Diving into Color: DP Daryn Okada Shows You What Life Is like Color Correcting a Film
A DP's job is never done. Even after shooting has wrapped up, there's plenty more work to do, including collaborating with a colorist to color correct a film. Cinematographer Daryn Okada takes us through a day in his life finalizing the look of Dolphin Tale 2.
Okada shares a bunch of bite-sized pieces of advice and information about working on a professional project, like how changing the time of day in a shot is common practice, how getting perfect images right out of your camera may not be all that great for post, and how making color correction decisions are mostly based on gut feelings.
Check out the video below:
If you're an indie filmmaker working on a no/low budget film, you might have to end up being your own colorist. (Especially if you're already your own editor.) If color correction was a plane, technique would be the wings, engines, and everything it takes to maneuver through the sky, but the philosophy of color and aesthetics would be the navigation system. You can change the look of an image using great technique and expertise, but if you don't know why you're making those changes, or how those changes are going to affect an audience, then you're essentially flying blind.
You can learn more about aesthetic theory here (and here for a little color theory).
Source: Academy Originals