES Updates

Continuing our introductory series on ACES, you learn about the latest updates to ACES, including a working color space added to the ACES 1.03 specficiation: ACEScct. Plus, how it effects DaVinci Resolve colorists.

Syncing Resolve's LUT Folder & Viewing HDR & SDR Simultaneously

A member asks how they can easily sync Resolve's LUT folder between suites. Plus, the pros/cons of viewing HDR & SDR simultaneously.

How To White Balance Shots Using Common Color Correction Tools

Watch how to White Balance (or Color Balance) digital video images. You'll explore 4 different tools and learn their differences.

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

Thinking Like A Colorist - Considering Final Contrast Pt 1

Considering Final Contrast before you make your first primary correction is a huge advantage creatively to help you get the best results

Getting To Know ACES Part 3: Visual Effects Workflows

Our Getting To Know ACES series continues, looking at the essentials of using ACES for VFX roundtrips with DaVinci Resolve. You learn how to move images between VFX and color grading within the ACES color science.

Getting To Know ACES Part 2: More Terms & Resolve Setup

Start digging deeper into ACES terms and acronyms that will have you sounding like a pro. And you learn how to set up ACES in DaVinci Resolve.

Revisiting Multi-Channel Audio Output In DaVinci Resolve

Resolve users are often tasked with making final outputs.In this Insight, learn how to easily route multi-channel audio for output.

Colorist Inspiration - UKMVAs Best Color Nominations 2016

Dan shares his thoughts about the 2016 best color grading award nominations and asks you to predict the winner

Color Grading with the ResolveFX Lens Flare Plug-in

Dan shares his experimentation with the idea of grading using lens flares for subtle lighting effects to help match and lift scenes.

Colorist Podcast Episode 004

In Episode 4 of the Colorist Podcast Josh talks to well-known freelance colorist Mark Todd Osborne about his work & many interesting subjects

Color Correction Math in DaVinci Resolve: Control Surface vs. Mouse

Does the color correction math in DaVinci Resolve change depending if you're using a mouse versus using a colorist control surface?

Colorist Inspiration –  August 2016

The summer vacations are winding to a close, the kids are returning back to school and the post industry is winding up for that crazy blur that is the September…

From The Grading Room – Radiohead

Dan shares his story from the grading room on grading a short promo project for radiohead

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.

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 (mostly) Fix RGB Gamut Excursions in Software

If you're color correcting digital video for professional distribution, nothing is worse than having it rejected for RGB Gamut excursions!

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

Conform Issues Database – Introduction

Conforming timelines can be time-consuming before you even start color correcting. Learn the common issues (and how to fix them).

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.

Colorist Inspiration – July 2016

Dan shares his top grades from July as a source of great colorist inspiration

Dirty Color Grading Looks - Taking Your Image To The Limit

Dan shares his techniques for taking your image to the brightness, saturation, and sharpness limits while maintaining legal levels.

Bad TV: Essential Steps For Creating The Bad TV Look

Every once and a while you'll need to create a stylized bad TV or surveillance camera look. In this Insight learn how.

Dirty Looks: Early '00s Looks

Dan shares some looks from his past focusing on two Early '00s looks in particular. One home digital camera one heavy 35mm music video

5 Strategies For Managing A Supervised Session

Supervised color grading is hard! In this Insight, Robbie shares 5 strategies for managing a supervised session.

Dirty Looks - Emulating Early Film Looks with Light Leaks

Early film looks are a very popular request from clients.They can be tricky to build quickly so Dan shares his DRX files that you can download

Dirty Looks - Looks Throughout The Ages

At some point in every colorists career you will be asked to make some looks throughout the ages like 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s. Dan shares how.

Colorist Inspiration – June 2016

Summer has arrived and the annual down turn in business begins. My clients first head off to the cannes lions festival and then off on their summer holidays. It’s the…

Getting Started with CalMAN's Colormatch Workflow

If you do video color correction, watch 'Getting Started with CalMAN ColorMatch' to learn how to test if your reference display is accurate.

Dirty Looks – To Grain Or Not To Grain

Adding grain can help add a wonderful cinematic feel to a project but in the world of heavy compression is it a smart decision?

From The Grading Room – Wonderful Life

Dan shares parts of his conversation about the grade on recent wonderful life commercial grade.

Dirty Looks - Pushing Your Images Toward Extreme Warmth

Some projects call out for extreme warmth to help back up the story. Learn methods to get an extremely warm feel that looks real.

Inspiration - Color Grading Methods In A Fashion Commercial

Get an inside look on methods and techniques a professional digital video colorist uses on a short-form fashion commercial.

Getting Started with Lightspace DPS - Do You Need To Calibrate?

'Does my color correction display need recalibration?' Getting Started with Lightspace DPS (a free app) helps you answer that question.

Reference Display Profiling: Is Your Display Accurate?

If you do video color correction, do you know if your reference display is accurate? Learn how to find out. The first video in a series.

Colorist Inspiration - Creating Looks from Reference Images

Learn how Dan uses reference images to create his Looks - and download the sampe footage to try your hand and practice your skills.

Colorist Inspiration – April 2016

NAB is over and a whole heap of new tools and toys have arrived for us colorists. The perfect time for another installment of colorist inspiration. This installment is slightly…

Resolve 12.5 - Robbie's Top Features

Another April, another version of DaVinci Resolve! In this Insight, Robbie shares his top new features of this exciting release.

How To Sharpen Quick Focus Pulls? Plus, using the HP Z27x DreamColor.

The Team answers a member's question about sharpening quick focus pulls. Plus they discuss using the HP Z27x DreamColor display.

From The Grading Room Grading Underwater Footage

Grading underwater footage is like grading footage from an alien planet. Dan shares his approach and technique for working in that world

Mixing Light at NAB 2016 plus Film Style Grading plus sRGB Deliverables

It's a busy day for Team Mixing Light as we discuss our NAB 2016 plans, log style color grading and handling sRGB deliverables.

Shot Matching 101 - Techniques for Matching Black Levels

In this insight dan shares his approach and methods to matching black levels. Matching is hard but with practice you can become much faster!

4 Things To Know About Working With Look Up Tables

Using Luts in a color correction workflow is common, but everything doesn't always worked as planned. Learn 4 ways to work around look up table limitations

DaVinci Resolve - How to Use External Scopes with Video vs Data Levels

Learn how the 'data levels' and 'video levels' Project Setting effects your external scopes when color correcting in DaVinci Resolve.

Shot Matching - Learning Through A Commercial Case Study

Dan shares a job as a commercial case study in shot matching - from pristine stock footage to constantly changing clouds.

Working with LUTs in Premiere Pro - Part 1

Learn how to color correct with LUTs in Premiere Pro and the Lumetri Panel. Especially if your color correcting with RAW-, Log- or flat- recorded images.

HDR Essentials: Reading The Scopes In DaVinci Resolve

The Waveform & RGB Parade are essential tools for color correction. But when working with HDR footage in Resolve reading them can be slightly confusing.  

An Introduction into Shot Matching

Shot Matching is one of the hardest areas of being a colorist. Dan shares his approach to going head to head with mismatched shots.

Colorist Inspiration - February 2016

Dan rounds up the best colorist inspiration from February 2016 with some of the best grades from the new year so far. 

Look Inspiration - Inspiration From Unlikely Sources

Sometimes inspiration can strike in the strangest of places. In this insight Dan shares how he finds inspiration from unlikely sources.

Look Inspiration - Bond Movie Inspired Retro Look

Dan shares his attempt and look inspiration in DaVinci of a fabulous Bond movie inspired 35mm film look from the music video Genghis Khan by Miike Snow.

Look Inspiration - Getting the 70s TV Inspired Retro Look

There is a time in every colorist’s life when we need to add some retro 70s TV vibes to footage! This insight is based on both creating a parody of…

HDR Essentials - Getting Setup In Premire Pro

HDR video is coming, and coming fast.  In this Insight, learn how to get setup and work with HDR video in Premiere Pro's Lumetri Color Panel.  

Look Inspiration - Adding To The Narrative In A Flashback

Sometimes we need to add more to our image to sell a flashback. Dan shares his tips for a firey look and adding diffusion and motion blur.

Look Inspiration - B&W Looks

Dan shares two of his favourite B&W Looks and the DRX files for you to download

How to use the Lumetri Color Panel: Part 1

The Lumetri Color Panel is a huge technical and workflow boost in Premiere Pro CC 2015. Learn why, and how to use the Lumetri Color Panel.

Fixing Cache & Gallery Warning Dialog Boxes

Pesky warning messages about inaccessible cache & still locations in Resolve can be a nusiance. Learn how to fix them in this Insight

Look Inspiration - Colorized Film Look

Dan shares his look and drx files for a Colorized Film Look

From The Mailbag EP 29: HDR Musing & Log Saturation

In this episode, Team MixingLight discusses HDR and best practices for setting saturation levels for log encoded footage

New Year's Resolutions To Strengthen Your Business

2016 is almost here!  Check out this Insight to discover some New Year's resolutions to strengthen your color grading business.

Colorist Inspiration – Dan’s Best Of 2015

Day 16: 25 Insights in 25 Days Holiday Marathon Colorist Inspiration – Dan’s Best Of 2015 As the year comes to an end I thought it would be the perfect…

Color Correcting in Premiere Pro: Why So Hard?

Why is color correcting in Premiere Pro so hard? This article explores Premiere's 'legacy' color correction filters and finds the answers.

Look Inspiration - Getting the Classic ENR Processed Look

Dan shares his ENR processed look with his nodes and footage to grade along with at home.

Look Inspiration - Executing the Cold Commercial Look

A cold commercial look can help bring bright natural commercial into a moody and grungy world

HDR Essentials: What's HDR?

HDR is the 'next big thing' for color grading.In this Insight, get up to speed with two discussions about HDR with industry experts Bram Desmet & Juan Salvo

Skin Tone Essentials

In this Insight, Dan guides you through key aspects of getting proper skin tone in your grade.  

Colorist Inspiration - Adding Sunshine

Adding Sunshine In post can be tricky but Dan shares his techniques in DaVinci resolve to turn dull and grey images into warm and sunny!

Anatomy Of A Grading Suite: Additional Technical Setup

In the last installment of the 3 part series learn about computer setup, control surfaces, GPU expanders & other key accessories for a suite

Look Inspiration - Red Filtered B&W

Dan shares his thoughts on how to emulate shooting black and white with a red filter on front of the lens to give an interesting look.

Look Inspiration - Warm Commercial Look

Dan shares his attempt at matching the shot on 35mm film warm commercial look of one of his favorite commercials this year.

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.

LUT Limitation - The Best Of Both Worlds

The main pain when working with LUTs is not knowing exactly what they are doing. Dan shares his technique of LUT Limitation.

Look Inspiration - Hyperreal Look

We all strive to create the most cinematic looking images possible but sometimes its fun to go for a harsh hyperreal sharp bright look.

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.

Tales From The Grading Suite - DP Colorist Communications

Have you ever wondered what it's like to speak to a DP before a job is shot? Dan shares a real world discussion on a tricky job.

Creating a 'Film Look' and Managing Film Grain

Breaking down the color correction for a 'webisode' and creating a 'Film Look'. Plus, ideas for managing film grain.

Look Inspiration - Metallic Monochrome

Sometimes you need to go hard and contrasty with black and white and Dan shares his experience when building a metallic monochrome look

Anatomy Of A Grading Suite: Technical Setup

In part 2 of the series, learn about monitor and bias light setup, viewing distance, industry monitoring recommendations, routing & more

Colorist Inspiration - September 2015

Septembers most memorable grades roll in and dan shares the best work he has seen from young colorists including one of his own!

Resolve Color Management & Raw

Resolve Color Management (RCM) is powerful workflow tool but using it with Raw footage can be slightly confusing. Learn more in this Insight

Rotoscoping In Resolve : An Introduction

Rotoscoping in Resolve is becoming more and more necessary. Dan shares some hints and tips on how he approaches the task.

Anatomy Of A Grading Suite: Design

Team ML gets a lot of questions on who to build a proper grading suite. In this Insight we tackle overall room design, furniture & lighting

Color correcting raw footage using Camera Raw controls

DaVinci Resolve provides RAW controls for color correcting raw footage. Here are three rules if you want to use those controls.

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.

The Business Of Business: Partnership Essentials

Forming a business partnership with someone else can be exciting, but not done right can cause a lot of trouble. Learn more in this Insight.

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

Is Changing ISO in Post Production Accurate?

When working with RAW-recorded video in post-production is changing ISO in software the same as doing it in-camera? Click and find out.

Changing Exposure in Post-Production: A Thought Experiment

Does the Exposure control for a RAW-recorded video file work the same as changing the iris on your camera? This video explores this concept.

Using The EyeHeight Broadcast Video Legalizer Plug-in

File based or software video legalization can be hard. Check out this Insight to see how EyeHeight is making video legalization simple

Baselight For Avid - Colorist Crash Course - MixingLight.com

In this insight Dan gives you a crash course on all the major tool sets that you need to know to start grading in Baselight

A Review of the Hawaiki Color and Analyzer for FCPX

A video tutorial, overview and breakdown of the Hawaiki Color and Analyzer color correction filters for Final Cut Pro X.

An Overview of the 'Color Finale' FCP X Plug-In

This is a video overview and breakdown of the FCP X color correction plug-in 'Color Finale'

Grade Breakdown - Challenge Your Imagination

In this insight Dan shares a Grade Breakdown on a recent commercial to challenge you to use your eyes to notice all his grades

Grading CG Footage - An Introduction To Video Game Footage

Video games are just as visually stunning as films these days but how to you approach color grading CG footage from one?

Color Washes - Working With Extreme Washes

Color washes are the most extreme form of grading but can be very rewarding when done well. Dan shows you how he thinks they work best.

Lens Distortion Removal With Premiere Pro

Action cameras and other wide angle lens can have some pretty severe lens distortion. Check out this Insight to learn how to remove it.

From The MailBag Episode 25

A couple weeks after NAB 2015, Team Mixing Light breaks down NAB 2015 - the gear & other amazing stuff from the week.

Rediscover The Basics - Invisible Look Technique

What do you do when a client says keep it natural? Dan shares tips for getting the most out of your image by building an invisible look

RGB Gamut Errors A Broadcast Colorists Nemesis

In this Insight, learn what RGB Gamut errors are and how to identify them before a broadcaster catches them for you!

Advanced Beauty Grading : Stills Techniques

In this insight I borrow my Stills Techniques and try and apply them to my video work. The standard is very high and the results are amazing

Advanced Beauty Grading : Borrowing From Stills

The world of stills retouching has such an amazing standard. Dan looks at those techniques and will borrow them for the video world

Colorist Health - My Campaign For Eye Awareness

How much time have you spent thinking about your eyes? Dan starts a new series about health issues including eye awareness.

Rediscover The Basics - Defining Texture In Your Image

Defining Texture is a great decision to make early on when grading. Do you want it to look glossy and commercial or textured and filmic?

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.

Frequency Seperation : An Introduction

When working with skin it's quite easy to make it look false and over worked

Damage Control - DSLR Music Video Case Study

DSLR Music Video are pretty common and can be incredibly tricky. Dan shares one of his favorite music videos shot on DSLR

Damage Control - Working With Tricky DSLR Footage

Working with Tricky DSLR footage can be frustrating. Dan pulls out some awful clips from his archive and does his best to fix them.

Damage Control - Creating A Look With Difficult Footage

Grading high quality is fun but what happens when you have difficult footage to begin with? Dan takes a look at Damage control when grading

Rediscover The Basics - Preparing For An Important Grade

You've landed the grade of your career, what happens next? Dan shares his preparation when a big job arrives for him to grade

Colorist Look Inspiration - Food Commercials

Food commercials can be the trickiest of grades as they push your skillset and leave little room for error. Here are some techiniques

Colorist Look Inspiration - Car Commercials

How do they make car commercials look so polished and refined? Dan shows you some common techniques used on a car commercial.

Creating Skin Contrast With High/Low Key Techniques

In this Insight, learn how powerful shaping skin contrast around someone's face can be to make a shot more dynamic.

Rediscover The Basics - Advanced Node Operations

When you get into very advanced grading there are even more node operations to worry about. Dan shows you his layout for commercial grading.

Exporting LAB LUTs from Photoshop: Does it work?

Can you make extreme color corrections in LAB color space and export those LAB LUTs from Photoshop and have them work in Davinci Resolve?

Rediscover The Basics - Node Operations

Have you ever paused to think of the order that you place your nodes? Dan shares his approach to getting the most out of your image.

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.

Rediscover The Basics - Color Temperature

Color temperature allows us to control many factors from time of day to adding to the mood of your image by warming or cooling.

From The Mailbag Episode 20

In this From The Mailbag, we cover two GPU questions. Should you upgrade your system or GPU & does GPU debayering for RED footage work?

Rediscover The Basics - Contrast

Its tempting to dive in with many nodes & advanced techniques but spend more time getting your contrast right & you'll love the results

How to Match Shots in Final Cut Pro X - Part 1

Learn how to match shots in Final Cut Pro X using its unique interface. Part 4 of this series on how to color correct in Final Cut Pro X.

Rediscover The Basics - Saturation

In a world where you can apply 20 nodes to build a look Dan challenges you to rediscover basic grading concepts starting with Saturation

Why Is Camera Matching with Color Charts So Hard?

If you've tried to match multiple cameras together using color charts, you've likely found it difficult. What's the problem you're having?

Better Grades In Premiere Pro: The Tonal Range Definition

Premiere Pro has a powerful 3-Way Color corrector but by default its tonal range is narrow. Learn how to get better grades by adjusting it.

Colorist Inspiration - The Best UK Commercials of 2014

We take a look at the Best UK Commercials of 2014 in the world of uk color grading.

From The Mailbag EP 19 Skin Corrections & The Film Look

In this episode of From The Mailbag, the team explores fixing blotchy skin and what goes into a film stock emulation.

Advanced Beauty Grading Part Two : The Fashion Look

Time to take the image into the next level with a fashion look in part two of the series on advanced beauty grading.

Why You Need To Dig Deep: Final Cut Pro X Exposure Slider

Understanding the Final Cut Pro X Exposure Slider is critical to knowing how to color correct in Final Cut Pro X. Click and discover: Why?

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

Dealing with Saturation in LAB Colorspace

In Part 5 of our LAB in DaVinci Resolve series, we answer members questions about dealing with saturation in LAB colorspace.

Photochemical Grading - Part Two

In part two of this series Dan dives into Resolve and tries out the methods first hand. Enjoying the restrictions and relief of grading.

Adding Some Clarity: 3 Different Methods

The clarity slider in some Adobe apps is a popular way to add a little pop or punch to a shot. Learn 3 methods for emulating this control.

Photochemical Grading - Part One

Have you ever wondered why Christopher Nolan uses color timing instead of a DI for his grades? We take a look at the color timing world

From The Mail Bag Episode 17

In this installment of From The Mailbag, learn about our 25x25 Holiday Marathon & we each discuss our top 2 color related questions.

Getting To Know The Colorimetry Research CR-100 & CR250

The Colorimetry Research CR-100 & CR250 are two of the most affordable and accurate calibration meters on the market. Learn more...

Neo Noir B&W - Using Hardlight Blending Mode

Creating a feature film neo noir look can be tough. Dan shares his look using hardlight blending modes instead of his beloved curves.

4 Ways To Create The Leave Color Behind Look

The leave color behind look is something every colorist should have in their tool kit. Learn 4 different methods for creating this look.

Infrared Look - Emulating Aerochrome

Building an Infrared Look can give you some beautiful results if you have the right projects and feel adventurous!

Have You Progressed As A Colorist? One Way To Evaluate Your Progress.

Assessing Your Progress can be hard has a colorist. How are my grades better today than a year ago or even 5 years ago? Dan shows you how.

LAB Color in DaVinci Resolve - Foundations Part 2

In this video, transfer those Photoshop skills color correcting LAB color in DaVinci Resolve - plus how the tools don't translate directly.

LAB Color Correction Foundations - Photoshop

Learning how to color correct in LAB color space with DaVinci Resolve is easier if we start with how the Photoshop experts are doing it.

Color Correction Breakdown - Spanning the Ages

Commercial Breakdown - Rolo. Dan shares another instalment of his series of behind the scenes insights. We build looks for different eras.

LAB Colorspace: An Introduction (using DaVinci Resolve 11)

Photoshop pros are learning the power of LAB Colorspace. This is the first of several videos on applying those Insights to moving images.

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.

Look Library - Halloween Slasher

Dan shows you how he built a Halloween Slasher Look inspired by classic 80s movies for a recent teaser commercial for Halloween.

Advanced Windows - Difficult Shape Masking

We take a look at difficult shape masking and combining multiple windows in DaVinci Resolve to give you total control over difficult images.

Advanced Windows - Multiple Windows & Tracking

Using multiple windows and tracking them into your scene gives you total control of your image and allows you to build powerful looks.

UKMVA's Best Color

Dan showcases the best of the best in UKMVA's Best Color grading award catagory.

Commercial Breakdown - Smirnoff

Dan takes a look at his latest commercial grade and shares the thinking and techniques behind the grades.

Shot Matching - The Basics of Matching Cameras Together

In this Insight we take a look at doing shot matching with multiple cameras to create a smooth edit. Featuring: BMPCC, BMCC and Red Scarlet cameras.

DaVinci Resolve 11: Broadcast Safe + Grouping LUTs

In this episode of From The MailBag, learn about Resolve 11's new broadcast safe option & how to use LUTs while Grouping.

Resolve Keyframes - From Newbie To Ninja

Resolve Keyframes can be confusing at first but if you follow a few essential rules you'll be keyframing like a pro in no time!

Shot Matching - Working With Skin Tone

Making people look as good is part of the dayjob for colorists. Working with skin tone can be tricky but Dan shares his tips and approach.

1D Vs 3D LUTs - The Colorists Prespective

Look Up Tables can be complex subject. In this Insight get a colorists perspective on the difference between 1D and 3D LUTs.

Using Log Controls As A Secondary Correction

Many colorists use log controls as a primary grading tool. In this Insight learn how the log controls can also be used as a secondary.

Essential Skills For Assistant Colorists

Essential Skills For Assistant Colorists to help you get the job in a big facility. Being an assistant is hard work but you'll learn so much

Circuit Training - From Camera Rushes To Final Look

Dan breaks down a shot from camera rushes to final look. He shares the good the bad and the ugly grades from starting point to final grade.

Shot Matching - Matching Skies

Shot Matching - Matching Skies. In this Insight, Dan shows you his techniques for color matching skies between multiple set ups and scenes

Resolve 11 Highlights And Shadows Controls

New Tools For Resolve 11 Are The Highlights And Shadows Controls. They offer up new creative options for setting the contrast in your scene.

Attended Grading - Starting A Session

Attended Grading - Starting A Session is the hardest part of the grade. You need to understand what your new clients want from the grade

Resolve 11 - Softlight Blending Mode

New to Resolve 11 the softlight blending mode gives you a great new way to add texture and depth to your image.

Resolve 11 - Introduction To Lab Mode Grading

Introduction To Lab Mode Grading in Resolve 11. This new way of working gives us lots of new creative options when grading.

Narrowing Your Color Palette

Grading isn't always about adding to your image. Taking away and controlling colors is just as important when building strong images.

Narrative Grading - Time Of Day

In this insight dan takes you through a journey of setting the time of day in a scene. The flow of the story is key when setting a time.

The Tangent Element In SpeedGrade & Good Skin Tone

In this episode of From The Mailbag, we discuss using the Tangent Element In Adobe SpeedGrade & what goes into getting good skin tone.

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.

A Straightforward Approach To Creating Blurred or Glowing Highlights

Learn how to quickly create a blurred or glowing highlights look using DaVinci Resolve

Adding Grain Efficiently Using The Overlay Blending Mode

Adding grain can be hard to manage in Resolve but handy to have in your 'toolbox'. Dan shows you a simple way to add grain, without a plugin.

How to create a light, airy feel by dropping the midtones

Are you having trouble getting bright, happy images that aren't also feeling flat? Learn how I get around this by dropping the midtones.

Photochemical Color Timing + Cinematographers and Colorists

What is photochemical color timing? What is the role of the cinematographer while color correcting? Learn what three colorists think.

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.

Offset Controls - Introduction To Offsets

Dan takes a look at the offset controls. The oldest and most overlooked primary controls in Resolve. Great for shot balancing.

Reference Images - Matching To A Reference

Reference Images - Matching To A Reference. Have you ever had to match your footage to a famous movie or photo? Dan will show you how.

Archiving and Restoring Jobs

In Part 3 of our series on the workflow for Commercial color correction projects, we discuss how we handle archiving and restoring jobs.

Colorist Circut Training Part 2

In Colorist Circuit Training Part 2 we take a look at a sample exercise where Dan assesses his grades to find the best version.

Colorist Circuit Training Part 1

In Colorist Circuit Training Part 1 we take a look at some exercises to help strengthen your style and color grading skills.

Commercial Workflow Part 2: Leveraging The Master Session

Learn how ripple your color corrections through multiple timelines in DaVinci Resolve using the power of the Master Session.

Multiple Aspect Ratios

Learn an innovative approach to framing filmed images for multiple aspect ratios. Also - how to view these framings inside DaVinci Resolve.

Mailbag: Resolve vs SpeedGrade & Managing Versions In Resolve

In this Episode Of From The Mailbag, we discuss the pros and cons of Resolve vs SpeedGrade. As well as how to manage versions in Resolve.

Colorist Communication Dealing With Difficult Clients

Sometimes clients can have a very different vision of the project than you had.I offer some tips on grading in this situation

Analysing Your Footage : Pieces To Camera

Get the most out of your 'Pieces To Camera' (on-camera Stand-Ups) using power windows and curves on footage that needs to look normal.

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.

Digital Video Noise Reduction: Targeting Individual Color Channels

In DaVinci Resolve, video noise reduction targeted to specific color channels lets us balance between sharpness and noise reduction.

Basic Visual Effects & Online Editing in DaVinci Resolve 10

Learn how to perform basic online editing tasks in DaVinci Resolve 10. This tutorial looks at compositing, titles and Sapphire plug-ins.

Color Correcting A Film Trailer: Sony FS700 Footage

In this color correction tutorial, we explore color correcting FS700 footage in our Fake Film Trailer. We'll also use Sapphire plug-ins for DaVinci Resolve.

Color Correcting A Fake Film Trailer: Grading RED Dragon Footage

In this installment of the Fake Film Trailer, I start color correcting Red Dragon footage. It's my first time working with this camera.

Color Correction Time Management: Grading in Passes

It's easy to get lost in the weeds when color correcting. Learn a Color Correction Time Management technique that keeps you from missing deadlines!

Adding Tension by Animating Power Windows: The Spaceship Sequence

We're going to use DaVinci Resolve key frames with animating Power Windows—dialing up the tension and creating the feeling of alien ships flying over head.

How to Color Correct Using LUTs (By Preparing Your Images)

If you're confused on how to color correct using LUTs, this video (one in a series) shows several different approaches for you to try.

How to Emulate the Clarity Slider + Color Correcting in VFX Workflows

Three professional colorists discuss how to emulate LightRoom's Clarity Slider in DaVinci Resolve. Plus, where color correction fits in VFX workflows.

How to Use DaVinci Resolve's Splitter Combiner Nodes

Learn how to split color channels into RGB, YUV or LAB with the Splitter Combiner nodes in DaVinci Resolve. Watch me put them to work.

How To Color Correct With Blending Modes : The Overlay Mode

You can use the Overlay blending mode to add grain and get great colour and contrast pop, with the click of a button. Watch me put it to use.

How To Color Correct Green Screen Footage (in DaVinci Resolve)

I like to work with background plates in Resolve. This allows me to color correct my product or actor in place, allowing creative choices. Watch me work.

Color Correction Looks: Creating Black and White Looks

Creating a Black and White Look seems like an easy prospect, initially. But they can be some of the most difficult jobs. Learn how to execute this Look.

Creating Color Correction Looks: Emulating the Film Look

Has a client ever asked you to create a 'Film Look'? Yes, us too. In this video, learn how we get to this Look using some new features in DaVinci Resolve.

Building Color Correction Looks: Tinting Your Shadows

Sometimes when you're color correcting you need to give the job an extra wow factor. My favorite technique at the moment is tinting the shadows. Learn how.

Podcast: Keying On Black Background + Chroma Subsampling Explained

We answer two questions: Solving a problem with keying and windowing the moon on a black background + explaining technical terms to co-workers.

Secondary Corrections in DaVinci Resolve

'Secondary corrections' are isolations to areas of an image to make specific color corrections. Here are tips on getting quick results.

Color Correction Tips: Matching Shots To A Brand Logo

Have you ever been asked to color match a shot to a reference image for their video? Here are a few ideas on how to do that in DaVinci Resolve.

DaVinci Resolve Tools: Using The Key Mixer Node

You will learn two ways to use the Key Mixer Node: How to set it up as a master control for multiple masks; and how to build garbage masks for cleaner keys.

Color Correction Looks: Creating The 7D Korean Horror Look

If you're looking to create a Look and want something a bit different (and even noisy)... here's how you can create the 'Korean Horror' Look.

Color Correcting with Log Controls in DaVinci Resolve: An Overview

Have you wondered how to use the Log Controls in DaVinci Resolve? This video is an overview of all the controls and some basic theory of how they work.

How To Blend Between Color Corrections Into The 'Day For Night' Look

DaVinci Resolve's node tree makes it tough dissolving between two completely different Looks. Learn how to do it easily, without getting lost in keyframes.

How to Build A 'Day For Night' Look - Color Correction Technique

What does it mean to shoot film or video as 'Day for Night'? Learn the terminology and how to do it in this video tutorial.

How To Set Up Your Color Suite + Monitoring Video in 444

In this podcast, Team Mixing Light answers two member questions: How do we set up our color correction suites? How do you set up monitoring in 4:4:4?

How to Build a Vintage Look For Your Videos

Recently, clients have been coming in asking me to create a 'vintage look' for them. What is that? And how do I go about it?

How to Use Scopelink for Scopebox in Premiere Pro (and FCP X)

If you're looking for scopes to use with Adobe's Premiere Pro, After Effects or Apple's Final Cut Pro - check ScopeLink, a powerful feature of ScopeBox.

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.

Adding Depth-of-Field to Video: Sharpening & Blurring In Action

As part of our series on adding Depth-Of-Field while color correcting, learn my final step when executing this technique, making the image look sharp.

Adding Depth-of-Field To Video: Localized Contrast In Action

I spoke about the theory of adding depth earlier in this series but lets take a practical look at executing the theory so you can do this on your footage.

Adding Depth To Video : Putting Theory Into Action

After my 3-part series on the theory of Depth-of-Field and techniques simulating it, the theory is put to action—learn how you can use these techniques.

How to Split Your Brightness and Color Channels For Creative Control

When color correcting, learn how to split your image into separate brightness and color channels for creative reasons (and additional technical benefits).

Adding Depth-of-Field Using Selective Sharpening and Blurring

Are you looking to control depth-of-field in your video images during color correction? This video shows you how to use selective sharpening and blurring.

The Fundamentals of Color Correcting for Beauty

Have you ever needed to improve how an actor 'looks' in a video? Learn the basics of how the pros do it in this Beauty Grading 101 video.

How to Simulate Depth of Field for Filmic Images: The Theory

How do you simulate depth of field in video? This is the first in a series of tutorials on helping your images feel more 'filmic'.

Creatively Using Soft Clipping in DaVinci Resolve

'Clipping' image detail is considered bad. But learn how to use DaVinci Resolve's 'soft clipping' control for great creative effect.

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