DaVinci Resolve Color Grading Workflow - Image Pipeline Explained

Today we do a Deep Dive on The Image Processing Pipeline in DaVinci Resolve 17, so you can know exactly what order things happen and develop better workflow from Beginner to Pro.
Download Davinci Resolve for Free: www.blackmagicdesign.com/prod...
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
1:00 - Getting Started
1:18 - Raw Processing
2:24 - Color Management Overview
3:24 - ACES Simple Explanation
4:20 - Resolve Color Management
5:26 - Input LUT
6:35 - Fusion
7:03 - Color Page Nodes Overview and Groups
8:27 - Group Pipeline Explained
9:02 - What to do first in Nodes
9:48 - Clip Node Tree
10:40 - Versions
11:31 - Remote Grades
12:33 - What to do at last in Nodes
13:06 - Timeline Tracks
14:00 - Timeline Node Tree
14:17 - Output LUT and Color Space
14:36 - Delivery Page
Notes:
After a few months off, I'm back and we're going over the image processing pipeline. Now this may not be the flashiest topic to cover, but understanding the ordering in which operations occur has many benefits and results in a better understanding of how to achieve desired results through image manipulation.
I strongly recommend checking out the Resolve Manual at the page number in the references below for a great chart that goes over most things covered in this video. I decided to do a full lesson on it, as the chart leaves lots to the imagination, and I wanted a one stop shop for not just knowing what order things happen, but actually how they are happening.
Regarding ACES, I've linked to ACES Central below and I highly recommend you check it out. The biggest problem with ACES is the constant misinformation and lack of understanding. I do aim to do a full breakdown on ACES in the future going over some of the things that folks often get wrong here on KZbin, so let me know if there's any parts you'd like explained further.
Finally if you've read this far, I just want to say thank you. You are the reason I came back to this channel almost half a year later. I hit a massive load of work and entirely lost my motivation for making KZbin tutorials, but seeing all the kind words from people on comments of old videos I knew it wasn't something I'm willing to let go and maybe one day I can actually turn my full time job into teaching Resolve. For now though, the goal is twice a month putting out deep dives that really go into the nuts and bolts of Resolve and how it works.
References:
Take Me Away (Music Video): • Problematic - Take Me ...
Learn More About Aces: acescentral.com/
Groups: • How to Use "Groups" - ...
Versions: • How to use "Versions" ...
Remote Grades: • Color Grade Projects W...
Check out the DaVinci Resolve 17 reference manual to learn more you can find it in the help tab of Resolve.
Order of Image Processing Operations: Page 2842
Gear I use:
Camera - Black Magic Pocket 4k
Microphone - Rode NTK
Main Lens - Meike 12mm f2.8
Other lenses - Meike 35 mm f1.7, Rokinon 50mm T1.5, Rokinon 24mm T1.5
Tripod - Velbon Videomate 638
Computer Specs:
CPU - Ryzen 1700x
GPU - GTX 1070
Monitor - Eizo CG2420

[@NathanCarterVids]

I'm back! Thanks for all your support and kind messages. Lots of stuff planned for the coming months.

[@jonathan.hannig]

Really looking forward to it 😍🔥❤️

[@bigbaddabil]

Well explained thank you! Best full explanation so far of this pipeline!

[@adsmithtx]

great video I now understand pre clip clip and post clip and timeline... thanks

[@ZacColah]

Thank you so much, Nathan! This is a very important topic that can easily be overlooked. Please keep making deep dives into the fundamentals of Resolve! It's so hard to find practical non-beginner content for Resolve so thank you so much for making this!

[@NathanCarterVids]

Absolutely. That's the reason I started the channel. Not many other folks making it, so I figured I'd give it a try myself.

[@PhillipRPeck]

This is so freaking informative. Glad you're back

[@NathanCarterVids]

Thanks!

[@eyobmotivo6339]

U Always see everything in unique way ....thank u

[@sigvardbjorkman]

Great info and learning

[@KZ-yu4jz]

Great video, good to know the order of operations. The intro was pretty amazing...

[@NathanCarterVids]

Thanks. I had way too much fun with that. I personally love when a video gets me excited to learn, so that's what I was aiming for.

[@mearslab]

DUDE! So glad to watch a new video, and one again, you blew my mind, remote grades!!!!! Great explainer for the general "order of operations", I've always wondered about that.

[@NathanCarterVids]

Glad you liked it!

[@sorinspunei3271]

Welcome back !!!

[@NathanCarterVids]

Thank you. I really appreciate it.

[@allentula2771]

Bro thank you so much. I didn't even know there were adjustment layers similar to premiere. I've been using resolve for a few weeks now and never going back to premiere. This was very helpful

[@NathanCarterVids]

Awesome. Really happy you were able to get some use out of it.

[@ShakyFootage]

thank you so much!!!!!!!!!! great

[@NathanCarterVids]

Happy to help

[@JimRobinson-colors]

Good one Nathan. I see a lot of questions in the forum on pre and post groups and timeline nodes. Good that you explained it thoroughly. I often put film grain on the Timeline node level as well. A real film grain would be over everything including titles and probably wouldn't change throughout a film. But the adjustment layer could be dragged across the whole timeline as well and suffice. I also use Timeline nodes for temporary OFX that I don't want to keep adding and turning on and off, mostly the false color plugin. I find it faster when I need to see the false color plugin to have a node on the timeline and just quickly turn it on, on any clip I am parked on, And because it is in the final level it actually gives me the output exposure. Tip - when you are in the project settings - you can hold down the alt key when you click save and the menu saves and changes your settings, but remains open. Good tip if you are changing things and making a choice without going through the whole open and search through the settings to go back and forth to get the settings you want. Good job on this video. I have said it before, I respect that you explain everything well. People tend to learn better if they know "Why" they are doing things as opposed to just following a recipe.

[@NathanCarterVids]

Great points Jim, I hadn't considered that workflow. I really value your insight in the comments on my videos. Thanks for the support.

[@TheMash84]

Hi all, I'm currently working with just one camera, EOS R, paired with Ninja V. The footage is CLOG, 10bit, Rec2020 colour space. I'm using Colour Space Transform OFX to convert the footage to Rec709. I'm also using DaVinci Wide Colour Gamut as it seems to lead to better grading and correction results. Would it be wrong placing the Colour Space Transform in a Timeline node instead per clip? I find it a little bit repetitive and inefficient creating the same node over and over per each clip, as I'm working with a single camera. Some advices would be truly appreciated! A beginner DaVinci's user here :) Thanks!

[@serdarismail7219]

i am glad you are back Nathan :-) Can you please a tutorial with a Energy Ball to shoot like Street Fighter Hadouken or Dragon Ball Z :-) PLEASE

[@NathanCarterVids]

Thanks! I'll see what I can do about that. I'm kinda leaning away from VFX, but who knows

[@MikeStarkov]

Where is colorchecker in this pipeline? Between RAW and Color Management Project settings?

[@judithhaller1680]

Hello Nathan, when can we expect a new VFX Tutorial in Fusion ? Best Regards

[@NathanCarterVids]

Honestly I'm holding off from Fusion for a bit. Most of what I know and do professionally is grounded in color correction. The other reason is fusion kinda kills my computer and with GPUs and CPUs at their crazy inflated prices, I'm gonna wait until I can get something close to MSRP before upgrading, hopefully that's within the next year haha.

[@stevestrasser6833]

All great! Thanks for the effort. Many valuable tips. But omg what a rush .... I would really like to see this ez pz, step by step, no hurry, we have time ... maybe do a few videos separating all these topics. From your point of view all of this is clear but hey ... man! I have to watch this a few times at 0,5 speed ... lol!

[@NathanCarterVids]

That's great feedback. I find it difficult to ride that line of explaining everything clearly while still remaining engaging, and tying that into a topic people are searching. Is there anything I can help clear up and better explain in the comments?

[@stevestrasser6833]

@@NathanCarterVids No problem at all! I need to dive into this and it will become clearer. Thanks!

[@ikbalaydin80]

hi .. i have a question.. how to make color grading a landscape into grayish color? Can you make a video about that please

[@NathanCarterVids]

I'm not sure I follow. Are you talking about reducing the saturation of an image ( by tonal balancing, slider, some mix of the two)? Do you have a reference?

[@ikbalaydin80]

@@NathanCarterVids thank you sir .. yes i have .. i saw the movie James Bond Spectre.. the scene were they voting in a hall.. the ambiance that i saw it was like grayish.. i can see the colors but like grayish.. maybe i am wrong 🤔

[@NathanCarterVids]

@@ikbalaydin80 okay great question. Now this could be a number of things, from the production design, to the lighting, however what it sounds like to me is that you're looking to reduce saturation of a specific region. I'd say your best bet if there's a tonal difference between your subject and background is to balance the desired tonal ranges to reduce saturation. The HDR control is great for that. I also go over the general principles in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3vOZpKVe7Scpbs

[@ikbalaydin80]

@@NathanCarterVids Thank you so so much .. God bless you ❤

[@jonathan.hannig]

i am feeling so stupid now hahaha :D thanks so much for this video, verry informative and helpfull, ill defenetly save it for the next years i love the feeling of not understanding a word, it tells me there is a lot to learn, and i love that

[@NathanCarterVids]

Thanks for the support. Is there anything I can help clarify?

[@jonathan.hannig]

@@NathanCarterVids nono, the video was verry good to understand, I think I just need some time and practical implementation to slowly understand everything, thanks alot ❤️