Help me color correct this please? at DVinfo.net

Mike Costantini · October 8th, 2007, 03:38 PM

Hi, I am having trouble making this picture looking good for DVD (to be viewed on both televisions and computers) Can someone with more experience tell me what settings to use to fix this? I used the Levels filter but it doesn't look right. See attached for an .avi frame of the raw footage (rename .mov to .avi) If you can tell me which FX/filters and what settings to change on those, I would appreciate it!

Emre Safak · October 8th, 2007, 03:46 PM

What's the problem? It looks fine to me. I would have lit it differently but you can't change that now.

Mike Costantini · October 8th, 2007, 04:41 PM

the problem is that the black background doesn't look like a good solid black and it just looks kind of dull in general to me

Jim Montgomery · October 8th, 2007, 05:24 PM

Hows this.

Jim

Darrin Ward · October 8th, 2007, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Costantini

the problem is that the black background doesn't look like a good solid black and it just looks kind of dull in general to me

How's this?

Mike Costantini · October 8th, 2007, 05:37 PM

Jim, I like yours! There is good contrast and black looks black; how did you do it?

Jim Montgomery · October 8th, 2007, 05:53 PM

Using Vegas, I applied the following effect string.

Black and White, Levels, 3 way color corrector, curves.

Turn the footage black and white. Using a waveform monitor set your blacks to 0 and whites to 100, take off the black and white filter which should return you footage to color.

Using the 3 way color corrector using the highlight wheel to white balance the shirt.

Using the curves filter form a flattened s shape, this will increase your contrast by raising the whites and lowering the blacks. It is your preference on how far you want to take it.

Hope that helps.

Jim

Mike Costantini · October 8th, 2007, 05:59 PM

whoa, that's a lot of stuff, I don't know if I can duplicate that without the actual number values you used for the various filters...

Dennis Murphy · October 8th, 2007, 06:38 PM

I've been developing this new pluggin that colour corrects, does skin smoothing and corrects poor lighting all at the same time.
It's still in the beta phase of development though.

Mike Costantini · October 8th, 2007, 06:40 PM

Dennis, I would name that pluggin "The Miracle" for those of us who don't have time to learn all the details of color correction and just need to "get the job done" I only wish I had something like that right now!

Jim Montgomery · October 8th, 2007, 07:28 PM

Levels Filter Input Start .05, Input End .82

Color correction High: Angle 316.3 Magnitude .437

Curves does not have a value. Just apply the filter, grab the upper bezier handle a raise it a little, the lower one lower it a little, adjust to taste.

Check out Glenn Chan DVD at VASST.com

Jim

Graham Bernard · October 9th, 2007, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dennis Murphy

I've been developing this new pluggin that colour corrects, does skin smoothing and corrects poor lighting all at the same time.

Dennis? Would you mind posting your "before" too? Looks great - but what was it like before?

Grazie

Dennis Murphy · October 9th, 2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Bernard

Dennis? Would you mind posting your "before" too? Looks great - but what was it like before?
Grazie

Here's the before photo.
My pluggin is damn amazing.

Jim Montgomery · October 9th, 2007, 04:24 PM

Dennis - That is classic. Take a bunch to get a laugh out of this old geezer.

JIm

Graham Bernard · October 9th, 2007, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Montgomery

Dennis - That is classic. Take a bunch to get a laugh out of this old geezer.

JIm

NOT so much of the OLD!! - Excellent! Fell off me chair . . . .

Grazie

October 8th, 2007, 05:24 PM	#4
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Hows this. Jim Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

October 8th, 2007, 05:53 PM	#7
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Using Vegas, I applied the following effect string. Black and White, Levels, 3 way color corrector, curves. Turn the footage black and white. Using a waveform monitor set your blacks to 0 and whites to 100, take off the black and white filter which should return you footage to color. Using the 3 way color corrector using the highlight wheel to white balance the shirt. Using the curves filter form a flattened s shape, this will increase your contrast by raising the whites and lowering the blacks. It is your preference on how far you want to take it. Hope that helps. Jim __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

October 8th, 2007, 06:38 PM	#9
Dennis Murphy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Whangarei, New Zealand Posts: 396	I've been developing this new pluggin that colour corrects, does skin smoothing and corrects poor lighting all at the same time. It's still in the beta phase of development though. Attached Thumbnails

October 8th, 2007, 07:28 PM	#11
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Levels Filter Input Start .05, Input End .82 Color correction High: Angle 316.3 Magnitude .437 Curves does not have a value. Just apply the filter, grab the upper bezier handle a raise it a little, the lower one lower it a little, adjust to taste. Check out Glenn Chan DVD at VASST.com Jim __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

October 9th, 2007, 04:24 PM	#14
Jim Montgomery Major Player Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Vero Beach Posts: 392	Dennis - That is classic. Take a bunch to get a laugh out of this old geezer. JIm __________________ http://www.billfishadventures.com \| http://www.sfgmedia.com \| http://vimeo.com/2015915

October 8th, 2007, 03:46 PM	#2
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	What's the problem? It looks fine to me. I would have lit it differently but you can't change that now.

October 8th, 2007, 04:41 PM	#3
Mike Costantini Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 154	the problem is that the black background doesn't look like a good solid black and it just looks kind of dull in general to me

October 8th, 2007, 05:37 PM	#6
Mike Costantini Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 154	Jim, I like yours! There is good contrast and black looks black; how did you do it?

October 8th, 2007, 05:59 PM	#8
Mike Costantini Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 154	whoa, that's a lot of stuff, I don't know if I can duplicate that without the actual number values you used for the various filters...

October 8th, 2007, 06:40 PM	#10
Mike Costantini Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 154	Dennis, I would name that pluggin "The Miracle" for those of us who don't have time to learn all the details of color correction and just need to "get the job done" I only wish I had something like that right now!