DIGITAL WORKFLOW
The Essential Reference Guide for Filmmakers
WHAT IS A DIGITAL INTERMEDIATE?
COMPARING DI TO THE TRADITIONAL LAB
Traditional
DI
Conforming
Use a film cut list or EDL
Eliminated
Visual Effects
Printed onto film, then
cut and matched to the
rest of the film
Created at a workstation
then seamlessly
integrated
Color Timing/Color
Correction
Primary colors adjusted,
usually several times
Individual colors and
objects can be selected
and reviewed real time
Output
Master positive, then
duplicate negative, then
release print
The final digital
intermediate is used to
render a digital master
BENEFITS OF DI
BENEFITS OF DI
DI process is non-linear
• A DI is a series of digital files that can be sorted,
indexed, tagged, viewed and manipulated in any
order
• This allows you to access any point in the project
quickly and easily
BENEFITS OF DI
Full editorial control
• Auto-conform from an updated EDL
• Make manual edits to the DI by duplicating, moving,
replacing or removing frames
• Adjust the timing of cuts and transitions
• Last minute changes are possible due to the flexibility
BENEFITS OF DI
Digital color grading
• Provides unprecedented control over your work
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Creating a look or mood
Manipulating colors and objects in a scene
Painting, retouching and fixing images
Emulating lighting
Emulating camera filters and lab processing techniques
BENEFITS OF DI
Computer-generated effects
• Better interchangeability with computer-generated
material
• Effects shots can be fed into the DI pipeline at
various stages for feedback and approval
• The completed files are color graded and integrated
into the DI
BENEFITS OF DI
Visual effects and transitions
• Wipes, fades and dissolves
• Cropping, resizing and repositioning images
• Freeze-frames
• Titles and text
BENEFITS OF DI
Image restoration and repair
• Scratch and dirt removal
• Digital painting and retouching
• Image sharpening and blurring
• Reduction or increase in grain
BENEFITS OF DI
Instant feedback
• The DI environment is interactive
• Ability to view changes as they are made
• Instant feedback provides greater freedom
BENEFITS OF DI
Preserve the original camera negative
• The DI helps to protect the original negative
• The neg only has to be scanned once
• The intact, uncut original negative can be archived
POST HOUSE CONTACTS
• Account Executive / Bidding Producer
• Producer / Scheduler
• Post-Production Supervisor / Digital Effects
Supervisor
• Editor
• Colorist
POST HOUSE CONTACTS
• Account Executive / Bidding Producer
• Producer / Scheduler
• Post-Production Supervisor / Digital Effects
Supervisor
• Editor
• Colorist
POST HOUSE CONTACTS
• Account Executive / Bidding Producer
• Producer / Scheduler
• Post-Production Supervisor / Digital Effects
Supervisor
• Editor
• Colorist
POST HOUSE CONTACTS
• Account Executive / Bidding Producer
• Producer / Scheduler
• Post-production Supervisor / Digital Effects
Supervisor
• Editor
• Colorist
POST HOUSE CONTACTS
• Account Executive / Bidding Producer
• Producer / Scheduler
• Post-Production Supervisor / Digital Effects
Supervisor
• Editor
• Colorist
INPUT: DATA TRANSFER
INPUT: DIGITIZATION
FILM SCANNING
RGB COLOR SPACE
COLOR CHANNELS
SCAN RESOLUTION
SCAN RESOLUTION CONSIDERATIONS
Some considerations when deciding on scan
resolutions are:
• The principal output medium
• The look of the production
• Budget
The most popular scan resolutions are 2K and 4K.
• 2K = 2048 pixels wide, 12MB
• 4K = 4096 pixels wide, 48MB
DYNAMIC RANGE
DPX Files
COLOR MANAGEMENT
Two main goals
• All displays must provide consistent color
• What is seen on the displays is faithfully reproduced
at final output
CALIBRATION
Each device in post-production must be calibrated to
ensure that all devices display the same image:
• Film Scanners
• Monitors
• Digital Projectors
• Film Recorder Calibration
LOOK-UP TABLES
Look-up tables (LUTs) are used to adjust and accurately
display the target output.
• 1-Dimensional Lookup Table
• 3-Dimensional Lookup table
LUTs provide feedback in real time and are used to
implement:
• Calibration corrections
• Color corrections
• Specific looks
• Color space conversions
IMAGE PROCESSING
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
Film Recording
Video Mastering
Film Recording
Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
IMAGE PROCESSING
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Editing
Digital Effects
Color Correction
Dust Busting
Sound Editing
Conforming
Digital Retouching
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Color Grading
Masks
Metadata
Special Effects
Computer Generated
Material
• Film Recording
• Video Mastering
OUTPUT
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Digital Master
Video Output
Film Output
Digital Cinema
DIGITAL MASTER
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Film for release printing
Digital cinema
HD
SD
Blu-Ray
DVD
Content for the Web
VIDEO OUTPUT
• Frame Rate
• Color Space
• Aspect Ratio
ASPECT RATIO
FILM OUTPUT
DIGITAL CINEMA
CONCLUSION
QUESTIONS?