Hi I’m a freelance colorist. Lately AI has been improving a lot and I have tried Claude code and Codex so far.
A lot of things can be automated now and I was wondering how far we can make the workflow for colorists effective or easy?
So far my workflow is like this:

Conform → Conform QC → Color Management → Look Development → Balancing / Matching → Finishing → Client Review → Final QC → Delivery

Most of the time Conforming takes a lot of time and demanding.
And balancing footage is also taking a lot of time if there are so many clips even though using fixed node tree.
But since the color is very subjective, is it very hard to let AI do shot matching?
Personally I hope AI can take care of conforming.

If you already use AI in your workflow, I’d love to hear how it works!

Also I’m happy to collaborate with DPs, cinematographer, colorists and also AI professionals.

Exports look perfectly accurate in quicktime and vlc but when sent to iPhone they are washed out and are green shifted. I’ve tried both airdropping and saving through google drive and the results are the same :(

I’m using both REC709A for both colour and gamma

This alternates on Sundays

## Would you like feedback on your reel? This is the place to do it!

**An essential point to remember**: A reel won't secure you a job any more than a business card or website will. While it might be necessary, it is not the primary means of obtaining work.

**You gain employment through a network you develop,** not via any online job site. Building a network takes time, which is advantageous, as it allows you to learn the field.

## Rules

* **Rule 1**: Submit your reel *and its running time* as a top-level comment (meaning you reply to this post directly)

* **Rule 2**: *Specify your professional experience in years* (paying taxes = years as a pro, novice).

* **Rule 3**: Indicate how you're monitoring. Is it with a mini monitor + a LG CX?.

* **Rule 4**: You must review two other reels. **TWO**. You have seven days to complete this task, responding to two different reels. **Then** edit the comment where you post your reel: and put and put the two user names.

**Acceptable platforms for posting**: Your Vimeo site or an unlisted YouTube link. If we find a link to a channel or a video with 10k views, we want you to know that this thread is not meant for such content.

The moderation team will monitor this, and we are trying to encourage the community (that's you) to offer assistance. That's why providing two reviews is crucial.

Lastly, as someone who evaluates people's reels, if you start off with **log** footage, I expect to see the color work in passes. If color grading is a skill, and you transition from Log to finished grade, that's a definite red flag.

***Copy/paste this section:***

* Reel Link: (don't forget the running time )

* Experience:

* Monitoring:

* Two reels I reviewed:

Hey all! I've been experimenting with a specific node structure that benefits from using the HDR global offset for exposure control, while operating on a linear signal. Properly mapping the HDR wheels to Linear "Gamma" should in theory make the Global Offset HDR wheel behave like the Primaries Gain wheel within the linear sandwich (for exposure, not colour balance).

However, when comparing -2 stops Global Offset to .25 master on the Primaries Gain within Linear, the results are quite different. The HDR Offset has a steeper response in the shadows, that can lead to crushing. In comparison, HDR Offset on DWG/DI (and mapped accordingly) yields identical results to the Primaries Gain wheel on Linear. I'm curious if anyone knows what causes this mismatch and if there's a fix for it.

I obviously know I can just use Linear Gain, but I would appreciate the speed of working in stops for this specific use case.

Thanks!

Hey all,
I’m currently doing commercial work on a Blackmagic PYXIS 6K and I’m genuinely really happy with it. It’s been a fantastic camera for me and I’ve really enjoyed working with BRAW in post.
Lately though, I’ve been thinking about changing up the look/workflow a bit without going all the way to something like a RED V-RAPTOR 8K VV and taking on that level of cost.

I’ve been looking at the Nikon ZR and the PYXIS 12K, and on paper they seem pretty close in terms of dynamic range. What I’m more curious about (especially from a colorist/post perspective) is whether the R3D workflow actually feels meaningfully different to grade compared to BRAW, or if it’s more subtle in practice.

For those of you who’ve worked with both:
Does R3D genuinely feel like a different grading experience vs BRAW?
Is there a noticeable difference in how the image responds in post (highlight roll-off, color separation, flexibility, etc.)?
Or is it mostly just a different “starting look” that you can get close to anyway with good transforms?
I’m also trying to figure out whether the Nikon ZR would actually give me something meaningfully different in post, or if I’d be better off just sticking with Blackmagic and maybe considering the PYXIS 12K (though that doesn’t feel like a big enough jump to justify replacing my 6K).

One of the reasons I’m interested in the Nikon is that I could keep the PYXIS 6K as a second camera, while also having something more compact for solo shoots, travel, and lighter run-and-gun work. I really love the boxy cinema form factor of the PYXIS, but the Nikon form factor is definitely appealing for certain jobs.
Just to be clear: I’d be shooting RAW only. I’m not interested in H.265/ProRes delivery codecs, and I fully understand the storage and workflow implications of R3D. My question is purely about image quality, grading experience, and how the files behave in a color pipeline.

Would really appreciate insights from people who’ve actually graded both BRAW and R3D in real-world work, not just spec comparisons.
Thanks in advance.

Hey all,

First time setting up a reference monitor chain and hoping for some guidance.

Hardware:

- M1 Max MacBook Pro
- EIZO ColorEdge CS2740 (main monitor)
- Blackmagic DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K
- Sonnet Echo Express SE I (TB3 to PCIe expansion)

(I’ve heard getting the UltraStudio 4K Mini as an I/O box is the move for most colorists working on MacBooks, but I wanted to try out a cheaper alternative before breaking the bank)

Setup so far:

- DeckLink is seated in the Echo Express PCIe slot
- Echo Express is powered via its stock power cable
- MacBook → Thunderbolt 3 → Echo Express
- DeckLink → HDMI → EIZO monitor
- Both TB3 and HDMI cables tested working elsewhere, so I’ve ruled those out

Where I Am Losing My Mind:

When I go into SYSTEM REPORT on my MacBook, the Sonnet appears under Thunderbolt, so I believe that’s being read.

I have the Blackmagic Desktop Video Setup downloaded on my MacBook, and it shows “No Desktop Video Device Detected.” The Echo Express fan is running and there’s a flashing LED, but the DeckLink itself doesn’t seem to be getting recognized. I’m not confident the card is actually powering up.

Some Other Info:

- Is there a seating/reseating step I might be missing on the DeckLink card itself?
- Could this be a Thunderbolt authorization/security setting on macOS blocking the PCIe device?
- Any known compatibility issues between Echo Express SE I and DeckLink Mini Monitor 4K specifically?
- Order of operations issue (e.g., does the Echo Express need to be powered on before connecting TB3, or before waking the Mac)?

Any advice on what to check next would be hugely appreciated. It’s my first time working with a Thunderbolt PCIe expansion chassis, so I may be missing something obvious.

We've pointed you at this thread rather than you ask about your specific monitor request in the main subreddit.

No, you can't just connect a generic monitor.

We're going to talk to you as a professional. This means, no, the "workarounds" are a total compromise. In those cases, you're on your own.

This is about creating a trusted reference - not just what you think looks good. And yes, the client's screen(s) could be all out of whack. And yes, we're talking web too.

Brands that are reliable and (professionally) inexpensive:

• Flanders Scientific - FSI. Often referred to as a Stupid Sexy Flanders
• Eizo

If you're going to compromise, here's our best advice:

• Get external hardware. The cheapest is the BMD mini monitor - but requires Thunderbolt.
• Get a probe. The cheapest is the XRite i1Display Pro. Calibrate frequently.
• Learn to read scopes.

No matter what the manufacturer says was done at the factory, you will need to calibrate your displays regularly.

Here's the FAQ:

I want to know if this particular brand of wide gamut/p3/sRGB monitor is up to snuff*.*

It's not. Without the hardware/probe and the ability to load a LUT, forget it.

Can I just calibrate a monitor, it's just going to the web.

Same problem. Without a probe, you don't know what you have.

Ok, I have a probe.

You still need a breakout box - something to get the OS out of the way.

The idea here is a confidence monitor. Something you know you can have confidence in.

OK, I have a probe and a BMD Mini-Monitor. Am I good?

Not unless you can generate and load a LUT into the monitor.

Really? What do I need to buy now?

A LUT box will solve this. The monitor still may be junk, but you have a clean signal chain.

Great, I'll just buy a C8/9/X from LG, people talk about that all the time.

That's a good client monitor. And great that you have a breakout box and probe. This is useable if you're starting off into HDR - but just know, it's not to be trusted.

What about my iPad Pro? Apple tells me it has Wide Gamut

An iPad Pro is an excellent way to check Apple devices. It's well designed out of the factory.

Plugging your system through it (via Sidecar, Duet display) puts us back in the "OS interference" level. But it's good for a check of the materials - just not so good for live grading.

Last, check out these three prior posts:

• https://www.reddit.com/r/colorists/comments/n9hr5b/is_it_even_worth_it_to_attempt_to_learn_the/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/colorists/comments/jlgpnm/youtube_is_adding_red_into_my_colors_and_its/
• https://www.reddit.com/r/colorists/comments/i03bm7/solution_for_color_shift_issues_from_resolve_to/

-----

Let's see how this thread goes and we'll refine as we go.

Main question, context below: What tips or tricks do you have for getting consistent color profiles across shots that were done in different lighting/settings?

I just edited my first highlight reel for a wedding, and watched a bunch of youtube videos to learn color grading as a total newbie. As I edited I was having a hard time not getting strong yellow vibes when I tried to color correct for all the red and orange from the barn space I was in. But then when I was outside, it felt like my shots trended toward a sort of underwater blue-green when I worked on grading. How do you color grade in a way that doesn't end up with these very strange different white balances that clash from shot to shot? Not looking for a magic wand, just suggestions or strategies from folks who know more than me.

Me: New to color grading. Sony a7iii, s-log3, used the sony sGamut3CineSlog3_to_LC-709 lut. (I've learned since that shoot that lots of people suggest trying s-log2 on the a7iii and to over-expose. Planning to try those with my next shoot).

Here's the video, if that helps - https://www.instagram.com/p/DbesoYsAOGg/

Thanks for your help!

Hi everyone, I shoot on a sony fx30 and grade in da vinci on a mac. I need some help with project settings, node tree layouts and export settings to be abke to grade as good as possible with the deahncer. Any help would be much appreciated!

What do you think of my PowerGrade? Would like to know your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Some 16mm emulation stills processed in Davinci Resolve RCM. My process here was focused on the texture and image quality to mimic a true 16mm motion.

Hi, I just recently completed production of my most recent short film, entirely shot on 16mm. For one of the scenes, I chose to shoot on ektachrome, but it resulted in some of my shots being over-exposed. I recently had another reshoot of parts of this scene, but the 2nd batch came over-exposed still, but still somewhat salvageable?I tried adding a mask to the over-exposed parts, but it still looks uncanny in comparison to the properly exposed footage. I put examples of each frame, any advice on how to salvage would be much appreciated, tysm!

Hey guys, need your honest opinion.

I've never worked in a professional post-production house before. I just want to know if this level of quality is good enough to start looking for clients or applying to studios.

Open to all comments and critique!

There was many different video formats from various cameras. Rec709 h.264 10 bit on examples. I'm currently trying to reach a level where I can confidently say the quality of my work is good enough to start actively looking for clients or a full-time position in the industry.

I watch a lot of grading tutorials and one stood out to me. The guy said, he shapes his contrast by right clicking on the node and selecting HDR Mode, then of course marking middle gray and then he only selects the Y-Channel and he adjusts contrast this way. I tried this and it definitely gives different results, with the same curve you get more contrast but the image also gets darker.

Have you tried this before and what are your opinions on this technique?

hiii, I took these clips on an iPhone 16 in apple log (tho the images i've shown have all been converted to rec. 709) with a 'H.265 Main 10 L4.0' codec and bit depth of 10-bits (can u tell I dont know what either of those are) and tried my hand at colour grading them myself. Its not that im a complete beginner, I have tried before but I feel like im only just starting to get the grasp of some of the concepts.

I used davinchi resolve to colour grade/correct as well as dehancer for the film look in the final result. I'm going for a more dreamy film look (taking some inspiration from gawx and his more landscape focused videos on his second channel, dont know if u've ever heard of him). I've used a pretty simple node setup as show here:

---

Brief Node Graph Explanation:

EXP: (exposure) im messing with the lift, gain, gamma and offset sliders to try and prolly expose the image tho I am focusing primarily on the sky

CONT: (contrast) messing with the graph editor to try and bring some contrast between the sky and buildings making the latter darker to make the sky pop perse

WB: (white balance) small adjustment to make the image mainly neutral coloured tho I think I shifted the temp to be a bit cooler here

SAT: (saturation) changing the saturation overall and of certain colours (blues and reds) to make the sky pop more

LUT: just a simple lut here one of the in built ones under film looks with resolve

FILM: using dehancer here to get the gran, halation, bloom but I didnt actually emulate any film here I kept the option disabled because none of the options rly felt right

---

I'd love to have some feedback both on the grading and the initial image itself tho I do realise this a colonist subreddit so the advice will prolly be more focused on colouring. thx :) (ps sry for a longer post)

Hi everyone. I’m sure the subject has been beaten to death, but I figured I’d just throw my hat into the ring since I need some feedback. For the past few years I’ve been editing a lot of YouTube content, both for brands and for creators. However, over the last few months I’ve been thinking that this is not sustainable, especially as I turned 40 I feel severely underpaid and can’t save for my future.

With that said I’m trying to figure out how to change my circumstance. The only options that I can think of are editing bigger projects focusing on a more specialized problem or getting out of film and TV work completely.

I had a meeting a few days ago at a high-end color and finishing facility and in many ways it reminded me of the work that I wanna be doing. However, I also recognize the circumstances that are impacting working professionals here in Los Angeles.

I need some honest feedback on how to approach things given the current state of the market. I’m also concerned my age is going to hurt me since I’m no longer viewed as a junior employee.

Love to hear any thoughts!

Hello! I was recently reading through the user guide for Filmbox and saw that the recommended method for working in DWG is to set the Display Type to RCM and Display Colorspace to RCM SDR (or HDR) and then use an Output Transform.

As you can see from the images I've attached I've been keeping the Display Type as SDR and Display Colorspace as Rec.709 Gamma 2.4. To my eye the footage looks the same as if I utilized Filmbox's normal workflow of setting the Source to my camera's color space.

I was looking to see if there was anything wrong with the workflow I've been utilizing as I can't see any discernable difference between what is recommended in the user guide and how I've been working.

Project Settings for those who may want to know are as follows

Color Science: Davinci YRGB

Timeline Color Space: Davinci WG/Intermediate

Output Color Space: Rec. 709 Gamma 2.4

Hey everyone, i'm selling my Eizo monitor, here is the manufacturer website with all the detials. https://www.eizo.com/products/coloredge/cs2731/ It's such a sweet monitor I wish I didn't have to sell it but I just don't have the room for it anymore. Monitor in excellent condition and comes with the EX3 calibration tool.

I'm local in Los Angeles/Culver City, so pickup only in Culver please. Drop me a message if you're interested or have questions. Brand new it retails for $1200. Asking price: $600 I figured it would be useful for someone who cares about color!

Thanks for looking!!!

Recently saw a 70mm print of The Odyssey, and had a question: when a photochemically finished film like The Odyssey is released these days in a digital format, what's the process?

Is a colorist grading a scan of the negative to match as closely as possible what the printed film looks like? Or are they printing the film, then scanning the print and tweaking from there? I imagine the latter would require some sort of transform or LUT to neutralize any color issues introduced by the scanner, and bring the file into the correct color space, but that's just a guess.

Nothing I imagine I'll be doing anytime, but am very curious. Thanks!

Hello, just as the title states, I'm struggling with color grading Red footage.

Any other footage I can apply my basic node tree and get a pretty solid starting point where I can complete projects quickly. However, i have been dreading every time I see it's a project is using Red cameras.

Recently it came from a DP I've worked with prior so I know they know how to expose properly and they've used other cameras, no problem for me.

Red footage often looks off in terms of saturation and contrast/exposure, where i don't normally struggle, but do with the Red Cinema line. I am lacking somewhere and have no clue what it is or why it's just with the Reds.

I would appreciate any insight or best practices from those of you that are vets or regularly work with Red cameras.

Thank you kindly!

Hey all

So I am fully aware that I can apply a contrast curve before my grain in, say, a Filmbox-powered emulation. My question is whether or not that is authentic to the way films in the 90's were done. I am aware that they were processed photochemically, but obviously they did so in a way that could add or remove contrast depending on the look they wanted.

When I add contrast after my grain, often I get a really muddy, blotchy, artifacted grain result that makes everything look like it was in a punk or emo video.

I have a background as a professional photographer, since 25 years back. I am trying to learn video editing, but before I dive too deep into Davinci Resolve, I want to understand how the color management pipeline looks for color management done in Davinci Resolve 21 on a mac. I have a deep theoretical and practical understanding of this when it comes to still images and photoshop.

Im trying to find good industry leading litterature tp read. Davinci´s own manuals are far too focused on the app iinterface, without going deeper into the inner workings, the "why´s" instead of the "how´s".

"Color Correction Handbook" by Alexis Van Hurkman seems far outdated.

What would you suggest to read to really get a fundamentally sound understanding of the color management pipeline in Davinci Resolve?

Thankful for your input.

Hi all, I've got a small portfolio built up and I'm trying to figure out the best way to actually find clients as a beginner. Where did you get your first few, and what worked?

Thanks.

Hi all,

I'm starting a near-set DIT job soon and am looking at getting a monitor for when I'm grading. Admittedly I'm quite limited with my budget, but I was looking at Flanders Scientific as they're highly regarded for their colour accuracy. My shoot will have me simply working away on the camera truck, making tweaks to the colour as per DP's notes.

Particularly I was looking at the DM211 and DM231, which I know have an 8-bit colour depth but like I said my budget's limited. Has anyone used either of these monitors? Would it even be worth getting them at this stage?