Grade School: Pro Colorist Helps You Master Scopes Inside DaVinci Resolve

Scopes are an essential tool for every colorist, and knowing when, and when not, to use them can truly elevate your grades. Join me live as I answer your questions based off of this week's video on properly using scopes inside of Resolve. (You can check out the official scopes video here: • Master Scopes Inside o... )
0:06 Introduction
2:17 How do you pinpoint a good standard saturation level for skin using scopes?
5:51 How should I use the histogram to understand the image and make the most out of it?
9:07 Should we be monitoring video scope levels or data scope levels?
11:33 When working in HDR the vectorscope targets can only reach 75% rather than 100% as in SDR. What is the reason for that?
15:25 What is the workflow for using scopes on another computer and why do people do that?
17:25 Cullen’s tip for using the histogram in a practical way
21:02 Can you compare the histogram and the RGB parade? How would you use the parade to balance a shot?
25:34 Where would be the appropriate spot to place a power window in your node tree to check the skintone on the vectorscope?
30:23 How would you approach a full white scene without making the image clip and look all digital?
37:07 Do scopes represent the out color space like REC709 or the timeline color space like ACEScct or DWG?
37:59 In the last video you increased saturation but didn’t show up as extra saturation on the vectorscope, can you show why?
41:48 Is there a way to visualize the scopes in P3 and output XYZ?
45:22 What is the difference between doing a gamma operation in the YRGB curve vs just using the RGB channels and not the Y?
47:51 Where should one look to start understanding the math for building custom LUTs?
51:31 When running false color on set, should my input to the monitor be LOG?
53:33 How beneficial would scopes be for someone working for CGI output?
57:16 Final thoughts and conclusion
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procolor.ist/ebook

[@swolodkin]

I can shed some light on the question of changing your Waveform Scale Style between DATA & VIDEO in the scopes. When selecting VIDEO the scale changes to include sub-blacks and super-whites, i.e. values below zero and above one hundred. You need to be in Percentage mode for this to become apparent. So the trace is not compressed, it is the same as DATA, but just on a larger scale. This also baffled me at first until I finally noticed the difference. Plus thanks Cullen for teaching me everything I know about Coloring in DaVinci Resolve. Your brilliant.

[@emiliavee]

I don't really understand this at all! is there somewhere in resolve manual something about this? when would you use video levels? and when data?

[@cmingues]

can't thank god/universe enough to have you on this journey , thanks man

[@schilipp]

these sessions do indeed provide such valuable informations, im more than greatful for that. your thought about the "upright standing histogram" kinda broke my mind, love that. keep it up!

[@IsaacRC]

Regarding my question 44:26 Cullen was right, it's the luma mix adjustment at 100% (bottom-right of color wheels) that is causing it, sorry dumb me thinking I checked it all, should've asked instead why there isn't a 3 dimensional scopes already on the Davinci's Color tools.

[@joyKafka]

Your videos are immensely useful to me, not only technically but also intellectually. I just couldn't stop watching your programs one after another. I am curious how you would colour grade films about nature or wildlife where there is no skin tone or human faces, and as a byproduct, how we know if the colours of the birds or fishes are true but not the physiological projection of a colourist?

[@Devotedsoundwaves]

How I wish I had find your channel when I only started, I have wasted so much time with tutorials that have literally taught me nothing, thanks for what you're doing on this channel, by the way, i can't download the free Lut with the link you've provided, am getting an error 404 whenever I type in my name and the email, is there any another way I can get the Lut?

[@johnprivate6625]

Like your new Lut pack subtleties, maybe later they will fit my budget.

[@jseamans]

Thank you for another valuable hour. How about a tutorial on grading REC709 and/or 8 bit footage?

[@redstoneranger1404]

@@CullenKelly Very much appreciated!

[@kronk358]

Considering that youre a pro colorist, Im surprised all your videos are super dark.

[@cmingues]

@@CullenKelly 🤣🤣🤣