7 Choose your resolution from the ‘Decode Quality’ menu. A lower resolution will give you
better playback on limited systems. You also have the flexibility to change to full resolution
later on before delivery for the highest quality output.
Now you can adjust the camera settings for your clips such as saturation, contrast and midpoint.
This will affect all clips in your project that are set to decode using ‘project’.
Color Correcting your Clips with the Color Page
Now with your clips on the timeline and titles added, you can start color correcting using the
‘color’ page. The color page is extremely powerful and will define the overall look of your film,
but for this example a good place to start is to neutralize all your clips so they are consistent.
You can also return to the ‘cut’ or ‘edit’ page at any time if you want to make changes to
your edit.
The color page lets you adjust the look of your edit and in many ways color correction is an art
form in itself. You are really adding emotion to your work when you add color correction. It’s
an incredibly creative part of the workflow and very satisfying when you learn these skills and
can see your work come alive! This is usually the first step and is referred to as primary color
correction, or adjusting the primaries. After primary color correction is done, you can then make
secondary color correction adjustments which is where you can make extremely precise color
adjustments of specific objects in your images. That is a lot of fun, but is normally done after
primaries because it helps make the process more efficient and you will get a better result!
First click on the ‘color’ tab to open the color page.
You’ll see the camera raw settings, color wheels, curves palettes and general color correction
tools as well as the preview and nodes window. Don’t feel overwhelmed by the vast array of
features in front of you, they are all there to help you get the most amazing looking pictures.
This getting started section will show the basics, but for more detailed information refer to the
relevant sections in the manual. They will show you exactly what all the tools are for and how to
use them in easy to follow steps. You’ll learn the same techniques the professionals use in high
end color correction facilities.
Generally, the first step for primary color correction is to optimize the levels for shadows, mid
tones and highlights in your clips. In other words adjust the ‘lift’, ‘gamma’ and ‘gain’ settings.
This will help get your pictures looking their brightest and best with a clean, balanced starting
point from where you can begin grading the ‘look’ of your film. To optimize the levels, it’s helpful
to use the scopes.
Using Scopes
Most colorists make creative color choices by focusing on the emotion and the look they want
their program to have and then simply work using the monitor to achieve that look. You can look
at everyday objects and how different types of light interact with them to generate ideas on
what you can do with your images and a little practice.
202Using DaVinci Resolve
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