Student name:
Jonathan Baines
Student number:
72511
Course:
BSC(Top-up) Digital Film Technology
Year of study:
2013-2014
Research project title:
Is Premiere Pro capable of performing an equal colour
correction as Davinci Resolve using RAW footage.
1
Contents page
Title Page - 1
Contents Page - 2
1. Abstract - 3
2. Introduction - 4
3. Literature Review – 4 - 10
4. Methodology – 10 - 12
5. Findings – 12 - 13
6. Discussion – 13 - 14
7. Conclusion – 15
Reference List – 16 - 17
Bibliography – 17
Appendix - 18
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Abstract.
Significant Colour and detail of recorded footage from digital and cinema cameras are lost
or aren’t present during the filming process. In order to bring back or enhance this data a
combination of techniques used in colour correcting and grading have been developed to a
cinema camera known as the Black Magic Cinema Camera. The investigation will show
the difference between using an advanced all round editing program called 'Adobe
Premiere Pro' to an advance program just constructed for the use of colour correction and
colour grading called 'Davinci Resolve'. Both programs will be compared and analysed on
the colour correcting aspects by processing and recording the results. This will show the
program's structure, stability and capabilities etc. Furthermore the projects initial viewing
indicate that the footage is greatly enhanced by using the program Davinci Resolve.
Although Adobe Premiere Pro was capable of completing an above average colour
correction the results shown by Davinci Resolve are still far superior. Using the program to
construct a colour correction and adjust the white balance are perfect, the grading aspects
give you full control over the shots and the capability to recreate any mood in a scene you
desire. The strongest factor that defiantly catches the eye was the ability to bring back
data in the footage that our eyes are unable to see while filming, using this program along
with RAW footage from the Black Magic ables you to discover hidden data in the shot. This
perfects the image and also ables you to create a flawless exposure level in your scene.
These two processes are important in Television and Film, to not only get the right colour
correction for the footage but to also create a mood and meaning to the footage visually
using a colour grade or second correction.
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Introduction.
This study will show if Premiere Pro is capable of performing an equal colour correction to
Davinci Resolve using RAW footage. The two programs are commonly used in the media
industry for editing footage in post. Raw footage are uncompressed files shot on a HD
camera, for this instance a Blackmagic Cinema Camera, RAW footage allows colourists
and editors to get the best results out of footage from the uncompressed data. This
investigation is aimed at media students of higher education, this not for beginners unless
they're interested in the subject.
Literature Review.
The study will identify what colour correction is, what it does, and how to use it effectively
within both programs. Another element thats key to the investigation is cinematography,
even if you've got the footage elsewhere and didn't record it you still need to know the
technique's and aspects of the camera for correcting and adapting the footage. Knowing
elements of cinematography is a huge advantage and will help greatly while colour
correcting. The production and pre-production of a project run side by side, they're just as
important as one another. It's not just the footage that has to be good enough for a colour
correction you also need a computer thats good enough to not only run the software but
play back footage. "Most modern editing programs will let you work with most of your color
correction in real time, that is if your processor is fast enough and you have a decent
amount of RAM."(Paar, 2014). Premiere Pro is a popular editing program for students,
commonly used at Brooksby Melton College. It's used to edit the footage and has
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capability’s of performing a colour correction and grade. but is this all around editing
software just as good as a program used purely for colour correction and grading like Da
Vinci Resolve?
The colour correcting stage is one of the most important processes in post-production,
especially with RAW files. This process corrects the RAW footage to it's desired correction.
The correction is powerful if the footage is shot correctly, it can adjust the levels throughout
the dynamic range of data, pin pointing certain colours and even bring data back if the data
wasn't overexposed and destroyed. Generally the better the footage the better the
correction, "in general, an image that has a broad range of tones with subtle gradations all
along the way, is going to be more pleasing to the eye, more realistic, and have more
impact"(Brown, 2012). Having RAW files opens up the whole subject of colour correction,
Raw preserves data and doesn't destroy or compress it down. This enables the colourist to
have a blank canvas, he/she can alter anything within the data, there is no colour clipping
or limitations. "RAW image files can in essence fill the same role as film negatives in
traditional film-based photography: that is, the negative is not directly usable as an image,
but has all of the information needed to create a final, viewable image."(Brown, 2010).
Reading books and browsing the internet can further your knowledge and create new
leaning curves. Viewing films and television is also a great source of research, this can
widen your knowledge and inspire your work. Ansel Adams was a great practitioner in
media, he was a photographer. He cared more for people learning off his work and
techniques then his own fame “I hope that my work will encourage self expression in
others and stimulate the search for beauty and creative excitement in the great world
around us.”(Adams, 2014). Of the studies his most famous work was the 'Ansel Adams
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Zone System', this is a chart that shows and explains the exposure of light. 'See figure 4'
He was a very intelligent man mentally and physically, “When words become unclear, I
shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with
silence.”(Adams, 2014). It has helped me a lot with my work. Exposing the light on set and
in post. Ansel Adams is a great inspiration.
The most important process on set is to correctly film the footage with the correct amount
of light. This would not be possible without a light metre. A light metre allows the
cinematographer to accurately judge the light of the subject and objects on set. This allows
them to correct light within the shot and scene. Sometimes there will not be a pure white in
shot, therefore in post you have to correct the white balance first in order to correct the
shot. This all depends on how the scene and objects have been lit. Every objects has it's
own colour, highlights and shadows. "Every beam of light has a characteristic colour which
can vary if the observer is moving toward or away from the light source."(Brown, 2012).
The light metre can give an accurate reading of light, this is then used to correct the
aperture/ASA on the camera to give a precise exposer. The exposer In most
circumstances will be corrected properly however some filmmakers choose to offset the
levels to give there footage a unique look, depending on the scene of course. Sometimes if
you have hotspots within the shot it can be hard to correctly expose the footage. "correct
exposure is a purely technical thing; there are occasions where you will want to deviate
from the ideal expose for pictorial or technical reasons."(Brown, 2012). The light metre can
read every subject in shot, making it an easy process to keep track of the levels and
correctly light the scene.
While the footage is being corrected it is important to keep an eye on the scopes. The
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scopes give an accurate reading of the waveform and level of the data. If highlights or
saturation within a shot are to high they can not only look bad but can be illegal. "The most
frequent correction you'll find yourself making in most programs is to legalise the white
level of every clip in the sequence by compensating for the super white levels found in
most Y'CbCr source media."(Hurkman, 2011).
Kevin shaw is a film Colorist, he has worked on films such as, Monsters, wake wood, in
her skin, etc. Shaw has not been involved in huge amount of films, but he was come
across through online blogs, his words are knowledgeable and inspiring. "Objects do not
have a color; it is the light reflected from it that generates color."(Shaw, 2010). Shaw has
been a colourist and a digital colour grader. This process 'grading' is similar to secondary
correction. Grading takes place after you have completed the colour correction, this
process creates the mood, theme, genre and overall look of the film, it enhances the
visuals. “The effect of colour grading is probably the most dramatic change in the entire
post-production process. It’s very rewarding to make an image come to life,”(Shaw, 2010).
Sub-areas will be explored alongside the main topic to help support and develop the
investigation of research. Lighting & Cinematography will be explored as this is a key
factor in film, this will help understand the footage and process. Colour correction and
grades all depend on the footage that has been filmed, “Light and color are some of the
most powerful tools in the cinematographers arsenal.” (Brown, 2012, p.8). The study will
investigate the technical side of filming and the process before the colour correcting takes
place. The cinema camera's capabilities will be looked into I.e. ASA, shutter angle,
aperture. The jobs of a cinematographer will also be researched, i.e. Camera work,
Lighting, equipment used, set design. All these aspects of a cinematographer will help me
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to adapt and work with colour correction. While exploring cinematography the equipment
will also have to be researched.
Cinematography can have a big impact on the colour, changing the mood and the tone of
the film, “Scott built each segment of the film around different kinds of lighting. The
opening battle was defined by cold, grey tones”(Clarke, 2002). James Clarke's quote is
correct clear in the film (Gladiator, 2000) the mood and tone is shown through it's dull and
cold colour pallet, the lighting portrays the scene's atmosphere and characters feelings
throughout the whole film, constantly changing.'See Figure 6' Although shooting at night
loses the colour of some footage, it is still there. The light needs to stand out and be bright
whether thats in post or picking a location that is visually satisfying for the scene. In the
film (Drive, 2011) their are a bunch of night shots that look visually stunning, in some
situations this is because of the location, being a city nightlife, but in other scene's that are
less busy the subjects in shot are light perfectly.' See Figure 5'
There are other areas that need looking into which can be just as important as sub areas
of my chosen topic, these areas are relevant to colour correction and will help with the
development of my project. Colour isn't just altered in post, you have the choice to alter
and adjust the colour in your production by using filters on a lens or gels over a light
source, this can help greatly in the post-production process, whether it's to correct the
lighting on set or to give a unique look to the film which is hard to recreate in post.
Filters are a great way of altering the light coming into a lens, you can get different types of
filters for your camera's lens these including, UV, ND, GND, Warm, Cool, Polarizers, etc.
These filters are used in film but are more commonly used in photography to correct the
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light or enhance the visuals. "The most commonly used types of grads are neutral density
filters, which are often used to balance the exposure between a normal foreground scene
and a much hotter sky above the horizon."(Brown, 2012).
Lighting gel's are a brilliant way to alter the light while filming in a controlled environment
on set. A gel is a transparent sheet of poly-carbon or polyester, it's placed in front of a
lighting fixture in the path of it's beam, this is commonly used for colour correcting the
lights which is often a daylight, tungsten of florescent coloured gel.
Filters and lighting gels can adjust the light levels and colour drastically. The biggest factor
is using gels on a light source, this stops down the light resulting with the exposure
changing. Depending on the quality of glass the filter may also bring the aperture of the
lens down. It is best to correct this on set by adjusting the light. Gels and filters can also
change the saturation and contrast, depending on what objects are in shot and the lighting.
"The contrast of a given scene depends on how much light or dark the objects in the
picture are when compared to one another and how much light is falling on them."(Brown,
2012). The contrast and saturation work together, in most circumstances adjusting the
saturation will result in the contrast also being altered. "Saturation works hand-in-hand with
contrast in shaping the look of your clips ."(Hurkman, 2011).
Colour is the main component in creating the mood, theme and genre of a scene or film.
Many films use the set and lighting to create these elements however it isn't until postproduction that it comes alive with colour. The film (Sunshine, 2007) uses colour to
enhance all their shots and create a saturated sci-fi look. You notice this during one of the
last scenes. A ball of overexposed colour bursts through onto the subject.'See Figure 3' It's
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one of the most emotional shots in the film, this is due to the colour of the scene and the
music. Another film that manages to create a breathtaking scene using light and colour is
(Blue Valentine, 2011), a scene where a couple are in a sci-fi hotel room. 'See Figure 2'
The amount of different colour in shot must of proven to be a hard task, masking and
precise alterations would have taken place due to the difference of colour and highlights,
colour is proven to be a key element in this scene.
All the sub topics and other researched topics will be related and highly relevant to my
investigation, these will help with the final results. These sub topics will blend into my main
topic, they will help explain the practise-as-research and show the development of my
investigation. This project will not be easy, thats why during this process it is key to support
all elements of the production not just the chosen topic. Colour correcting and grading isn't
straight forward, it's often not a case of skill or experience that is stopping the work getting
done, often it is yourself. Colourists can often over do colour correction, I'm sure with many
processes that involve staring at a computer 24/7 can result in over doing it. Anything that
is constant and time consuming can be a great task, mentally and physically. "I have found
that all colorists at some stage in their career, also hit the infamous “wall” just like every
marathon runner."(Shaw, 2010). The process has been researched and worked on before
to ensure 'the infamous wall' doesn't happen, and that the process is an inspirational and
positive experience.
Methodology
The study will include practise-as-research, this is a method where a video will be created
to show the results. The practise will also evidence the workflow and replaces 1500 words,
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this was chosen because the visuals and audio will answer in ways that the text cannot.
Numerous questions must be answered around the topic chosen to research and
investigate. These will be used to help conclude the investigation. The first step of this
investigation was to answer questions about the research done. The questions helped
understand the programs being used and further the knowledge of the unit. Both programs
are used for colour correcting, colour grading, cutting clips, syncing audio, etc. Adobe
premiere pro is used more for editing a short film or sequence, it has effects, transitions
and presentable titles and credit roles. The program is an all round editing program
capable of being a solo program to edit a project. DaVinci Resolve is purely a colour
correcting and grading program, but is highly advanced and superior to most colour
correcting programs when using RAW footage. Certain things here and there in the
program are editable but it isn't to be used on it's own to edit, commonly you would have
an edited short film or sequence then complete the colour process in DaVinci. This
program is of higher quality then Premiere Pro, this is due to the amount of detail and
options in DaVinci. There is so much control over the data, it can practically do anything
as long as the user has the ability and knowledge. Furthermore DaVinci has waveforms
and scopes, this is a professional element for editing programs which Premiere has little
of. Premiere however is easier to use and a lot more user friendly but again that proves a
point, it's not professional it's for the average filmmaker that can perform an average
colour correction and grade.
During the research-by-practise both programs used the same footage and edit, this is to
ensure the colour correction comparison is a fair equal test. The footage was recorded
using a Blackmagic cinema camera, this produced high quality footage to get the best
results. The start of the process was to choose a clip from the footage shot, then import it
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into the sequence/media pool. The footage would then undergo the correction, altering the
levels, brightness, contrast, saturation, curves and colour, etc.. A secondary correction or
grade can also be completed to adjust the final colour this will not drastically effect the first
correction. Once the footage was corrected on both programs they were edited the clips
were put next to one another to compare the results. The whole process was recorded,
evidencing the workflow.
I believe the method of recording the two programs is the best method as it
evidences the whole workflow. This makes it easy to evaluate and gather the results. It
would be hard to answer questions of the research without the practical evidence, this is
because the video is the findings of the project. Without the experience with these
programs the cast study would not have an accurate conclusion, and the topic would not
be discussed to it's full. Besides the benefits there are a couple of disadvantages, It's time
consuming, another learning process, more research involved and a bigger workflow. To
overcome all the disadvantages precise planning had to take place, giving the project time
to be completed for the deadline. The planning and learning process to the method
broadened abilities and gave further knowledge of the subjects. The issues came across
were countered by following tutorials and conducting research. The study had plenty of
time to be completed.
Findings
The Practise-as-research has proven critical in the investigation, the video was able to
show the viewer how the process works which couldn't be wrote down, it is believed the
workflow would be to in to depth to write down, not only this but the visual and audio to the
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video is crucial for the comparison. The video shows Davinci Resolve is superior to Adobe
premiere pro.'See Figure 1' The process showed a break down of the two programs being
edited, it then evidenced the final export of each program. The clips were shown side by
side to compare the colour correction, this gave the best result.
Discussion
The literature review starts by discussing colour correction as a whole and the skills
needed to use it. In the findings the video shows the skills needed to use both editing
programs to complete a professional colour correction. The literature review gave
knowledge towards the subject, this helped greatly when producing the work. It described
the process that was made to complete the correction and explained what a colour
correction was. Looking into practitioners gave an insight into the subject, it also spread
opinions on the subject to explore.
Colour correction has proven to be a key subject in post production, however this isn't
possible without the correct footage. Brown quoted “Light and color are some of the most
powerful tools in the cinematographers arsenal.”(Brown, 2012) in the findings this was
proven. It is a great task to accurately expose light and create a beautiful shot for the
cinematographer, but with this process comes the colour correction. The two processes
make each other. Browns quote ensured the production was correctly lit and shot, a lot of
effort was put into cinematography, this is due to it being just as import as the post
production stage.
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During the process Ansel Adams was a huge inspiration, his theories and techniques were
used and had an excellent effect. The chart Adams created was used again and again.
'see Figure 4' His work was proved useful and proved precise and accurate results.To a
certain extent Brown in incorrect, saying that the exposure isn't always ideal, the exposure
should always be technically correct while shooting and colour correcting. It is then that
you use a secondary grade to enhance it's properties. This may involve adjusting the
exposure and values but only the second correction will change the primary correction will
not alter and will always be correct.
Hurkman speaks of the white levels within the footage, he is accurate. The first thing to
alter should be the white levels, this should be at 100% and no more, commonly in
television if the white level is above 100% it's called super-white levels and generally isn't
allowed in broadcasting programs. Saying this if the footage was recored and lit correctly
the white level shouldn't peak. During Hurkman's book he further speaks of the subject
saturation and contrast, he discussed how they work together as an element while colour
correcting. Hurkman speaks truthfully, the saturation and contrast are of the same
principles. Pushing the slider and getting a super saturated look may produce lots of
colour, but you risk loosing detail due to the colour bleed, reduced contrast, chroma
sampling and broadcast illegality. Controlling the saturation in the highlights and shadows
will also alter the contrast. The colour correction is one of the most import post production
processes, it creates the final look of the film. All the practitioners referenced in the
Literature were correct, in that the colour correction enables you to enhance and create
the visuals.
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Conclusion
The study concludes that the program Davinci Resolve is far superior in comparison to
Adobe Premiere Pro for colour correcting. Davinci is a highly accurate program that has
options to adjust anything within the colour data, the dynamic range of options is
incredible. The layout may at first seem daunting however it is self explanatory for those
with the skills, it's professional software. Premiere has got a range of effects however they
fail to restore the RAW colour data. The layout is more user friendly but this is due to a
simple layout. The program is capable of producing a colour correction however it doesn't
enhance the shot. This software can produce a half decent colour correction but in
comparison to Davinci the colours are washed out and it's unable to push the data to it's
full potential.
The study shows Premiere is a great program for producing a correction for footage that
isn't RAW, but It should not be used for RAW footage. The program itself cannot handle all
the data, it's unable to create a professional colour correction. The layout is simple and
has what you need but it's un-organised and lacking structure. All the effects you need to
produce a correction are there but the program is not strong enough to cope with RAW
data. Scopes and Waveforms are an important factor for colour correcting but Premiere
has only just added this feature, it's simple. Davinci has an advanced and at first confusing
layout which isn't user friendly, although if you have experience within the field of work it
will sink in. The structure is brilliant, it's spread out on numerous pages which separates
the stages. The program lets you adjust the data to your liking, you're able to stretch and
push the colour data to get the best results. If you have the skills Davinci is capable of
producing a beautiful visual.
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Reference list
Adams, A. (2014). Ansel Adams Biography. Available:
http://www.biography.com/people/ansel-adams
9175697#career&awesm=~oEHw9zkmsryE4O. Last accessed 19th May 2014.
Adams, A. (2014). The Ansel Adams Gallery. Available: http://www.anseladams.com/. Last
accessed 19th May 2014.
Blue Valentine. (2011) Directed by D. Cianfrance. New york: The Weinstein Company.
[BLU-RAY]
Brown, B (2012). Cinematography Theory And Practice Image Making for
Cinematographers and Directors. 2nd ed. London: Focal Press.
Clarke, J (2002). Ridley Scott. London: Virgin Books Ltd.
Drive. (2011) Directed by N. Winding Refn. Los Angeles: FilmDistrict. [BLU-RAY]
Gladiator. (2000) Directed by R. Scott. Universal City, CA: DreamWorks Pictures. and
Universal Pictures. [BLU-RAY]
Hurkman, A (2011). Color Correction Handbook Professional Techniques For Video And
Cinema. Berkeley, CA: Peachpit Press.
16
Pramaggiore, M. and Wallis, T (2005). Film: A Critical Introduction. London: Lawrence
King.
paar. M. (2014). Color Correction 101. Available: http://www.videomaker.com/article/13510color-correction-101. Last accessed 16th May 2014.
shaw, K. (2010). Colorists and the wall. Available: http://www.finalcolor.com/TheWall.htm.
Last accessed 19th May 2014.
shaw, K. (2010). Looking good everywhere. Available: http://www.finalcolor.com/CMS.htm.
Last accessed 16th May 2014.
Sunshine. (2007) Directed by D. Boyle. Century City, LA: Fox Searchlight Pictures. [BLURAY]
Bibliography
Heat. (1995) Directed by M. Mann. Burbank, CA: Warner Bros. [BLU-RAY]
Transformers: revenge of the fallen. (2009) Directed by M. Bay. Hollywood, CA: Paramount
pictures. [BLU-RAY]
Appendix
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[Figure 1] Practise-as-research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xjtwSNMh8&feature=youtu.be
[Figure 2] Blue Valentine scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1wuDyk5Cd4
[Figure 3] Sunshine film screenshot http://happyperdition.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/capa-meets-the-sun-2.jpg
[Figure 4] Ansel adams zone system http://www.conceptart.org/forums/attachment.phpattachmentid=1902487&d=1391309856
[Figure 5] Drive film screenshot http://cdn.newadnetwork.com/sites/prod/files/nightlife/drive-car.png
[Figure 6] Gladiator film screenshot http://oneroomwithaview.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/large_gladiator_blu-ray_61.jpg
[Figure 7] Filter Table Filter Type
Primary Use
Common Subject Matter
Linear & Circular
Polarizers
Reduce Glare
Improve Saturation
Sky / Water / Foliage
in Landscape Photography
Neutral Density
(ND)
Extend Exposure Time
Waterfalls, Rivers
under bright light
Graduated Neutral
Density (GND)
Control Strong Light
Gradients
Reduce Vignetting
Dramatically Lit Landscapes
UV / Haze
Improve Clarity with Film
Provide Lens Protection
Any
Warming / Cooling
Change White Balance
Landscapes, Underwater,
Special Lighting
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