Color Space Transform - PRO COLORIST Explains

[@marcwielage4678]

I'm amazed by how much confusion there is on this topic. Darren explains it all succinctly and gets to the point very fast. Well-done!

[@TimetoTalkwithYevgen]

Yes! Thank you so much indeed!

[@matango1979]

I'm a beginner and I'm trying to understand what is going on here. Could you point me to a good theoretical explanation of what is the point of color space transform, ACES transform and so on? Someone explained it to me as if you are trying to get a wider color space while you are editing, but I need to understand much more than that. The gentleman in the video uses settings for Arri, but I use Fujifilm cameras, so what should I choose? Does color space transform make sense only if you shot it in LOG or also rec709 8 bit video? As you can see I am a complete beginner in terms of color grading. :)

[@petermccabe7182]

@@matango1979 CST can be used on any footage. What color space are you shooting Fuji in? Log or Rec709? You would do a CST from one of those to Davince Wide Gamut

[@evandux]

That CMD + drag trick just made my life so much easier. Thanks for all the great information Darren!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Happy to help!

[@iamthereforeimustbe]

I’m a total beginner and each of your videos demystifies another area. Perfect 👍🏻

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad you like them Andy! Always learning!!

[@robinb5752]

having spent 20+ years in Photo processing this is one of the very few video colorspace tutorials which makes sense to me. Thank you for that explanation!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@martindoersch]

Thanks for this explanation! (Is there somewhere a list on what input and gamma settings you should choose depending on different cameras)

[@VELVET462]

as a beginner I wasn't aware of why the CST node is set at the end. Now I understand that, it makes perfect sense. Just Subscribed. Im sure i can learn a lot more from your vids! Thanks

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@falxonPSN]

Well, holy hell, that makes it super easy and straightforward. It's just the concept of understanding that you want to make your adjustments in as large a color space as possible and convert down later. For those of us used to audio editing/mastering, it's the same idea of doing all your work at high sample rate and bit depth, and then "mixing down" to your desired output at the end. Thinking about it that way, it makes perfect sense, and this one video basically solved all of the questions I had from other tutorials where they either give factually BAD advice, or they simply tell you "do this" without the reasoning. I tip my hat to you, good sir. 🎩

[@ausdoug974]

You’re a legend. So helpful. Thank you.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thank you for the super thanks!! Darren

[@trizzleseven]

I'm working with the CST in the nodes for a long time now. Your workflow just keeps it more easier for me regarding the groups etc. Thank you!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Great to hear and look into post group workflow if you want to push to next level.

[@bbitirim]

Darren, I have been watching color grading tutorials for years and I just discovered your channel. The way you explain how it works is incredible! I can't show my appreciation enough. It's like you opened my mind and placed the knowledge in it. Thank you very much and please keep up the great work. You're an amazing artist and tutor!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thank you very much, Appreciated. Welcome to the channel...sorry it took you so long to find me!!

[@ellieusmusic8663]

Thank you so much. Sorry for the super long comment that I left. I would love to hear on a recomendable node tree for 12bit Cinema DNG from a Sigma Fp. Once again thank you!

[@mrkumaran]

Hi Darren, thank you for your videos. Could you do a video explaining what Rec 709-A is all about. Thank you, much appreciated

[@acidtears]

My god - I literally opened Resolve for the first time today after using Premiere for the past 2 years, and although I have limited understanding of color spaces, your explanation made it incredibly clear... Thank you very much!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad I could help!

[@user-kv9xm3uj5z]

Great tutorials! Learning a lot! And NOW I understand why using a larger colour space for the timeline is advantageous, even when then "funneling" down to a smaller one i.e. Rec.709. Kudos!

[@felixxyzz]

Thats probably the best Video i found to that Topic. When you start as an Beginner you normally try to watch more than 1 Video about an Topic and then in the first Video its perfectly explained why you use a CST Node at the End and in the Second Video you watch its perfectly explained why you use 2 CST Nodes and then you're totally confused 😅 Great Explanation when to use which structure and why!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Both work. I prefer 2 CST method. On video is older. But still relevant.

[@jordanbeckfilms]

My mind is just blown. You’re honestly the greatest. The color managed was confusing as heck to me. I was putting cst on a color managed timeline. Thank you so much for this video

[@ozzythemighty2767]

OMG plz continue adding your keyboard short cuts as you go along on your tutorials. I dint know about command/drag could do that. Very informative..thq

[@DarrenMostyn]

Noted!

[@traolachomurchu1469]

This 11 minute video saved me 11 days work...! Excellent tutorial, thanks Darren.

[@NathanHoang]

Thanks Darren, you explained CST pipeline so well in this vid . I have been using Resolve professionally for 4 years now and you still manage to teach me quite a lot ... much appreciate and grateful for your content. 🙌

[@DarrenMostyn]

Great to hear Nathan. Enjoy and glad I could help.

[@JacobSteed]

You're the only person I've seen who can explain concepts like these that don't make me feel like an idiot. Thank you :)

[@DarrenMostyn]

Never feel like a idiot - ask questions. Ask me personally, happy to help. noone is an idiot - Im still learning and Ive been doing this for 28 years!! Glad I'm helping to explain to my amazing community here !!

[@Moolhood]

Doesn't matter how long I spend trying to understand some concepts and why such nodes goes here and why this and that, all I ever need to do is wait for one of your videos to drop and explain it and it just goes right into my brain and elicits an out loud "Oh I seeee!!" EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. You truly are a magician. Thank you Darren!

[@allenpayne9182]

Same. Having a good teacher is so important. Thanks, Darren 100x times, for sharing all your knowledge.

[@adiewhereat1968]

As a photographer coming over into video I’m finding your tutorials extremely useful. Thanks very much.

[@pstuarts]

This is a really confusing topic, and you make it soooooooooooo easy. Thank you so much, keep up the amazing work!!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Appreciated. Glad it helped.

[@TheRealBarkinMadd]

Could you modify your final example to move the Display CST to the Timeline node group considering that it is common to all nodes? This would move you closer to the approach Cullen uses (as you know) and more closely mimics the Resolve Color Management settings. It's really great to see how this works on each level in the pipeline. Thanks so much for posting this, Darren - your content is awesome!

[@DarrenMostyn]

yes you could absolutely.

[@jmalmsten]

That was my thought as I was nearing the end. I'm pretty sure this is why we have the timeline level nodes in the first place. To be able to funnel the final corrections that all the clips need. :)

[@illumin8productions]

@@DarrenMostyn I had the same thought. Furthermore, how is this approach "better" than letting Resolve handle this automatically in the managed environment? Is it just the additional controls offered in the node? Also, speaking of broadcast output, how does applying the Broadcast Safe setting affect each pathway?

[@DarrenMostyn]

@@illumin8productions Its the same result, just I can control where in the node tree it happens. You'll get the same result. You can test that easily. Broadcast safe - avoid it ... its not good IMO - far too severe.. Hope that helps.

[@suminkim4249]

Thank you very much . Finally understood after 1 year of searching and watching millions of youtube 😮😊

[@DarrenMostyn]

Excellent!! My aim was to make it simple! Thank you Sumin.

[@scottflyger432]

The best colour tutorials online. Excellent!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thank you Scott. Appreciated

[@priyaanshu6391]

Phenomenal explanation, Darren! Thank you immensely. I came across this video a while back and have been using CSTs with ease ever since.

[@DarrenMostyn]

So pleased to hear it! thanks for the support!

[@josephchristoffel]

Bro really solve all the confusion about CST in a single video 😭😭👍

[@dxmvpictures]

Finally a video as to why cst node towards the end. Now it all makes sense! Thank you!

[@DarrenMostyn]

you are welcome

[@krmdas81]

I also have been waiting for a detailed-explained video like this about CST! Thank you!

[@DarrenMostyn]

welcome!

[@tommyfilms2765]

Darren I cannot tell you good this episode was. Thanks so much for making this!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad you enjoyed it Tommy. Appreciated.

[@resolving_boris]

Using a CST at the beginning AND the end was a game changer for me.

[@jacejune]

Amazing video! Does this process change at all depending on the Codec of the footage or no?

[@DarrenMostyn]

the codec does not affect anything, only RAW or non-RAW

[@jacejune]

​@@DarrenMostyn Got it! What would you have changed in your Davinci settings or process had you shot non-RAW?

[@mathieuclavier5653]

Studying your workflow is really passionating ! The middle click on the stills changed my life, thanks !

[@ChadAltDelete]

I always come back to these videos to refresh my skills. Thanks for the wealth of knowledge Darren!

[@RygarGuitar]

It was a pleasure getting to chat briefly @ Resolvecon. Thanks for your technical wisdom!

[@DarrenMostyn]

good to meet you too.

[@jaxoliver]

I needed this video even more than I thought I did! Thank you thank you!

[@adsmithtx]

This with your previous video on color space management should be all any colorist needs to see.

[@realghostactual]

this just blew my mind. Ive been using the ASECcct transform for my sony SLOG3 for my FX3 and FX30 and at first in your video im like "oh crap, im doing this alllllllll wrong!" but then when you showed the color space transform in the first node and then what you did in the last node to bring it back from Davinci wide gamut to R.709, i realized im doing the same exact thing....just with ASECcct vs davinci wide color gamut. You gained a sub im loving your content

[@paulg3388]

Well having made the decision to swap from FCP to Resolve earlier this week, I did wonder if I would actually be able to come up to speed, but having found you Darren, I feel in safe hands! You clearly know your craft, your videos are clear and succinct and t is clear you have such a passion for what you do. I will slowly but surely make my way through your Videos, I am already certain I don't need to view anyone else, so thank you for this! I was nervous switching having spent three years getting completely on top of FCP, but Resolve just actually feels more natural to me. It's like Excel, you either use it for what you need, or you delve deep! I think I will stay at the high level for the time being .. thanks again !

[@DarrenMostyn]

Amazing. Thanks for trusting me Paul. I know what Im talking about!! Ive been on DaVinci Resolve for 13 years (28 years in post production), Im a working pro colorist and editor - not a KZbinr!- My clients include BBC and Amazon - You've chosen well. Enjoy my back catalogue! Darren.

[@paulg3388]

@@DarrenMostyn I have no doubts after just watching your show reel !! Very impressive !! Thanks again I’m sure this won’t be the last time we chat as I’m sure I’ll respond with some questions on your posted videos :-)

[@DarrenMostyn]

@@paulg3388 I respond as best as I can to all reasonable comments. Enjoy!

[@filmicstream]

WOW.... That small change in workflow , changed so much , its like I have so much more room to play.

[@joshua-hammond]

subscribed in 15 seconds. First of your videos I have watched but plan to watch many more as i learn Davinci Resolve. Thanks and have a great day!

[@DarrenMostyn]

thank you! Appreciate the subscribe!! All the best, darren

[@ImaginationUpgraded]

I came here to learn one thing and legit just unlocked like 6 new skills 🏆 great tutorial!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Amazing! Pleased to hear that!! Join my maters class maybe..? There are just a few tickets left ?

[@StefanRingelschwandtner]

Fantastic video. As always. There are so many videos online about "color management" in DaVinci. It's refreshing that you made a video about the CST workflow without color management. That's exactly how I work, too. It's so flexible, and I don't have to think about what DaVinci is doing under the hood. I like having control over the entire node flow.

[@DarrenMostyn]

My pleasure!

[@rizkysebelasmeter664]

It really worked for me after I look and try some tutorials, yours is the one that worked. Owe you a lot.

[@VASILASIS]

Great video, Darren, just also many things can be done in CST as well, like fine tuning of highlights - using Max Input, Max output. Also GammaMapping Method is very helphful in order to suppress red color which sometimes an issue when transforming Panasonic V-Log

[@DarrenMostyn]

Exactly. You have got it!

[@arboreal-coincidence]

Interested in this! I shoot a lot of v-log which sometimes comes out magenta but I’ve been using offset under a cst to correct. What’s the method/advantage doing it in a cst node?

[@maikeeelx]

amazing, i definitely had a bad case of CST anxiety before this video. this helped me alot!! Thank you very much

[@DarrenMostyn]

pleased to hear it

[@antisachen]

Thank you for this video, short and to the point. I saw so many videos trying to understand this and i just got more confused. I think now i got it.

[@daniel.h2488]

additionally, you can put the final cst on the "post group" page, so all your clips can be transformed at the same time! or you can put a lut there.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Hi Daniel. Yes you can and that is good practise. Hope that helps.

[@charlesdavidmedia]

The video we've all been waiting for !

[@DarrenMostyn]

Appreciated Charles!

[@bruceaisher]

Thanks Darren - this was so helpful! You explained it in a way that finally made sense to me!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Great to hear!

[@sergeypryvala7750]

The best 12 min that i spend on youtube

[@collinausbury]

I keep coming back to this. So much confusion cleared up. Thank you for the simplicity.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@NnikoO]

This is the best explainer about CST, thank you very much!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PancakeSerenade]

5:22 that alone. 👌 thanks

[@DiversLens]

Thank you very much for your great tutorials, Darren. I like how you explain complex issues and your professional style of presenting.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad you like them!

[@VASILASIS]

Great video, just one thing I want to mention: If you already set TimeLine and Input color space to DR WideGamut, you do not have to organize the first node (CST) to transform SOMETHING -> DR Wide Gamut. Just start grading on the first node and have the final transform, of course, (Clip Color Space) -> REC709. Because from the first node you are ALREADY in DR Wide Gamut

[@airbeoneairbeone2872]

should I add that using groups, the OUTPUT CST to DWG to rec709.gammut 2.4 could be also put in POST CLIP for all the finals outputs that means that only your individuals's grades are inbetween the PRE-CLIP and POST-CLIP, (in the CLIP segment in the middle). -> PRE-CLIP is : origin camara to DWG (grouped by camera's origins) -> Color Grading individualy in CLIP -> POST-CLIP is : DWG to rec 709 - gammut 2.4 (which is common to all cameras's outputs) Dear Darren, your 2 tutorials about "AWARE about gammut" and "CST Anxiety" are truely gems, to watch again and again till perfect understanding. thanks so much

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thank you so much. Yes of course pre and post clip is a great way to do this. I dont show this as means explaining more than one principle at at time and its easier to keep simple. Thank you again, appreciated. Darren.

[@abagatelle]

Just started getting serious in Resolve - this was perfect, just the right amount of depth to start getting to grips with different camera sources.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it helped!

[@powawowah]

Finally got around to taking some test footage with our FX30 and using it in Resolve using this method.....all those channels that just pull log footage in and manually add saturation & Contrast in a node to get it ready to work on is mind boggling. As soon as I saw you were working on an advert with Stanley it was obvious you knew what you were talking about!

[@gmore70]

Love your channel. I wish I had found you years ago. You get straight to the point and explain things perfectly. Keep it up

[@scottw6960]

Great video as always Darren. How do you deal with graphics and fusion compositions in a color managed space?

[@joyoffilming9500]

Awesome! Still too many who believe they could do the de-log'ing of footage with a handmade contrast curve - CST is the solution, for sure!

[@nikolasdove]

If we transform all different camera types and groups to one working color space pre-clip per group, could we take all groups into the Timeline tab and in one step turn all different working color space clips into one cohesive output transform, also adding stuff like grain and other things to glue it all together in one spot?

[@EricEul]

Darryn, keep killing it man, you've literally taken us out of the dark ages with color grading spots for our clients, so, thank you. QQ for you. We pass a lot of cuts to the color station as Prores 422 files, and then detect scene cuts to get into coloring. We use several Sony bodies shooting Slog3, and it has been very easy to set the input color space of the clips to Sony Slog 3. Problem is, if the cut contains any other footage such as drone or Iphone, It treats the whole cut as one clip, even though divided by the scene cuts. This prohibits setting the input color space on the individual clips, as it must be global across the entire cut. I've found some success using cst to try to back out of Slog3 for the rec709 clips, but havent found the recipe that delivers a clean result yet....Any thoughts? Thanks!!

[@DarrenMostyn]

you need to do as CST only non RCM as the clip is one clip. Auto colour managed wont work. Also, use 422HQ not 422 - difference is worth it, even better use 4444. Hope that helps.

[@josahell]

Darren thank you so much for sharing all this with us time after time. You are truly an angel.

[@DarrenMostyn]

You are so welcome Josafat thank you

[@morrisgetman9827]

This video sets some very important points straight, much appreciated! Love your sound! What mic do you use?

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thanks Morris. I have a sennheisser 416. No audio post - thats it straight. No EQ, nothing.

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

Thank you Darren, I learned something new again:) I have always used Color Transform first. I've played around with it a bit and it's definitely a good prevention against clipping, but higlihts get flat and I lose DeFacto detail before the image would even start to clip. It also makes the image much more sensitive to work. Your other method seems better, but it also makes the work too sensitive.

[@aminshallwani9369]

This helps a lot to understand the color space. Thanks for sharing

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PPimenta]

Fantastic video, short, straight to the point. Congratulations

[@Tapehead1]

Super helpful. Thanks so much!

[@uncleanAlibertine1]

the best on utube about this topic! thnx

[@DarrenMostyn]

Appreciated.

[@cooolguymani]

BROTHER, YOU ARE THE BEST!!! You oooh really helped me!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

[@ellieusmusic8663]

Wow! I’m new to the color grading world. I’m learning it for our music content. Recently I swapped from a Canon 80D to a Sigma FP 12bit Cinema DNG. I have spent hours over the past months looking at different tutorials but this video was very simple to understand and I loved the visual representation that you did with Rec709 and Davinci Wide Gamut color space. How would you recommend to work on Cinema DNG in order to use all the data that sensor collected? Could you please provide a node tree? 😅🙏

[@chrisnielsen9885]

And of course the other benefit of doing it this way over the automatic colour management is it plays nicely with Fusion

[@DarrenMostyn]

of course - Im keeping it simpler for now!

[@ZEUS]

HOLY WOW!!! Best explanation EVER!!!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ThePixelSurgeon]

Thanks so much Darren. This answered my question finally ! Legend !

[@BrianTheCameraGuy]

Darren, you are a wizard consistently throwing out amazing tips. Thank you so much. Excited to try this on my next grade!!!!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad you found it useful

[@arnewinterboer201]

Egg-sellent Darren - very elegant - you hit the nail - thanks

[@KamranJawaid]

Great process at the end. Slightly different, but ingenious use of groups, than my own. Am going to adapt this to my own. Thanks.

[@AliArnab]

Such beautiful and smooth explanations. You are an amazing instructor sir. Thanks for this video

[@DarrenMostyn]

My pleasure - thank you Ali.

[@dkhart]

Thanks a lot Darren! Amazing time saving tips 🙏🏻 Short and sweet, like always 👍🏻

[@DarrenMostyn]

My pleasure!

[@hello457947]

What a brilliant video. Cheers Darren

[@PatHoffman-r5s]

Thanks so much for this! This was one of the best videos for a proper pipeline in DaVinci I have seen. I am still having problems with the exports from DaVinci to look the same as within the colour grading. Every time I am exporting from DaVinci and play it back, it looks flatter and less contrasty as in DaVinci. I am also working on a Mac which I know has this problem. Can you please make a video on these settings for proper export? Thank you so much!

[@mpell66]

Very helpful... I found it well explained, nice and calmly, and keeping it straight forward with just enough information to handle in one go.

[@dominic81634]

Thanks for all the content! Please do a video about the Tone Mapping and Gamma Mapping options on your OUT CST.

[@ianstewart4439]

Thanks, what a time saver that is. Quality and work flow looking more acceptable and a ton more time to concentrate on the composition. Brill, thanks….Ian

[@mastixmastix]

Top explained as usual in all your videos. Thanks

[@destinfarr]

Thanks! Good, clean instruction. No flashiness. Great work :)

[@johnfay3047]

Your probably the best at explaining all things CST related and I know you've moved from Mac to PC but any thoughts on export or colour management when working off an MacBook Pro would be appreciated, thanks again.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thanks but Ive not moved to PC. I'm a Mac user.

[@JimRobinson-colors]

Basically how I do it as well. If in the intermediate wide gamut on everything, I put the output transform at timeline level and then if need be I can use a film emulation LUT or whatever. Your set for your talking head looks fabulous. See you on your live stream. Cheers

[@JimRobinson-colors]

Okay read down the comments - don't have to explain again. Having it in the timeline level makes it easier to change the final target ( gamma 2.2 ) or 1.9 for a mac customer etc.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Thanks Jim.

[@luckysh3391]

This is huge for beginners like me, thank you sir!

[@DarrenMostyn]

You're very welcome!

[@MiMetaverso]

Wow Darren, it's a perfect explanation! it those two simple videos you totally resolved my doubts ! Thanks friend!

[@augustogomes_photo]

What a great video! Thank you for this fantastic explanation! It really made things much more clear for me!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jaricofilms]

Great! Thank you for explaining all of this so simply.

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TailoredTechnique]

What about outputting to instagram ? What profile is that? Using MacBook Pro I export 709 A…

[@CarlosVS]

This guy's a bloody genius! So many aha moments for me!

[@metukka1500]

This was so clarifying! Thank You Darren! :)

[@aljoscha.merlin]

Great explanation. Thank you!

[@DarrenMostyn]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jaykumarpal9229]

i really apreciate your help with dowloanding this software