A question for colorists: do you have any preference to work with file…

A question for colorists: do you have any preference to work with files from a particular camera? Given all things being equal — chip size, same lenses, etc — do you think theres a qualifiable difference between the quality of the raw image[s], and if so does it even matter once the image is graded? Thanks.

Marcus Pun: I have a preference for people shooting in controlled lighting conditions to stop only sending me RAW files. I know I have to get my CC chops back to speed but it gets ridiculous. Light and shoot for the scene, esp if multicam for a corporate shoot, so that were not wasting time trying to figure out what LUT to use or doing full color matching.

Steven L. Austin: I appreciate your thoughts Marcus but they didnt really address the question. 😉

Marcus Pun: It speaks to the time it takes to get things looking good. As it is, does the camera spit out a RAW and ProRes or other files simultaneously….I think those are the best.in terms of saving post time

Scott Fisher: The last online guy I worked with for a while preferred Arri Alexa stuff.

Steven L. Austin: Why?

James Fletcher: If theyre using an Arri Alexa, odds are they had a professional crew. Properly shot material is always easier to work with.

James Fletcher: Hey, Steven L. Austin, Im pretty sure I was your editor on Expert Weapon. Hello.

Scott Fisher: James, thats probably a good reason. I never asked him but we usually handed over Alexa footage he was in a good mood and when it was RED he always gave a hrmph. For me as the editor, Im fine with almost anything as long as it looks good. Im not a finisher

Steven L. Austin: James Fletcher Hi James! I wish it was released on Blu ray so I could get my hands on some good looking clips.

Kelly Hurd: I prefer all cameras be the same type of particular camera when using 5 in the scene.

Thomas Mathai: Alexa has been the easiest to deal with in terms of color science and imagery.Red has more options so it can be harder to deal with, if all the settings arent uniform.

Stuart Ferreyra Gambirazio: Hmmmmm…. anyone can color with controlled environments and an outstanding DP. Thats not the real job. The real job of a professional colorist is to make all different lighting situations from different cameras from different environments with different lenses and sometimes even different DPs look all EXACTLY the same while giving EVERYTHING a consistent unnoticeable STYLIZED look. If a colorist can not achieve any of it in a reasonable amount of time or under a tight deadline then she/he is not a true colorist. That is why professional colorists demand a high rate per hour in the hundreds of dollars each.

Tawan Bazemore: Spot on… and to add I prefer Alexa footage… the response is quite different from RED and other cinema cameras. I also appreciate the color in The Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro. It reminds me of classic film stocks…it has more of ‘film’ color. RED is also great. What I do NOT like to grade is Sony F5 and F55 footage.

Kelly Hurd: He said prefer I thought? Not the reality of the situation.

Tawan Bazemore: Kelly Hurd it’s all connected.

Marvin Choi: As long as theres enough information, it doesnt matter what camera was used, honestly.

Reply