COLOR CORRECTION GUIDE DAVINCI RESOLVE & ADOBE PREMIERE (v2) If you haven't already - Create Account in DaVinci Resolve (User Name & Password) In Locked Project, duplicate your Premiere Sequence. Rename it: xxf3_ff01.proj Create a NEW PROJECT. Call it xxf3_finishing.prproj. This is a blank project. Project should look like this in Finder: Import your FF01 Sequence. This will give you a clean, more efficient project file. File Import > Select PR Project > Pick Import Selected Sequences > Choose FF01 In Finishing Project, duplicate FF01. Name the sequence: "XXF3_ToResolve" Duplicate >>>> Rename it Export H264 Quicktime of FF01 (locked cut) for your Final QC Reference Video. (to use as Reference after clips are colored it will be one of your final steps) QT H264 1920x1080, 24P Put in Folder: XXF3_Title/Editorial/DaVinci Resolve/XXF3_FromResolve In ToResolve Sequence: Delete Front Sequence, Audio, all uncolored material - leave ONLY clips for coloring. You may need to Unlink your Audio / Video - Select all, right- click Unlink Consolidate all footage by dropping down layered clips. If it isn t visibly in the cut, it shouldn t go to Resolve. Transitions, reframes, and special overlays will translate.
Before: After: Export an H264 Quicktime of this consolidated Sequence for Offline Video Path: Editorial/DaVinci Resolve/XXF3_ToResolve/REF_H264_Offline XXF3_OfflineRef.mov (QT H264 1920x1080, 24P) Export Final Cut Pro XML - File > Export > Final Cut Pro XML Save to: XXF3_Title/Editorial/DaVinci Resolve/XXF3_ToResolve/ XXF3_FF01.xml Open DaVinci Resolve - Log In if you haven't already
In DaVinci Resolve: Create a New Project - File > Import XML (AAF, EDL, XML) Your XML will be Importing into it you ll choose the settings then. Locate and choose XML File: Import Timeline: Choose the XXF3_ToResolve Set Timeline Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Click OK. You will be brought to the EDIT Tab, with your Project imported. Go the bottom and click the MEDIA Tab.
Import: Reference H264 Quicktime Offline Video Locate file on server inside DaVinci: Media Tab > Library > Directory for Ref Video (Path: XXF3_Title/Editorial/DaVinci Resolve/XXF3_ToResolve/) (Library View in DaVinci) (Path to Reference Quicktime you made in Premiere) Right Click the Reference Quicktime Video Add as Offline Reference Clip Clip should Import with checkered icon on thumbnail Offline Video, imported Original Clip from XML (vs) an Offline Video Click EDIT Tab at bottom:
Right- click Timeline: Link Offline Reference Clip > XXF3_OfflineRef.mov Click the Checkered Icon in Viewer. This lets Offline Video play alongside the Clips. >>>>> Offline Icon Offline Video (LEFT) vs. Clips to be Colored (RIGHT) Carefully check each cut & shot against the Offline Reference Movie. This should be done with the DP - in case anything is incorrect or missing. See that all cuts, framing resizes, transitions, etc. look right. In Color Tab: Check the Metadata Settings for each clips (Color Tab > Camera Raw Icon). Make a note of anything that will need to be adjusted. Camera Raw Icon
NOTE: VFX may not always connect automatically. If they are "Missing" In EDIT Tab / Timeline: Go to the MEDIA Tab. Browse or Drag them into the Media Pool Go to EDIT Tab: Click both Missing Clip & Source Clip Right Click clips in Media Pool or Timeline - "Force Conform with Selected " The missing clip should now be connected, and match In/Out points Once you have seen your cuts, FX and transitions are the same, it's time to start Color Correcting. With your assets now looked over in DaVinci, you can close Adobe Premiere. You won't need it open until you're done in DaVinci. Click the Color Tab
PRIMARY CORRECTIONS - REQUIRED: Global Adjustments to Correct & Balance the Shots STEP 1 - SETTING Black & White Points Create a Node for your first correction. This is to set a White & Black point, per shot. STEP 2 - BALANCING Blacks & Whites of Shots, Balance Skin Tones Create a 2nd Node for your second correction. Achieve a Neutral Black / White STEP 3 - MATCHING Looks from Shot to Shot (Per Scene) Create a 3rd Node for your third correction. Pick your Hero Shot for the Scene (closest look to your preference). Match the other shots to this shot as best you can. Workflow: Apply STEP ONE (Blacks & White Points) per Shot - thru the whole show. Then do STEP TWO (Balance Blacks & Skin Tones) per shot - thru the whole show Then do STEP THREE (Match Shots in Scene) - Scene by Scene EX: Scene One: set B/W > Scene Two: set B/W Scene One: Balance > Scene Two: Balance Scene One: Matches > Scene Two: Matches This ensures your film gets basic corrections in complete passes. Once you have made Basic Passes on the show, revisit the Nodes and do fine tuning. STEP 4: SECONDARY CORRECTIONS - OPTIONAL: Enhancements & Stylizations Grading Shots & Scenes - ONLY AFTER ACHIEVING STEPS 1 3 - What do you want to see more or less of? - Will a specific color adjustment enhance the shot? - Will an added effect enhance the scene? - Is a unique visual style is intended, overall?
CORRECTION TOOLS & FEATURES VIDEO SCOPES (4- Up Version Shown): You can view Scopes as 1, 2 or 4 at a time (Right Click Corner for Options) Waveform: RGB Waves across shot - balanced Waves creates White Wave
Parade: RGB Waves across shot - split into three parts, side- by- side Vectorscope: Shows Saturation via Color Wheel Center point is White - Diagonal is Skin Tone Indicator Histogram: show Color Values from Low to Mid to High Tones
BASIC TOOLS for CORRECTING & BALANCING - (PRIMARY CORRECTIONS) Camera Raw Color Wheel Primaries RGB Mixer Motion FX CAMERA RAW: Special Feature for RED Footage. Lets you view and modify metadata for Raw Clips. COLOR WHEELS: Apply dynamic Corrections to Blacks, Mids & Highlights, to adjust RBG Values simultaneously. The Dot affects RGB. The Wheel affects Luminance.
PRIMARIES: Similar to Color Wheel, but individual Channel control. Adjust Luma, R, G, B for the Blacks, Mids & Highlights RGB MIXER: Mixing & Blending abilities among different RGB Channels MOTION EFFECTS: Not available in DaVinci Resolve Lite
DETAILED TOOLS for GRADING / CORRECTING (SECONDARY CORRECTIONS) CURVES: Make a Global or Channel Specific change, tweakable at High, Mid or Low points. Click right corner to "Un- Gang" Channels if you wish to adjust separately Click the Bottom Icon for "Gigantor Mode" if you wish to change curves - large scale Gigantor Mode Icon For Curves QUALIFIER: Like a robust Eyedropper tool in Photoshop. You can create a masked selection with a lot of adjustable parameters. (Color range, Luma range, Saturation) This may take time to master, but is helpful for range specific adjustments in a shot. (Isolating a red candy, changing color of a green dress, tweaking a blue sky sky, etc) You may tweak any Qualifier's Hue, Sat or Luma values to refine your selection. (More notes on Qualifiers see next page)
To INVERT THE MASK of your Selection, click the Circle- Switching Icon. To SEE THE SELECTION/MASK, Click the Magic Wand Icon. The COLOR RANGE DROPPERS (+/- ) lets you "Pull" a range of colors for your Key. To BLUR MASK, change Radius under Blur. H/V for Vertical or Horizontal ratio. POWER WINDOWS: Create a shape to Isolate an area to change (or avoid changing) You can easily resize, blur and track these over a shot. These can also be used with Qualifiers to help you isolate a key. TRACKER: Usually connected with Power Windows, this Tab will track the shape based on the shot content. If it can t track all frame, you have to Keyframe manually.
BLUR: Global or Channel Specific blurring options. The Chain Icon will Gang or Un- Gang the channels you adjust. KEY: Allows you to modify certain parameters of your Key, Matte or Qualifier. SIZING: Flop, Reside, Rotate, Stretch, etc. You can save presets if you wish.
KEYFRAME WINDOW: You can Keyframe most parameters in DaVinci: Grades, Blurs, Sizing, Zooms, etc. Keyframes may be Multiple Parameters (like Node) or Specific to a single Parameter. If you like a look in the Viewer window, you can save a special Reference Still. Right- click "Grab Still" This "Still" not only serves as a reference image, but contains Correction settings. You can apply the correction to another shot: right- click still, "Add Correction" (applies to the selected clip in Timeline)
EXPORTING TO PREMIERE Round- Trip from DaVinci Resolve: Click the DELIVER TAB Under Render Settings, click: Easy Setup > "Final Cut Pro XML Round- Trip" This creates an XML & Colored Clips for Adobe Premiere. Right- Click inside the Timeline and choose "Select All". This lets you export all clips. Match these Settings: (Choose the show s FromResolve Path)
Click - Add Job to Render Queue (Job is added to Render Queue) Click - Start Render - Progress Bar Begins on the Bottom A new XML & Colored Clips are created in the chosen Folder Path: Now we will Round Trip our Colored Clips back to Premiere. We will also make the Final Sequence for the Master File & Screening Delivery. Open Adobe Premiere. Import the new XML Sequence to Premiere A folder is created in Premiere with Sequence & Clips. Open the Sequence. It should contain Colored Clips from DaVinci - (see next page)
Create a New Sequence - from BlackMagic Preset in Premiere (1920x1080, 24P, Progressive, 10- bit RGB Quicktime) Name this BlackMagic Sequence XXF3_FF01_CC Copy / Paste the Colored Clips into the BlackMagic FF01_CC. Add in Front Sequence, Final Audio Stems, Final Titles, Final Credits, etc. Duplicate this Sequence. Name this sequence: xxf3_ff01_cc_final Add in the Final Audio stems. Check it to 2- Pop. This is your final sequence. This sequence should hold every finished, final asset to export your film. Your Sequences should match these (see descriptions):
Check to see your Original Locked Sequence Matches exactly. (Use your QC REF Video of Locked Cut turn on/off Top Layer, lower opacity, etc) Folder: XXF3_Title/Editorial/DaVinci Resolve/XXF3_FromResolve (You should have made this Reference Video from steps on Page 1) NOTE: Your Final Sequence setting should be 1920x1080, NOT a 2K Sequence. Export with MATCH SETTINGS : XXF3_FF01_CC Quicktime 10bit Uncompressed RGB, 24fps Video, with Uncompressed Audio. (Unless otherwise noted by the Film School.) See specs below. Choose Use Maximum Render Quality for Export.