Waveform Monitor Explained - A Tool For Color and Exposure in Premiere Pro

[@JavierMercedes]

Let's ride the "wave" of learning the waveform monitor together! 🌊🏄‍♂️

[@9BlockProductions]

Javier, how are your videos sooo good?!! Thank you for every second of editing that you put into each video - this makes a huge difference in the ability for others to learn!

[@jdfilmzyyc]

You are a G, bro the stuff you teach is incredible and so easy to understand, thank you

[@ReadTheUnderstory]

It really shows that you're like the only professional on YT who is explaining this coherently. Thanks.

[@tehrube]

Dude, this was more helpful than the entire course of color correction on Lynda, good job!

[@BigLevelRecords]

Ok, let me just put this out there, What you are doing should go beyond filmmaking/color correction/etc, this way of teaching is fantastic!

[@friedalichtenberg7050]

Your videos are my new Netflix

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you!

[@parthbhardwaj4279]

I really loved this channel because this is the first channels which dedicated for premiere Pro not for another editing software I appreciate your efforts 👍👍👍

[@renegadeeats]

OK finally someone explained this in a way I can understand! Thank you Javier 😎👍

[@JavierMercedes]

glad it clicked for you!

[@jareddann7102]

I've been trying to get my head around colour for a long time. I understand and use the scopes and waveforms, but this just took it to a whole new level. Thanks for taking the time to explain what things mean and why certain numbers are used. I notice this throughout the channel that one explanation isn't enough, there isn't one way to do things or see things and Javier shows you different methods to achieve the same end goal.

[@JavierMercedes]

Really appreciate the comment Jared!

[@EatBuildRideRepair]

Sir, your content is amazingly high quality, considering that reaches only a very small amount of people. It's sad that quality does not mean higher view numbers. I want to thank you for these precise and well explained tutorials. If I can ask for a topic it would be the most underrrated one in the editor indusrty: the sound. It would be good to see some tutorial from you, about how to work like a pro with sound using premiere and audition, how to (easily) master a VO and deal with the bg music, how to edit "uhm"s, and "ahms" in the vo, and any other interesting tweaks regarding to the sound design. Sound and coloring are the two weak points in nearly every average video editors workflow.

[@M.Borjas]

Damn dude! Learn more on this video, than the tutorials I've purchased! Great job!

[@AmeerCorro]

This was the best tutorial on reading waveforms I've seen! Engaging, clear, and super informative. Thank you!

[@josephb1884]

I shared this video with all of my co-workers so they better understand. I had to learn the hard way. Thank you.

[@JavierMercedes]

Glad it was helpful Joe!

[@ka.4084]

Shocked that I didn’t subscribe to your channel even that I’m used to search on topics and since I find a video were made by you I click on it immediately. Forgive me for that. your tutorials are the best! I’m excited to see other videos on color correction & color grading. please, we need you savior.

[@JavierMercedes]

haha, thanks KA! I'll try my best.

[@boombapunitclassone]

I believe you have fun while recording these lessons : ) because you love it and helping people at the same time!

[@protoil]

The best explanation of waveform monitor I ever seen. Thank you!!!

[@squishyblob]

Confession: I’ve been making videos professionally for 10 years and I never new how to use this panel. You are a lifesaver!! This is amazing!!

[@SyedsLife]

Dude! I'm a final cut pro x user and watching this video has inspired me to start using premiere pro. Love your teaching style!

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you! But use what works for you, obviously I’m a little biased toward Premiere.

[@SyedsLife]

@@JavierMercedes tbh I’ve been toying with the idea of switching to premier. It would be nice to know how to use both I guess. Any advice on how to get started?

[@Kyle-4g343]

Super grateful for this video as I learn how to color grade without relying so much on presets!

[@DarkSpaceStudios]

Great Job man. You really can make something that seems daunting easy to get. I never understood 8bit till now. Appreciate it.

[@mdmahimislam1899]

This is the first time i understand the lumetri pannel. I saw a lot of videos on color grading but didn’t understand nothing. Really love your videos and explanation. Keep it up man. Love from Bangladesh ❤️

[@JimmyLikesTacos]

such a nice explanation of this. really well done!

[@Cineinsaner]

i cant explain how much i love this channle and learn from you.. i started earing money as a video editor and all thanks to you 3 guys.. you javier, Jason Levine and justine odhiso.. thank you so much you 3 from making my dream come true.. now i am full time video editor .

[@gallitron7803]

Your tutorials are great, presentation is super slick.

[@JavierMercedes]

Glad you like them Gallitron!

[@EspenJohan]

Im learning so much by watching your tutorials👍

[@broncoberkman]

Color grading is one of the most difficult thing I've had to learn with editing. This video helped me understand what I missing. Thank you!

[@Jonathan-wm5ju]

Wow… youtube recommended this video to me WAY too late. What an amazing tutorial man, i wish i had found you so much sooner. This video deserves a few million more views. Thanks a ton!

[@RealLeystar]

You don't know how much your channel is helping as an editor, I learn quite. alot from it and thank you very much.

[@PlanetJoeJoe]

Awesome! Thank you! It's probably the best and maybe the only video on KZbin that explains waveforms in lamen terms. Great video. thank you.

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you Joe!

[@BrettSeeley]

you... are incredible. one of my new favorite channels!

[@Sub2me112]

Amazing tutorial. Nothing else on KZbin helped me as much as this. 🙏

[@quiverfullproductionsllc]

Bro thank you so much ive been shooting and editing for a while. there is a difference between knowing things and understanding them. thank you

[@guillermoyt89]

this was the best explanation i have seen so far

[@benjaminjacobson3729]

This video is amazing. I’ve watched so many that haven’t properly explained this and finally someone nails it. Thanks

[@ggwildlife]

perfect video for me as im just using LUTs and needed to know about waveforms, so so helpful thank you for sharing my PremPro is now set up with these on my workspace.

[@LandRunProductions]

Thank you, Dak Prescott. You just made things a *ton* clearer.

[@JavierMercedes]

You’re welcome!

[@AndysGolfBlog]

Great video - thanks for sharing. I really, really found the first section particularly useful when looking at adjusting exposure etc.

[@dgoddard]

I've been trying to get a grasp on this for about 2 years now. I was close, but would have to spend way too much time trying to get things just right. I wish I would have found this when you first put it out. You just saved me a ton of time. Thanks!

[@sawtrain]

Great video. Thank you for actually explaining what certain things do...the whys and hows. Appreciate it!

[@emergenceuniversity]

Far and away, the best tutorial on waveform monitors I've ever seen. Wow!

[@ImageBySteve]

Thanks - just had a lightbulb moment - it all snapped into place.

[@biancaraedeleon4574]

Felt compelled to comment and tell you how great this video is. Learned a lot! I'm gonna go watch your other vids! Thank you!

[@osrstudiossanantonio6386]

been watching your stuff like how you break stuff down makes a lot of this easier to understand just getting into the color grading and correction also like your videos on editing tips and syncing sound thanks fro the tutorials will definitely watch more and recommend you to others

[@LexRaeMac]

You are very thorough and engaging despite the topic being complex and slightly dry to explain. Thank you.

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you!

[@DarqueSyde66]

You are a bad dude, my brother. Thank you for breaking it down so easily. I've been eyeballing for years. I want to step my game up so I need to really wrap my head around all of this. BTW, I hope the shot to the face with the ball didn't hurt too bad! LOL! Good stuff, sir.

[@fantaztikbeatz]

My new teacher. Short straight to the point easy to understand. I learned what I needed to learn in 15min. I literally just finished a 4 week Composition and Visual Design Class at my school and this was way more informative and easier to understand thank you so much!!

[@misam5219]

Sir your teaching style its like fantabulous

[@MatthewArringtonphoto]

This is such a clear and concise explanation of the waveforms and how they represent color and luma info! It finally clicked for me. Well done!

[@JavierMercedes]

Awesome! exactly what I was going for.

[@crenshawfilms]

It's the ball to the face for me. Thanks, I needed that. The info was awesome too thank you lmao!

[@curiousart42]

One of the best on KZbin. This channel is so underrated. Some of these edits probably took hours. Just hit the like button to show appreciation. Smh. Thanks for the great content.

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you!

[@Tonyrona]

Great explanation of this topic, I learned a lot here. Also props on delivering this subject in a fun and simple to understand way. The video was so good I had to leave 2 comments! Thanks again bro. Cya on the next one.

[@elkmurphy]

whenever I need to figure out smth in Premiere Pro, BOOM you are there to help

[@michaelpoczynek]

Mind blown! Very well done, Javier. Super impressive. Thanks so much for making this video. Have a great day! 😀

[@stevelewis7284]

I am relatively new to using a waveform monitor and did a quick KZbin search to see what I can find!! Wow! What an incredible and well done video that was easy enough to follow but advanced enough to be of good value. That is not easy to do, or to do well, but Javier knocked it out of the park!!!! Thanks for taking the time to do this!!!

[@colinkendall3128]

Javier, you are so clever! For the first time ever, I kind of understand those waveforms! Thanks.

[@funnykids6785]

Where did you get this excellent knowledge from? Maybe this is the second time I have returned to watch this tutorial :). Thank you!

[@TheFPSChannel]

One of the best breakdowns I’ve seen…. And in my 35 years of doing this I’ve seen a lot.

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you!

[@darrinlalla9008]

You are my new favorite KZbinr!!! Thank you for this!

[@mcprince]

This is the clearest explanation I've ever seen. I finally get it. Thank you!

[@gregorhanewacker]

what a great and profound tutorial... I'm totally impressed! Thanks a lot!!

[@adityaaj8083]

a treasure for beginners like myself ♥

[@MattFromAmerica]

Appreciate the video. I have been using the lumetri presets for a while and tweaking them but just now decided to figure out the scope.

[@MrTerryRay1]

Yo Javier this was awesome! You answered so many simple questions I had about viewing waveforms that no one else had answered. I like that you explained about 8 bit and 10 bit and now it makes sense to me why someone would prefer a camera that records in 10 bit rather than 8 bit. For someone who feels week in the area of color, you sure learned a lot about it because you are able to explain it so well. Thanks and I look forward to your next video in this area. In the meantime I need to re-watch this video catch what I might have missed watching it the first time. Blessings!

[@diniiisaakuru]

thanks! i love the way you simplify complicated things. a great yt teacher!

[@eugeneconstable4861]

Thank you 🙏 really informative and useful! - also that section on bit depth.. I never knew what that mean't until now. Brilliant.

[@GadgetInspector]

So glad I found your channel. You break things down in a way that I "get it" the first time. The segment on lighting was super helpful. What light were you using in the video? You were able to adjust brightness using a remote. I need that in my life.

[@asduhaisjdjasd]

captain dissilusion's video on color is also really helpful to understanding this

[@jeffmit2675]

Amazing! Best YT tutorials ever. Thank you!

[@musafir1930]

simply the best explanation on the subject. thanks.

[@alejandrovlogs1248]

This was AWSOME!!! BEST EXPLANATION EVER.!!!!!!!!!

[@chintu4198]

Excellent. Explanation that is easy to understand. Thank you!

[@stopeman82]

I’m really liking your videos man. Very detailed but no fluff. 👍👍

[@CalifornianWayfarer]

If you went to design school, you're doing us all non-schoolers a favor by bringing that knowledge to KZbin. Color has been my psychological Bête noire but this easy to watch video pushes me through my fears. What would help exponentially in this or the next video is go through a color correction example on a clip and list the chronological steps one must take e.g. 1. Correct exposure 2. Correct white balance and so on.

[@FromGamingwithLove0456]

This video has enlightened me so much that I feel that anyone I know who doesn't know how the Lumetri Scopes work are unfortunate peasants who deserve my pity. Very, very well explained- if you can get it through my head then pretty soon my dog will be able to do my editing gruntwork.

[@rexdyplusplus]

This channel is very underrated.

[@alexmighty9004]

The quality of this video is beyond top notch. I'm impressed. Thanks for putting in the time to make these videos. What a pro.

[@Idkwhatdoyouthink-p2v]

I was so confused until you used the bars in black and white. Thank you!!!

[@cjtv5442]

Well explained. God bless you, fellow creative!

[@faithhouse6111]

Really thorough and comprehensive... thanks ( my color checker passport arrives tomorrow btw!)

[@JavierMercedes]

I keep using mine more and more, took me awhile to get used to the workflow, but I love it so far.

[@majedmj.digitalworlds]

I never amazed how great session I am getting every time I am checking your video

[@mitdemall]

Thanks for the nice explanation, just getting into color grading and this really brought me a step ahead :)

[@jasonwalton6311]

I've been color correcting and color grading my own footage for years, and this was hands down the most informative video I've seen on Waveforms. Thank you for taking the time to make this.

[@JavierMercedes]

Thank you!

[@northumbrialearning5714]

Fantastic explanations with helpful animations! Many thanks and great work ... subscribed!

[@nav17]

Really helpful for color grading process

[@Braveindian4]

Amazing video man. Loved all the visual examples.

[@thedirtdominators]

what a well produced video and well explaination! though very detailed on a tough topic. good work man! thanks

[@TheArberndt]

Great job on this one, I've probably watched 10 of these tutorials but this one was the one that made it make sense. Adding masks to demonstrate different parts of the waveform was genius!

[@hurryupnwait9887]

Excellent tutorial Javier. I really enjoyed it.

[@friendyma]

Thank you for this very complete information, only on this channel the information is very clear. I hope you explain more about basic correction, from footage had under exposure and over exposure, how to fix that? thanks b4

[@truckingpix]

one of the best explanations I've seen!!!! thanks👍👍👍👍

[@dumnyezau]

This is awesome dude. Thank you for this information. Looking forward for the color grading videos 🙆‍♂️

[@LukeHumphlett]

This by and far away the best explanation of these concepts I've ever seen. I feel like I've fully wrapped my head around it now. Thank you so much!

[@xTavs]

Excellent video with plenty of technicalities yet simple-to-understand terms -- Also, at exactly 11:58, the 10-BIT value it's shown as 1203 instead of 1023. Thanks!

[@JavierMercedes]

Ugh, if only I could re-upload that one part, thanks for letting me know, at least you knew what it was supposed to be!

[@xTavs]

@@JavierMercedes No worries! Thanks

[@timkozina]

Aweome, easy to understand video. Thank you!

[@Disasterina]

great tutorial! I feel like I know something now!

[@gustafonseca2]

Another amazing learning experience! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

[@BarcelonaPhotographer]

wow, great video, very informative. Thanks!

[@MaxoticsTV]

You know I couldn't love your videos any more than I do! Every two minutes I'm wondering "How did he do that!?" But you also know I might have some comments ;) First, waveforms began in analog video times (which I am old enough to have worked in). They represent voltages/frequencies from separate color tubes. Today's video is digital. We never get the voltages, only the digital representations of them. Instead of separate tubes, we have color mosaic (bayer) filters. Unlike analog video signals, most digital video begins as 12-14 bit RAW values. That means we have two different looks at information, 8-bit "broadcast" or what we all watch everything on, and 12-14 bit RAW which allows us to re-expose our images; that is, pick how we want to fit them into everyone's 8-bit device color space. (It's late, I've had a drink). So let me get to specific, um, things I believe you could be more clear about next time. 1. There is NO luma data. That's more of an old B/W video signal thing. As you point out, color is split up into 3 primaries RGB which have values between 0 and 255. Luma is assumed to be a certain GAMMA curve applied to each of those color values BY THE DISPLAY. Rec 709 is one of those curves which is used for "broadcast". That is, it's what is assumed your cell phone will display each 0 to 255 color value at. But you can change the curve, somewhat, on a display to be anything you want! It's what you do when you change the contrast, whites, or blacks, etc., as you did. The problem is, 8-bit doesn't have much wiggle room, which brings me to a very subtle thing you might think about. 2. A white is not blown out because it sits at 100 IRE or black crushed because it's at 0. It's blown out when there is no gradation between dark and bright. We expect things to grow bright gradually, or to turn black gradually. When it is very abrupt it creates a blank space which call for attention by our brain to figure out what's in it. Normally, every color goes from dark to bright gradually which is why you see curves in the waveform. When you push the whites too much say, they move past 100 and the curve flat-lines, so to speak, which means our expectation of graduations is going to be challenged. However, THAT DOES NOT MEAN it is not properly exposed. There is no perfect exposure. In difficult lighting, what's important is your subject has gradation. If you have to blow out your light to get it, fine, if you make it so your light isn't blown out, and you're too dark, then it may be properly exposed but will be a bad image. It will be a bad image because the subject, you, it too dark so the viewer gets frustrated. If the light is blown out, they won't care, though you and I would ;) Again, great videos! And as always, please feel free to challenge me on any of this!

[@JavierMercedes]

For sure agree on the number 2 for exposure for the subject than a light I think I point that out later in the video when I push the exposure past peaking on the light. It took me so long to figure out gamma curves but I’m coming around to it, I just wanted a finite answer to what the x and y axis are in a gamma curves, in analog it must be voltages but in digital I am still trying to figure out what the x and y axis are if a gamma curve is applied l. I lniw x is in and y is out. So the y could be something like IRE but is the x value still a voltage but just a digital read out of a voltage. It’s funny because there is a steep learning curve to learning about things like curves in color.

[@MaxoticsTV]

@@JavierMercedes You get a reading from a pixel in your camera. In 12 bit it can have a value from 1 to 4,095. That's your X. Our displays are 8-bit, or can hold 256 values (as you explained). You understand that we discern tonality better when those x's are distributed using a logarithmic Y scale instead of linear (how our sensor records). What drives me nuts is ALL color profiles, like the out of the box, the standard profile in your A7SIII, are logarithmic (GAMMA curves) applied to the sensor data! The difference between the standard profile and S-LOG3 is ONLY a change in the curve applied to those 4,095 values. Filmmakers believing LOG is some new special power--that's FANTASY! A desire to be God with your camera, to do thing one couldn't do 10 years ago, or your friend with their dinky Canon T1-i ;) Now I get it. I sound bent out of shape. It's all harmless anyway. Let people have fun. But for those who really want to understand I try to share my exploration and experiments. I believe some of the misconceptions out there hurt filmmakers in their work. They're sold benefits without fully disclosing the drawbacks. You can read more here: medium.com/swlh/camera-raw-for-skeptics-2f164dbb15b8?source=friends_link&sk=d24d54bc69af6eca349bbd58ef9bf117 And as always, I'm always happy to go over it with you on the phone.

[@AbstractBlackArt]

Thank you so much for making this video! It is EXTREMELY helpful! You've just found yourself a new sub as well!

[@lewischikuni2900]

Brilliant video man! Great info and clear engaging presentation. You're a beast!

[@LawrenceKaneshiro]

I have watched several of your videos, and now that you asked; YES I love you teaching style. Keep up the good work. As for future videos on color, a deeper dive on how to use these tools to color grade. I understand this was an introduction to the color tools available, now we need to learn how to use these tools. Perhaps you have already done that, I will look for it. Otherwise I look foreword to watching it. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼🖖🏼