Xixax Film Forum

Creative Corner => The Art Gallery => Topic started by: Pastor Parsley on May 23, 2003, 11:52:21 AM

Title: color palettes for video
Post by: Pastor Parsley on May 23, 2003, 11:52:21 AM
I've been noticing that major films shot on video tend to keep to certain color palettes.  The reasons for this are obvious, but does anyone know where I can find more information?  I've been looking around and find all the usual information on composing shots for video but nothing that addresses this specific topic.  Anything would be appreciated...thanks.
Title: color
Post by: mutinyco on June 14, 2003, 10:31:26 AM
If you're talking about the Dogme films which usually go for a muted, almost sepia tone, I think that's just their preference. Julien Donkey Boy, for instance, does really interesting things with color and 28 Days Later is shot the same way it would've if it'd been 35mm.

Your color is going to depend on several things. First, your lighting and art direction -- are you using a particular color scheme as you're shooting?

Second, you need to deal with your editing software. Final Cut 3 has decent color control, FC 4 is even better. Avid has excellent color/tone control. Another stage is when/if you go for a professional video transfer. That'll probably run you $350 an hour, but you'll have complete control over the final look of your film.
Title: Re: color
Post by: Pastor Parsley on June 18, 2003, 03:39:08 PM
Quote from: mutinycoIf you're talking about the Dogme films which usually go for a muted, almost sepia tone, I think that's just their preference.

No....beyond that I have noticed that they tend to stay away from colors which capture poorly on video.  Muted colors tend to look better because bright colors look too saturated on video.  This must affect their choice of colors.
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: SoNowThen on June 18, 2003, 03:46:26 PM
Yeah, I know what you mean.

For instance, on film, when Godard (early career) made color films, he almost exclusively worked with primes: strong yellow, blue, and red, dominated clothing, sets, etc, even down to crazy harsh filters. It seems to look amazing.

I've often wondered about video. Seems to me that green (particularily Leaf color green) looks shitty. I wonder if prime colors would translate as well as they do for the mid 60's films...
Title: blah
Post by: mutinyco on June 18, 2003, 07:25:11 PM
Using current color timing technology you can make your picture look like anything you want, give or take. For a good demonstration watch the documentary on the O brother Where Art Thou? disk. A greater number of films are being timed through digital intermediary. There's really no difference in doing that for film or digital video. Once it's all been digitized to your hard drive you can do whatever you want with it -- it's just information. Of course, ultimately, DV has the weakest picture quality, but HD and 24p are comparable. The average person couldn't tell the difference. I thought 28 Days Later looked pretty fuckin' cool.
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: SoNowThen on June 18, 2003, 09:37:23 PM
Yes, but I cannot afford to do any of that. I can barely pay for avid editing time at the local co-op. I was just wondering if there are any colors, as Pastor was saying, that you should stay away from because they are troublesome on video.
Title: blah
Post by: mutinyco on June 19, 2003, 10:22:52 AM
Nothing to worry about. Avid has pretty good color correction tools. New versions of Final Cut do, too. Just tell your story.
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: Ghostboy on June 19, 2003, 11:12:15 AM
But, like you said, if you can't afford to use an Avid (or something else with FCP), the hardest color to capture is bright, vibrant red.
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: SoNowThen on June 19, 2003, 11:14:25 AM
Red? No red for video? Okay, good, good, I need to know that.

How about the green I mentioned before?
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: Pastor Parsley on June 19, 2003, 11:35:47 AM
It seems to me that bright red, green, blue all look a little funny on DV......would you agree?  I know nothing about how DV's work.....but I would guess that there are only certain colors that a particular DV camera can capture.  So, if you use a color that doesn't match one of these, it renders it as the closest color it can capture, making it look a little odd.  I find that DV films that use muted colors look a little less like video.....or is it just my imagination?
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: SoNowThen on June 19, 2003, 11:39:44 AM
Could be.

Though I did some tests in sunlight (which I find is the best light to use for Canon XL1S, and let the tungsten go orange...), and the Yellow shirt my subject had on looked great.
Title: ...
Post by: mutinyco on June 19, 2003, 09:03:20 PM
I used natural light for the last thing I shot in DV. Looked great. But seriously, just focus on telling your story. People will forgive imprefections if you can tell a good story. You're a student. Nobody's expecting Lawrence of Arabia. Pick a place to start, then learn through trial and error. Don't avoid things just because people tell you to. Experiment for yourself.
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: SoNowThen on June 20, 2003, 09:10:55 AM
One must tell their story with light. And movement. And sound. Not just script. Of all the shorts I've made, the story is always solid, but my direction of the actors, and my visual manipulation is not. There is no point me ruining another good script that took a lot of work to write. Now I must get a firm hold on visual presentation, otherwise recede to being a novelist.

Picture is EVERYTHING.

Please everyone, more help with this color palette stuff...
Title: !!!
Post by: mutinyco on June 20, 2003, 10:51:54 AM
FUCKING SHOOT IT IN BLACK & WHITE ALREADY!!!
Title: test
Post by: mutinyco on June 20, 2003, 10:54:15 AM
When most filmmakers make movies they do tests. If you're using a school camera, take it out and do some tests of ideas you have. Shoot with reds, greens, etc. See what looks good and what doesn't.

If you can't get one of the school's cameras, I'm sure SOMEBODY in your class has one you can experiment with...
Title: color palettes for video
Post by: SoNowThen on June 20, 2003, 11:04:26 AM
...erm, I'm not in film school. I just bought a Canon XL1S.

Yes, I love black and white (particularily on this camera), but for the project I'm currently working on, it must be in color.
Title: ...
Post by: mutinyco on June 20, 2003, 11:08:57 AM
Perfect. You own an XL-1. Do some tests. See how it looks. That's what it's really all about. You'll never learn anything if you simply follow what others say. Of course, keep it in mind, but experimentation is the key to creative success.