Muted Colors "look" at DVinfo.net

Joe Allen Rosenberger · July 6th, 2006, 06:45 PM

Does anyone know how to acheive the "muted colors look"? Many of today's TV commercials have this look to them. I would be shooting with a PD150 and use Premiere Pro and After Effects. I would be shooting in avail. light.
Has anyone done this, and if so...do you have any samples you could post?

Any information is much appreciated!

Glenn Chan · July 6th, 2006, 08:47 PM

You could try this in AE:
Apply an adjustment layer
Apply the color curves filter, make it slightly slightly s-shaped
Change the compositing mode to luminosity

Apply the HSL adjust filter or the saturation filter (whatever it's called)
bump saturation down slightly.

Bennis Hahn · July 6th, 2006, 08:51 PM

I find a lot of this is actually low contrast. Try shooting with less contrast in your lighting set-ups and I think that will go along way. Remember, wen you take away contrast in post, you are trying to create information in the image that isn't really there.

David Tamés · July 6th, 2006, 10:09 PM

For muted colors that look unique and different from simply changing the contrast or desaturating the image, I like to use Magic Bullet Editors, which offers the choice of creating your own look with their Look Suite tookit or starting with one of the many pre-set looks. You can analyze how the various controls were set to create each look, making it easy to either start with one of the pre-set looks that's close to what you want and tweak to perfection, or see how certain effects are achieved so you can quickly learn how to work the tools to create your own unique look. Magic Bullet Editors is a plug-in that works with Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, Avid, Vegas and Motion. A related product, Magic Bullet Suite works with Adobe After Effects.

Kevin Richard · July 9th, 2006, 02:19 PM

Not trying to start trouble but how is using a "pre-set" look from software that does all the work for you, give you a "unique" look?? In reality I believe it has been said time and time again you can acheive all the of RG's Film Look stuff with just a little work and the built in tools in most NLE's and what you get is a truely unique look that renders heaps faster than Magic Bullet does.

Glenn Chan · July 9th, 2006, 08:27 PM

Well Magic Bullet can be unique in the sense that its algorithms are different.

The saturation seems to use HSL math. IMO this is not a very good algorithm, the chroma-based methods are better since (actual) luminance stays roughly the same.
Contrast uses RGB curves.

Their tinting is fairly unique. It does multiple hues.
Haven't looked into their white and black diffusion, but black diffusion is not very common.

Alex Thames · July 16th, 2006, 02:59 PM

Just wondering, but what is the "muted colors look?"

Emre Safak · July 19th, 2006, 02:21 AM

When the colors are muted--unsaturated, restrained. I think some parts of Spielberg's Munich employed this technique to lend a 70's-stock look.

Heath McKnight · July 19th, 2006, 07:48 AM

Those of you with a Z1u or FX1 can just pull the color down and maybe amp up the Cinematone Settings. Blackstretch is optional on the Z1 and may crush the blacks further, giving an even more muted look.

heath

July 6th, 2006, 06:45 PM	#1
Joe Allen Rosenberger Major Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA Posts: 419	Muted Colors "look" Does anyone know how to acheive the "muted colors look"? Many of today's TV commercials have this look to them. I would be shooting with a PD150 and use Premiere Pro and After Effects. I would be shooting in avail. light. Has anyone done this, and if so...do you have any samples you could post? Any information is much appreciated!

July 6th, 2006, 10:09 PM	#4
David Tamés Kino-Eye Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 457	For muted colors that look unique and different from simply changing the contrast or desaturating the image, I like to use Magic Bullet Editors, which offers the choice of creating your own look with their Look Suite tookit or starting with one of the many pre-set looks. You can analyze how the various controls were set to create each look, making it easy to either start with one of the pre-set looks that's close to what you want and tweak to perfection, or see how certain effects are achieved so you can quickly learn how to work the tools to create your own unique look. Magic Bullet Editors is a plug-in that works with Final Cut Pro, Premiere Pro, Avid, Vegas and Motion. A related product, Magic Bullet Suite works with Adobe After Effects. __________________ David Tames { blog: http://Kino-Eye.com twitter: @cinemakinoeye }

July 19th, 2006, 07:48 AM	#9
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Those of you with a Z1u or FX1 can just pull the color down and maybe amp up the Cinematone Settings. Blackstretch is optional on the Z1 and may crush the blacks further, giving an even more muted look. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

July 6th, 2006, 08:47 PM	#2
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	You could try this in AE: Apply an adjustment layer Apply the color curves filter, make it slightly slightly s-shaped Change the compositing mode to luminosity Apply the HSL adjust filter or the saturation filter (whatever it's called) bump saturation down slightly.

July 6th, 2006, 08:51 PM	#3
Bennis Hahn Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 221	I find a lot of this is actually low contrast. Try shooting with less contrast in your lighting set-ups and I think that will go along way. Remember, wen you take away contrast in post, you are trying to create information in the image that isn't really there.

July 9th, 2006, 02:19 PM	#5
Kevin Richard Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lafayette, LA Posts: 270	Not trying to start trouble but how is using a "pre-set" look from software that does all the work for you, give you a "unique" look?? In reality I believe it has been said time and time again you can acheive all the of RG's Film Look stuff with just a little work and the built in tools in most NLE's and what you get is a truely unique look that renders heaps faster than Magic Bullet does.

July 9th, 2006, 08:27 PM	#6
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Well Magic Bullet can be unique in the sense that its algorithms are different. The saturation seems to use HSL math. IMO this is not a very good algorithm, the chroma-based methods are better since (actual) luminance stays roughly the same. Contrast uses RGB curves. Their tinting is fairly unique. It does multiple hues. Haven't looked into their white and black diffusion, but black diffusion is not very common.

July 16th, 2006, 02:59 PM	#7
Alex Thames Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: New York Posts: 508	Just wondering, but what is the "muted colors look?"

July 19th, 2006, 02:21 AM	#8
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	When the colors are muted--unsaturated, restrained. I think some parts of Spielberg's Munich employed this technique to lend a 70's-stock look.