Color is where the image locks to the emotion. Set up a clean handoff, keep skin consistent, and solve the tricky scenes without losing the look.
Align on the color target.
Send a short look brief. Include key references for skin, blacks, highlight rolloff, and contrast. Note scenes that intentionally depart from the base look.
Prep the show for color.
Confirm frame lines, aspect ratio, resolution, and color space. Verify the offline uses your viewing LUT or temp CDL so intent is carried through the edit. Flag any VFX shots and who owns mattes.
Establish a grading workflow.
Agree on the order of operations: balance, match, then look. Ask for a show group or gallery stills so fixes ripple shot to shot. Decide where the grain, halation, or glow plug is.
Skin first, then everything else
Define healthy skin for this show with two or three reference frames. Protect faces before chasing saturated props or skies. If a compromise is needed, bias toward performance.
Solve the hard scenes.
For mixed color temps, share on-set notes about practical levels and gels. For day-to-day weather shifts, offer preferred angles or cutaways that bridge the change. If a take is great but noisy, ask for a light de-noise and test it on skin.
Review efficiently
Do a first pass on a calibrated display, then a portable check on a laptop or iPad to mimic real viewers. Give timecode-based notes and one clear ask per note. Example: “Warm mids to match 12:03:15 reference.”
Finishing touches
Confirm subtitles safe area, text legibility over grade, and any creative vignettes or blooms used sparingly. Lock title cards and credit slates to the approved look.
Deliverables and QC
List required masters and color spaces. SDR and HDR if needed, plus mezzanine files for festivals and web. Run a final QC for dead pixels, flash frames, noise pumping, and shot order. Archive the final grade, LUTs, and stills.
Indie micro checklist
–Color target brief and references sent
–Frame lines, aspect, resolution, and color space confirmed
–Viewing LUT or CDL from the offline provided
–Problem scenes and VFX flagged with notes
–First pass reviewed on calibrated and consumer screens
–Deliverables list and QC plan agreed
–Final LUTs, stills, and project backups archived
Question for the lounge
What is your go-to tip for keeping skin tones consistent across changing locations or weather?
1 person likes this
Great tips, Lindsay Thompson! What are gels?
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Maurice Vaughan 5 Gels are these thin, heat-safe sheets you put in front of a light to change how it looks on camera. Rosco is the industry standard for gels. You just clip them to the light or a small frame, and you’re off. Even with RGB LEDs, gels are great for practical bulbs, older fixtures, or when you want a super-specific tweak fast.
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So, not hair gels, Lindsay Thompson? Haha Thanks. Your Cinematographer’s Process post series has been helpful! It's a must-read!
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HAHA! That's great Maurice Vaughan 5! Although, to be fair, there are helpful applications for hair gels in production.