Master Scopes Inside of DaVinci Resolve

It actually took me years before I fully understood scopes and had a meaningful way of incorporating them into my work. So in this video I'm sharing how I use scopes, how I DON'T use scopes, and what scopes can and can't tell us as we do our work.
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[@jonathonfriedl1766]

Please, dear God, let this man live forever.

[@agudal8503]

hahahahah indeed!

[@kylekettler1192]

You have blown my mind with your mindset with scopes "not to tell me what I need to do, but what I am doing and where it's taking me." I feel like I wont be fighting with scopes as much now. Thank you!

[@JimRobinson-colors]

hey Cullen - love the "Scopes don't get a vote" bit. I always think of scopes like a speedometer. When I drive I can feel if I'm going the speed limit, but it's nice looking down every once and awhile and confirming it.

[@ChadtheFilipino]

agreed, i still like using them as a crutch as i'm still a rookie+ colorist, but learning to not rely on the parameters with them is good.

[@cinema8564]

And ... there's more! .. The 3D LUT Creator 3D vectorscope just mentioned below also shows the diminution of saturation at the high and low end of the color space luminance range, a fall off that varies with different color spaces. Sooo helpful. Helps preserve sanity.

[@MarvinFalz]

Thank you very much again, Cullen! This lesson is actually kinda liberating. The way I was taught it, I always have an eye on the parade scope and try to keep all color channels safe between the black and the white point. The next time I grade I'll try out the other scopes as well, and I'll keep my eye on the image itself.

[@taelonisthebest]

Thank you so much for all your videos. You have no idea how helpful they are!

[@YOUAREMYKIN]

You explain everything in such an easily understandable way. Thank you.

[@nosatori]

Cullen, every video you produce gives me a massive leap in my understanding of my work with DaVinci in particular and video editing in general. Beyond gratitude. ;-)

[@StefanRingelschwandtner]

As always, great video. From the beginning to the end.

[@djsuckertash]

Excellent. It took a while to get into the headspace that- within a colour managed environment- the scopes are no longer as much instructive as they are representative. Much as the dictionary is only meant to tell you what the words of the language are doing, rather than what they should be doing. Thanks for this, Cullen.

[@ryanwellence]

Learning cinematography at my school, we were so anti histogram and pro waveform. It's gonna take some time to reroute that part of my brain.

[@robertper4102]

You can do it. I've been a broadcast engineer, painting cameras for live events, we always use a waveform. Now shooting some of my own short films, I've picked up the histogram really quick. In some ways the histogram is easier to read. (Also I love false color and when possible I'll use it on my broadcast gigs.)

[@aaronwalterscheid4496]

I’m still the same way, I understand Cullen’s point about the reading the overall distribution of luminance, but for me personally, I feel that the waveform tells me everything the histogram does and more. Admittedly though, I spend more time in the cinematographer role than colorist. So that might be why the waveform just feels more intuitive for me.

[@emmanuelkelz]

Thank you for this deep insight! As a beginner enthusiastic colorist, this was very very impactful! Again, Thank you!

[@kaymmimacedo1446]

you are awesome, thank you so much for these videos!

[@redstoneranger1404]

Another important puzzle piece to improve my workflow. Thank you Cullen.

[@rockysardana4834]

Thank u so much sir for what u are doing for us♥️

[@ML-yw4hv]

Thanks for all your help🎉🎉🎉

[@EdwardKilner]

Thank you. I found this video to be informative and clear.

[@SaxSpy]

I've been enjoying messing around with the new lut pack. The powergrades had issues in loading in I couldnt figure out but really high quality.

[@TommyDeWitt]

great video! so helpful cullen

[@robertkwela8186]

Hey Master I thing we should go more in this kind of direction I would really want to see you teaching us how you do it step by step on just one frame from start to end your lesson are like win a lottery hope one day you will Big respect to you say hi from London

[@albertorambaudi6055]

great informacion, as always. thanks for share

[@JohnBrinkPhoto]

When using scopes to adjust a clip using local versioning can help either the colorist or the client if indecisive. There is also a histogram displayed behind the curves tool if you want it you have to turn it on. When coloring docs that were shot under natural light the vector scope can help fix skin tones shot under skylight or , yuk, florescent lights.

[@outbackatl]

Good explanation of scopes. In one instance of how your Scopes can tell you what you're supposed to be doing is when you're delivering to broadcast and colors are exceeding the goalposts markers on the vectorscope. If the colors exceed the color limits it will be outside of the legal limit for broadcast.

[@Crimbtw]

I look forward going in depth on histogram’s. Like What a good histogram looks like? Dos and don’ts? Gonna be an awesome grade school tmr

[@flochfitness]

Oh hell yeah!!!

[@kimbarber3094]

Great video as always. Is your Core Elements LUT Pack still available? Thanks!

[@pierre_gsd]

Ok now I just want to see a video talking only about those mysterious X and V adjustment 😂 Thanks for the great content Cullen

[@maurice_morales]

Keep flexing those fundamentals!!!

[@KarelZweefvlieger]

TNX for the education!!

[@koushikbhattacharya832]

thank u so much sir♥

[@peturthor5140]

Masterfully put Mr. Kelly! The image must always be king - not the measuring devices.

[@airbeoneairbeone2872]

Pleased to join your channel recently, a different way to explain process very instructive and friendly

[@timw999]

Seems like in the analog stone age (23 Years ago) I was able to get both segments on the vector scope at the same time to better align them. Is there a way to do that instead of switching back and forth ? BTWI am very New to this and totally enjoy each and every one of your Videos, as your teaching method is fantastic.

[@electronicbox6990]

I have an interesting sugestion maybe for a future video. Vectroscope zoom 2x and 2 targets in Resolve. I think not many folks mention anything. My DSC labs chart mention 2x zoom, then the question is when to use 2x and 1x vectroscope to judge the SAT?

[@twofoldfilmhouse2037]

one day I hope to master the scopes. Subbed

[@kirankiranmishra]

beautiful, something I knew about it but now I know more then what I knew, changed my mind set, I was always worried about my scopes not going in right direction while I am falling in love with look, now I know when to F scopes. 😁 also accept the fact that you can't relay on scopes at some point, but I hope that it is not the same case when we our highs & lows gos out side of the legal lines which is below 0 and above 1000. ????

[@kirankiranmishra]

@@CullenKelly definitely, I always helps🙂

[@graemetowner7257]

love the spinal tap reference....

[@mammifero]

Dear Kelly, i'm lost !!! the "look" node in the timeline, how have you created ? GREAT Video

[@ThomasPrz]

Hello Cullen, and thank you very much for all this information. However I have a question about the parameters to fill in the project parameters > Color management. I use the first method presented by you I have a DWG node: Input Color Space: Sony S-Gamut3.Cine Input Gamma: Sony Slog-3 Output Color space: DaVinci Wide Gamut Output Gamma: Davinci Intermediate I have another Node REC 709 Input Color Space: Sony S-Gamut3.Cine Input Gamma: Sony Slog-3 Output Color space: rec 709 Output Gamma: gamma 2.4 So what should I put in Color science? Timecolor space and output color space of my project settings? Thanks

[@danielsuarez2519]

I want to take your class, did u have any plan to do it sooner or later this year ?

[@stevesexton6194]

Hi Cullen, where do you have yours levels set for the scopes? Video or data, and does it make a difference?

[@llpreiss]

Please explain what to look for in using the Histogram scope. I understand the basic purpose and what is being displayed by the scope, but exactily how do I relate it to the image and the result I'm looking to achieve.

[@rohithreddy3776]

Hey Cullen, is higher dynamic range and 10 bit color better or a bit lower dynamic range and 12 bit raw better? I'm so confused about picking a camera between the Sony A7Siii and the Canon R5C.

[@pierrebarry495]

Love your tutos ...Wish I have you as a brother !

[@edaracedream1403]

I would like to know about cialab, how to edit colors with it. I think that would be very interesting

[@martin.colours]

Quick question: Is it true that you shouldn't let the trace in the vectorscope go past a certain boundary? I always thought that there's this imaginary line that connects all the boxes (R,M,B,C,G,Y) in the scope and that if you go past it you could fail QC, especially if delivering for broadcast.

[@maniratnamcreator]

can you do a tutorial on fujifilm flog footage to cinematic grade?

[@qusayquraishi1607]

You say that your eye should be the final judge, but this requires a professional coloring screen so that we can rely on the eye. Can you tell us which coloring screen is the best for the job?

[@Veptis]

scopes are so useful, that I feel the lack of them not being in other applications. Like Capture One which I use for stills. So I even looked at an external solution. I don't trust my screen, so scopes help.

[@theowlfromduolingo7982]

In which order is the grading done in „timeline“ compared to „pre-clip“ or „clip“

[@he.smile_]

Pre-clip -> Clip -> Post-clip -> Timeline

[@jonicolton]

you said its a good sign if i feel confused or overwhelmed... what about embarrassment? cullen, i'm lost. what about color harmony, relativity, etc.? am i supposed to be thinking about color theory while i'm using these scopes? i'm not even sure if this is the right question. shot 4: red monopolizes my visual attention before the green does (warm advances, cool recedes), which not only affects depth perception but also how saturated my subject's skin tone can appear. is this right? if so, what am i objectively diagnosing if color (e.g. skin tone) is so, for lack of better words, relative? what exactly is the skin tone line telling me in light of above? -colton

[@jonicolton]

@@CullenKelly thanks for prompt response and insight 🤟

[@Afternoonpodcast]

bro your LUT for dwg and aces ‘s link is not working

[@filmgenius2]

Can you link Node video?

[@apocryphal_man]

Just wanted to say for me the links to your site in the description are dead (404)

[@ReC86661]

color dad

[@jeffryancarlson3273]

Subtitle please. Thank you.

[@jandwstudios9729]

There are English ones.

[@AadilDar]

You can turn on "Auto Translate" in Captions settings, if you want another language.. It will not be perfect, but you will get the idea.

[@AlexLancashirePersonalView]

What happens to the skin tone line if the subject is Asian or African etc. ? Cullen.

[@andyhelmboldt2339]

This is because human skin is all essentially the same hue, with only the saturation and luminosity differing.

[@user-gd6pj6oh8p]

In a way, scope is not god!

[@jukebox6470]

Hey Cullen - I love the videos. Do you offer 1on1 coaching? I can send you an email.