Color Temperature Explained - The Cinematographer's Guide to White Balance & Color Temp Fundamentals

Color temperature and white balance tutorial - the technical and creative elements in cinematography.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro - Color Temperature in Film
00:43 - Definition and History
02:05 - Color Temperature Reference Scale
02:30 - White Balance Explained
03:39 - Lighting Gels & Other Color Temperature Tools
04:28 - Shooting in Log-Format & Post Production Color Grading
05:17 - Color Temperature Decisions in Film
05:46 - Using Gels for Time Periods (A Ghost Story)
06:29 - Orange Color Temperature as a Motif (Palm Springs)
07:22 - Separating Environments & Creating Contrast (No Time to Die)
08:11 - Lawrence Sher Breaks Down His Lighting Techniques (The Hangover Part II)
09:25 - Using a Single Color Temperature (Ozark)
10:11 - FREE Color Temperature Chart
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Color temperature and white balance are elements that every photographer and cinematographer must understand. Every shot needs to be lit and every light has a color temperature. So, whether you want realism or something abstract in the colors of your image, a firm grasp of color temperature and white balance is absolutely necessary. In this video, we’re going to explain the science and creative choices behind these concepts so that you can master the lighting and color temperature in any scenario.
So, what is color temperature? Skipping over the extremely difficult math and science, color temperature is the color given off by a particular light source. For example, a candle is yellow/orange while a clear sky is bright blue. These color temperatures can be identified on a scale or spectrum, measured in Kelvin (not Celsius or Fahrenheit used for measuring actual temperatures).
But knowing the color temperature fundamentals doesn’t stop there, that’s just one half of the puzzle. The other consideration is the white balance setting of your camera. So, what is white balance? White balance is a setting that adjusts how colors are registered. Most cameras have preset white balance settings to choose from so that if you’re shooting outside on a “daylight” white balance preset, the colors will register the same in-camera as they appear to your eyes.
So, in most shooting scenarios, you’d want to capture those accurate or true colors. But there might also be a situation when you want to boost the orange or blue colors beyond their actual color temperature. This is most commonly achieved by either adjusting the color temperature of the light source, like with a gel, or by adjusting the white balance camera setting.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to color temperature and white balance. They are simply another set of tools image makers use to dial in their perfect shot. And once you understand the rules, you’ll know how to break them.
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"The Night Sky" - Falls
"Stay" - Falls
"That Vibe (Without Saxophone)" - Fairlight
"Whatever Hour You Woke" - Daniel Hart
"Safe Safe Safe" - Daniel Hart
"The Partisan" - Leonard Cohen
"Mercury" - Alon Ohana
"The Beast In Me" - Johnny Cash
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"Undercurrent" - Nu Alkemi$t
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FREE Color Temperature Reference Chart ►► bit.ly/ct-rc Chapters: 00:00 - Intro - Color Temperature in Film 00:43 - Definition and History 02:05 - Color Temperature Reference Scale 02:30 - White Balance Explained 03:39 - Lighting Gels & Other Color Temperature Tools 04:28 - Shooting in Log-Format & Post Production Color Grading 05:17 - Color Temperature Decisions in Film 05:46 - Using Gels for Time Periods (A Ghost Story) 06:29 - Orange Color Temperature as a Motif (Palm Springs) 07:22 - Separating Environments & Creating Contrast (No Time to Die) 08:11 - Lawrence Sher Breaks Down His Lighting Techniques (The Hangover Part II) 09:25 - Using a Single Color Temperature (Ozark) 10:11 - FREE Color Temperature Chart

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This is very educational for up and coming filmmakers going into cinematography. You’re the best channel on KZbin Studiobinder.

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[@seraiahisrael3512]

Yeah very basic to understand

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Color usage is such an interesting aspect of filmmaking. I’m really looking forward to learning more about it!

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More on the way!

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Glad it helped!

[@HiramMaxem]

Well done! What takes a few semesters or books to grasp, you guys condensed in 10min! This is a great introduction for someone starting out, they can now read more detailed books and start experimenting with a camera with color temperature firmly in their minds. Amazing work, thank you!

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I felt good when I saw them too. You have taught us a lot

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10:06 "Every scene needs to be LIT 🔥" - That's the greatest advice right there!

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😉🔥

[@axilator]

OMG OMG Colour Grading Video coming up....HYPE

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On its way!

[@sagasvensson8920]

Cruel Summer is a perfect example, as the story takes place in three different timelines the first timeline is usually warmly lit with bright colors and the second more white/pale and finally the last one darker with tones of green or blue. It's a simple way for a viewer to keep track of the timeline without any onscreen time stamps.

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INCREDIBLY helpful I am learning so much from all your videos (and I also get to listen to the outstanding narrator's low, dark timber British voice the whole time!) Thank you for your channel!

[@DynastyUK]

Not sure if it differs in video, but in photography we can use a cto then change the white balance in camera to "trick" it. for example if we want a deep blue sky we add a full CTO to the subject and adjust the WB to a bluer kelvin. thus keeping skin tones correct but background blue. So many cool ways to play around. Great video as always, I hope you never run out of things to make because i'm loving them all :)

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Another 'best ever' video by StudioBinder. I now will always be aware of colors!

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I've been following PBS Space Time for years now. So imagine my surprise when Planck suddenly gets mentioned in a tutorial about cinematography. You had my curiosity, but now you have my attention

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Really helpful for setting a mood and tone

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Great video, but I found a little very insignificant mistake concerning Planck's Law at 1:02: e shouldn't be in the denominator of the fraction with the Boltzmann Constant but it should actually be the base with the rest of the fraction as its exponent. So it should be like e^(hv/kBT). Just thought I'd let you know in case you care.

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Love these videos along with the perfect subtitles/VO!

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This was a really informative video. I feel like I understand color temperature a lot better now. Thank you!

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That's the goal!

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This was a fantastic explanation!

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That face going from white to red is a crazy idea that would’ve never crossed my mind without watching this

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Brilliant video on colour temperature. Love this narrator’s voice!

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We love him too!

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Happy filming!

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So educational, thanks for your videos!

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[@NoName-jq7tj]

It’s interesting how lower numbers work in photography. The lower the Kelvin number the blotter the light. The lower aperture denotes a wonders opening when you could possibly think it would be the opposite.

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My favorite use of color is in Seven orange and greenish teal tint

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Class has just begun.

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And available for repeated viewings

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Not sure 😅 But his name is Paul Gregory!

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Wow. Thanks for this video! Can you please make a video on color grading that goes deep in detail? Like, 30 minutes. I couldn't find a lot of useful information like I normally do in your videos in your current color grading videos, mostly because they're very short. No offence, you're doing great and are easily the best director's channel on youtube!

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Not sure if it'll be 30 minutes, but we'll definitely make it thorough! There'll be an accompanying article too :)

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Thank you very much for this highly informative and educational video! It would be amazing if you could break down how Inarritu uses colors since he's one of my favorite film directors and I would really like to know his approach towards color.

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“Every scene needs to be lit”? In your videos Every scene is lit.

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Are there any videos of yours about dynamic range and how it aids story telling?? If Not, please do make one :)

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Epic 🙌🏼

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[@Space_Flam1ngos]

me and my friend were making a lego stop motion and had his desk lamp at the perfect spot. One problem was it didnt have an orange tint to it. It just so happened there was yellow face cloths on the desk beside us, which i used to clamp onto the desk lamp. As you can guess, it gave off a yellow / orange tint! i love improvising right on the spot.

[@StudioBinder]

Great improvising! A lot of filmmaking is problem-solving :)

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Breakdown the popular film, how the director use different technique in the Film. Breakdown the "Don't Look Up"

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Thanks for the suggestion!

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Awesome & Thanks :)

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Thanks for watching!

[@charlesnorm4883]

So if you have a scene with lights that are difference colour temperatures, say 3200 and 6500k, what should you set the cameras white balance to? How do you decide? More specifically what would Lawrence Sher the DOP of the Hangover have set his colour temp at in that scene in the hotel?

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/What is/ the best playlist on studio binder

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We'd like you to tell us haha

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I have not seen a single movie by Max Planck so who made him such an expert on colour temperature? 🤔

[@StudioBinder]

haha he definitely helped us filmmakers

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It has been a while since I have commented, but I have an amazing suggestion I think you might go for: "Motifs and Motives - Blue Sky Studios and Families" (it would mean so much since the studio got shut down last year).

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Thanks for the suggestion!

[@Nundi2468]

This video is so educational and interesting also I'm studying things about cinematography because I'm planning on making a short film haha. BTW are you the host of these "StudioBinder" videos? I love your hosting voice 😍.

[@StudioBinder]

We have someone else on the team for the voiceover!

[@peenyaprasadphotography4778]

Super ❤

[@GanLaDeng]

3:03 So if I want a warm look, I should set my white balance higher than the light source?

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Im lovin it

[@StudioBinder]

Love that!

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Could you do a Director’s Playbook on Guillermo deal Toro?

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Boy i was never this early 😳

[@StudioBinder]

Welcome!

[@k.v.7442]

So with the dp that decided to make orange the focus color in the movie, I wonder when in production did she make that choice. While reading, script, rehearsal, etc?

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Most helpful videos, thankyou studio binder, one I will hire you for my story telling 😇. God bless cinema❤

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Good luck!

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My best KZbin Channel ❤️🥰📸

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Enjoy!

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Thanks for ur video. I learn a lot. And can u work on "color effect on pr"?

[@StudioBinder]

pr as in premiere?

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Would love to see a video dedicated to homages :^)

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Thanks for the suggestion!

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As always, I'm satisfied

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That's the goal :)

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tysm

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Thanks.

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👍

[@Cinekartik286]

Actually , i am little bit confused if we put CT 2500k of your camera and there is day light on which we are shooting we get blue tone output but if we get warm tone in our weather and shooting with 2500k what we will get as output

[@SharkVisionStudio]

This man should read bedtime stories. Reminds me of the guy who does the voice work in the Forza games

[@YulaTsheringSherpa]

For teal and orange look, are most professionals setting their camera temp to 3200 and lower? And then using really warm lights to get the warm skin tones and the beautiful teals in the shadows? I’m guessing like a candle light 1900K lighting?

[@taiafrik4869]

wait so if I’m understanding correctly you do not need to adjust your white balance when shooting in s-log?

[@robertobuatti7226]

D65 is what Filmmakers use as reference for White point balance from what I've researched, which is the industry standard.

[@StudioBinder]

It is commonly used!

[@robertobuatti7226]

@@StudioBinder Oh yes definitely, thank you, much appreciated.

[@thechuckleshow2470]

1:44- The "hotter" the temperature.................with literally Leonardo DiCaprio in the clip.😉😛

[@vikashgautam7516]

There is no download link on the website page , how can I download it ?