Simplified Grading: Power Windows

Part 3 in my series on simplifying our approach to grading. In this installment we’re discussing concepts and techniques for working with power windows .
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[@dmzdj]

Thank you so much. You make me think differently~

[@stu9000]

I’m loving the concepts. I’d like to also see full screen before and afters of each frame to judge how they look.

[@jondargy]

Another bit of gold. Amazing. I was curious about one thing. Why do you prefer to use a circular window with a modified aspect vs just a rectangular window?

[@filipzamec9671]

Thanks for the videos Cullen, great stuff. I don't know what films you're into, because nowadays in a car at night for example, actors have perfect light rectangle slammed at their eye level no matter how they turn the car :) So perfect round shapes around our heros face is no biggie. Nobody notices 😄

[@IskandarBwefar]

Very well explained. Thanks for the great video!

[@GrigoryanFilms]

Awesome and you kept it simple 👍🏼. Thanks for sharing

[@iltonkdr]

fresh! like more liberating.

[@satarmansourdehghan570]

Tnx Cullen

[@Ethereal_Mist]

Absolutely awesome content. Just one question. Can you share this background music in the video? I have also DMed you regarding a color grading query.

[@UlfWolf_Skater]

Thanks for your ideas! I’m working with that technique already, but I like the idea to take things away rather than adding.🙏 Maybe another feedback: depending on the device watching the video the background music is a but annoying 😉

[@ST7GOLDTRIDENT]

👍

[@robertkitto6412]

Great video. Please can you show your usual node tree? I see you use DCT's from openFX, why is that? thx

[@robertkitto6412]

@@CullenKelly That would be great. With regards to DCT. In some of your videos you sometimes click on a node that has a DCTL on it and then tweak with the parameters...exposure being one I can think of. I was thinking you use it as part of your 'OUT' compound node as so far I don't think i've seen a video of you showing that yet. I hope that makes sense? thanks

[@JimRobinson-colors]

If you are approaching the exposure photographically, then why would you track a power window? Seems to me unless it's a stage play where a spot light would be needed, if the girl leaned forward or back and loses the light, then the light needs to broadened not moving. I have seen other tutorials where they throw a power window on and then track it, doesn't look natural to me unless they are simulating a spotlight on concert footage or something. I tend to use the flag concept as well - but if the practical is a lamp that is directional, the light would have a path so it would most likely be more than one flag to shape the light. Sorry, still watching your videos, much better than Sunday morning television. I like your approach to a lot of this stuff.

[@photomotion]

Thanks a ton Kelly. After slapping a million windows I was still not feeling good about the grade I was working on. Now I understand why. The individual parts looked great but the image overall didn't look photographic.

[@photomotion]

@@CullenKelly While you are here, I would like to throw a suggestion. It would be great to see you cover landscape/outdoor color grading. I try to extrapolate what I learn here in the context of controlled lighting scenes to the landscape films I shoot. However, I would love to see your thoughts/approach to grading landscape/outdoor scenes in order to make them look 'filmic' and visually interesting.

[@Crimbtw]

@@photomotion I too would one day like to see something like this!

[@kozprod7537]

yeah thats kinda dehaze