Color Grading Hardware | Intro to Color Part 3

[@artdoneus]

By far the most useful series for this stuff on the web been searching all over no one explains step by step . thank you !!!!! subbed!!

[@writedirect]

Hey thanks so much! Glad it's helping out. Yeah, out of all post production tasks, color is the most mysterious IMO.

[@im_gldn]

Saw your post in the FB group, i would like you go over your method of calibrating the monitor yourself with display cal. Interested in the settings and results you deem important.

[@writedirect]

Hey, copy that. I’ve got a film in post and deadlines with the school. But I will definitely get that up sooner than later. Thank you!

[@KikiMartinez-y2h]

Hello! I was wondering if you have a video on lut boxes?

[@writedirect]

I don’t have one comparing LUT boxes. I’m about to do one on how to use a LUT box from blackmagic design. Haven’t shot it yet though.

[@erikgouletphoto]

Love your explanation of the hardware. I am spending so much effort in monitor specs, I dont pay attention to the video signal chain. I am limited on budget and aiming to go with BMD monitor 3G. Grading with a 27inch 1080p reference monitor, will my 4K videos suffer from a bad grade? My projects are for client that will use un website and social media, but some are requesting 4K renders.

[@writedirect]

Good question. I’m grading a 4K deliverable right now with an HD chain. It will not affect your grade. You need to be grading in something like DaVinci wide gamut of course. You’re just monitoring in HD. For Web you’re delivering in 4K Rec.709. As long as you have your display calibrated, and all of that, you’ll be fine. Now where this changes is if you were delivering in HDR. Different story. If that’s confusing at all, watch my lesson where I talk about color in general because it gets into that stuff.

[@erikgouletphoto]

@@writedirect Got some available resources and exploring the 4k route. Going with the UltraStudio 4k Mini will I still need a LUT box after?

[@writedirect]

@@erikgouletphoto I don't think that box stores a LUT, but you could check with BMD. Also know, if you don't like the price tag of that, you can use a BMD Decklink card and do 4K. Even with a laptop, just enclore in an external card enclosure.

[@Hand_Held_Productions]

I have the Macbook M1 Air, and i was wondering how to setup two monitors with Davinci , since the M1 Air "allows" only one external display. I was wondering how i can accomplish that, using UltraStudio-Monitor-3G for the reference monitor, and having another monitor for the timeline etc, and not using the 12" macbook M1 air display for that

[@writedirect]

The display connected to the UltraStudio Monitor 3G bypasses the computer so the display limitation will not matter. You don’t see displays in macOS that are connected to Blackmagic hardware.

[@Hand_Held_Productions]

@@writedirect So UltraStudio does not appear as display option in mac's settings? You can only see that through Davinci?

[@writedirect]

@@Hand_Held_Productions that’s correct. MacOS does know about the blackmagic design hardware, but not what’s attached to it.

[@Hand_Held_Productions]

@@writedirect Thanks a lot Kyler

[@NoCommentComments]

Thanks for the info, the DisplayCAL way is genius! But a lot discussions online about DisplayCAL crashing unexpectly on macOS Sonoma and Sequoia, I still couldn't make it launching, any advice?

[@writedirect]

Yeah this had been a problem. There is a fork of it that works with Python 3 (for newer macOS). In need to test this. In the middle of post on a film and can’t upgrade right now, but will get to it.

[@YamilSunRay]

Color grading is like magic.. and money is its mana 😂😂😂 But we're loving it!!!

[@writedirect]

Thanks man! I’m trying to get everyone as close to quality as I can without breaking the bank. This is what my school is all about. I spent 32 grand on film school. With no equipment afterwards. Not a good situation.

[@McDudes]

So a lutbox isn't needed or a monitor with built in lut support?

[@writedirect]

Good question. I personally use a LUT box. And I’m going to show that in another lesson. I first want to show the cheapest scenario-And Resolve allows you to load a LUT into project settings so you don’t HAVE to have a lockbox. But an external LUT box is a little more accurate.

[@McDudes]

@@writedirect alright will be on the lookout for that video then :)

[@TashaCaufield]

Thanks for another great video! Quick question: I just bought a new laptop and when I play back videos in the edge browser or on my phone the color grade changes/becomes warmer in the first half of a second of the video, (but in Davinci or my Windows media player it remains consistent). Online, I can get it to play back in a consistent color grade if I toggle the Enhance Video feature, but that's not really an option in other scenarios, (like playing it back on my phone). Furthermore, since the color grades keep shifting I'm not sure what to grade for... Based on my research so far, I'm guessing it has something to do with my GPU and possibly the new AI video enhancement features online and with Nvidia GPUs etc, but I'm at a complete loss. If none of this makes sense, I understand, as I don't quite understand it myself 😅

[@writedirect]

Hey Tasha, thanks! So the videos changing color: Where are you uploading them to? Also, how are you exporting them? Are they H.265 or H.264? You need to grade with a calibrated monitor hooked up to Blackmagic Design hardware so you're bypassing the GPU entirely. I grade in a color managed project using a DWG timeline, but monitor as Rec.709 Gamma 2.4. I get into grading in the actual school. Don't have that stuff on the channel at this time.

[@TashaCaufield]

​@@writedirect Thanks so much for the response! It's looking more like the issue is starting in the edge browser. When I download onto my computer it's consistent, but then when I export (H265) and watch on my phone it does the quick change again in the beginning, (and only on the first run-through. Not if I rewind...) I'm doing more research into it as it seems like a GPU video enhancement feature helps with consistency when downloaded, but for now I think you're right about how to color grade so I'm looking to invest in that. (And finally calibrate.. It's scary changing factory settings! ☺️) Your course sounds awesome, so looking into that, as well. Thanks, again! 💫

[@writedirect]

@@TashaCaufield right on. Factory settings are overrated. Lol. If you contact me off the site, I’ll send you a coupon for the school. Pricing is low right now because I’m still finishing post production courses. So now is the time!

[@runepedersen1570]

What Asus monitor are you on?

[@writedirect]

PA247V.

[@Hand_Held_Productions]

Another question (sorry :) ). What do you think or have any personal experience for using latest LG OLED TVs (C2,C3,C4 of 42"-48") as Color Reference Monitor. Seems they used by many Hollywood studios lately, at least as customer Reference Monitor, but not only.

[@writedirect]

I haven’t used those. But if you upgrade your display, you need to upgrade the hardware you’re connecting to the display to. The ultra studio monitor 3G only does HD. You don’t want to send that to a 4K display. You need either a Decklink card or the Ultra studio 4K mini.

[@Hand_Held_Productions]

@@writedirect Yes and that brings the cost too high, at least €1600 here in EU with all other hardware/software/calibration etc. I was looking for your specific Asus (and BenQ) models, i don't know how important is but i.e. all (3-4models) Asus proart HD 24" i can find here have 100% rec709/sRGB accuracy (according to retailers) but they differ in price. bBy the way Asus lists only PA248CNV as 100% rec709/sRGB for film making, and also PA248QV, PA247CV for photography.....

[@writedirect]

@@Hand_Held_Productions any of those ASUS are going to get you close for low budget grading. Just read reviews on them and pick the one people like the most. Make sure it has HDMI in.

[@russtvmedia]

I already have the BMD DeckLink 4K Extreme card I used in my Mac Pro. I moved over to a M2 Ultra. Do you think it would be worth it to use my DeckLink card in an expansion case? I was thinking of getting the Mercury Helios 3S. My other problem is DisplayCal crashes when I open it. I read many places that under Sonoma it will not work. Have you found a work around to get it to work?

[@writedirect]

Oh crud, it’s crashing under Sonoma? Well, that’s not good. I’m still on Monterey as I don’t upgrade the macOS unless I have to. That’s what came with my M1. So this is interesting. There is a fork of displayCAL that runs under python 3. It’s possible that could work. I’ll have to revisit that now after hearing this. And the deck link is a great option if you already own it. I’d just get the expansion. But you still might want a box. I use the 12 G micro converter.

[@russtvmedia]

@@writedirect Sonoma came already installed on my M2. So I'm stuck there. I downloaded Python 3 and ran it. But I'm not sure how to use it. I read in a few places that Sonoma is giving everyone a problem trying to run displayCAL.

[@writedirect]

@@russtvmedia i’m gonna look into it. Because this has to work. It’s the only option out there that doesn’t cost a ton of money. I’m going to contact The Developer doing the python three version of display cow. Want to see if he’s still maintaining it. It’s the same interface. And uses argyllCMS like the other.

[@russtvmedia]

@@writedirect Thank you for looking into the problem. I read also that argyllCMS has to be installed also. I downloaded it but the instructions to install it is way over my head. Anything that has to do with code, I get lost.