Author Topic: Color grading and basic video edits for stock (Read 9273 times)

Rage · « **on:** November 28, 2017, 02:55 »

What edits do you make before you upload video for stock? I'm using after effects since that allows me to edit multiple videos on one go. What i currently do
1. Stabilizing
2. Contrast and saturation.
3. Curves editing

What I'd want to do and want advise on
1. Color grading
2. Something similar to the split toning of lightroom
3. Gradient filters similar to light room
4. Selective color saturation

What else should i be doing to get a good shot? Do i incorporate movement into shots? Do i keep locked on shots? How do i become a better videographer?

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #1 on:** November 28, 2017, 03:26 »

Quote from: izzikiorage on November 28, 2017, 02:55

What else should i be doing to get a good shot? Do i incorporate movement into shots? Do i keep locked on shots? How do i become a better videographer?

What should you do to create a good song? About a million things.

The short answer is: it depends.

Any movie you see uses a combination of shots, locked down, push, pull, aerial, handheld etc. for variation and expression of emotion.

How do you become a better videographer? By filming every day and studying people you look up to. Analyze films, commercials, good YouTube videos.

A slow-paced movie may use mostly tripod shots. A fast action movie may use a lot of handheld shots.

Rage · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2017, 12:38 »

I know its like an ocean. But what would you tell a beginner. Especially a long the points i mentioned

increasingdifficulty · « **Reply #3 on:** December 01, 2017, 13:18 »

2 and 3 of what you currently do are essentially the same thing. Curves can be used for contrast. It's a very versatile tool.

1, 2, 3, and 4 of what you want advice on are all color grading. The tools are all in After Effects. For example, use a solid with a feathered mask for a gradient. Or just use the gradient ramp.

Important to remember is that color grading is very subjective. It's done to taste. No one can tell you exactly what to do, but you can watch countless videos on YouTube with examples of color grading. You can color grade just using curves.

A general tip is that shadows are usually quite desaturated compared to the midtones. So are highlights. That can be something that makes it look more professional.

Color CORRECTION on the other hand is a bit more objective, getting the right exposure and white balance.

You have to make a decision on every shot. Is it a shot that shows natural, everyday life in the city? Then maybe a natural look is best. Just color correction, no or minimal color grading.

Is it a slow motion shot of a tiger jumping through fire, then maybe a cinematic look can look good.

Rage · « **Reply #4 on:** December 15, 2017, 00:48 »

Quote from: increasingdifficulty on December 01, 2017, 13:18

2 and 3 of what you currently do are essentially the same thing. Curves can be used for contrast. It's a very versatile tool.

1, 2, 3, and 4 of what you want advice on are all color grading. The tools are all in After Effects. For example, use a solid with a feathered mask for a gradient. Or just use the gradient ramp.

Important to remember is that color grading is very subjective. It's done to taste. No one can tell you exactly what to do, but you can watch countless videos on YouTube with examples of color grading. You can color grade just using curves.

A general tip is that shadows are usually quite desaturated compared to the midtones. So are highlights. That can be something that makes it look more professional.

Color CORRECTION on the other hand is a bit more objective, getting the right exposure and white balance.

You have to make a decision on every shot. Is it a shot that shows natural, everyday life in the city? Then maybe a natural look is best. Just color correction, no or minimal color grading.

Is it a slow motion shot of a tiger jumping through fire, then maybe a cinematic look can look good.

Thanks, this is exactly what I'm looking for. How to do basic color grading and getting exposure gradients (sort of simulating a variable ND filter). Can you point me to some really good tutorials on this. I've seen a bunch but would love to see more

PinHead · « **Reply #5 on:** December 15, 2017, 02:27 »

I'm using the old Premiere CS5.5 with "tint" color grading from New Blue VideoEssentials combining with MBlooks in small percentage and also Neat (it depends).

Rage · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2017, 03:43 »

Since i dont have premier I'm trying to figure out stuff to do only in after effects. Let me see if there is a tint type filter for AE

Brightontl · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2017, 07:45 »

Quote from: izzikiorage on December 16, 2017, 03:43

Since i dont have premier I'm trying to figure out stuff to do only in after effects. Let me see if there is a tint type filter for AE

In AE if you go to Effect - Color correction, you will find TRITONE, TINT and plenty of other effects

Rage · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2017, 10:32 »

Quote from: Brightontl on December 16, 2017, 07:45

Quote from: izzikiorage on December 16, 2017, 03:43
Since i dont have premier I'm trying to figure out stuff to do only in after effects. Let me see if there is a tint type filter for AE
In AE if you go to Effect - Color correction, you will find TRITONE, TINT and plenty of other effects

Awesome, let me give this a shot.

Rage · « **Reply #9 on:** December 19, 2017, 10:46 »

Gave this a shot, awesome stuff using just the curves and histogram

MartinD · « **Reply #10 on:** December 19, 2017, 18:39 »

"In AE if you go to Effect - Color correction, you will find TRITONE, TINT and plenty of other effects"

Tritone, tint... - that's no color correction, that's a tint. Leave your footage neutral with correct white balance, saturation and contrast and let the customers decide what final look they want. If they want a black and white image they can do it by themselves. I would never upload a black and white image because i suggest this looks right. Only customers know which tint looks right regarding to their project.

Rage · « **Reply #11 on:** December 21, 2017, 21:57 »

What would you suggest to ensure that the footage looks as good as possible for stock? What corrections should i be making

ForrestBrown · « **Reply #12 on:** December 27, 2017, 14:25 »

You might want to check out the Lumetri Plug-in in After Effects. It has a lot of similar controls as Lightroom.

Quote from: izzikiorage on November 28, 2017, 02:55

What I'd want to do and want advise on
1. Color grading
2. Something similar to the split toning of lightroom
3. Gradient filters similar to light room
4. Selective color saturation

Chichikov · « **Reply #13 on:** December 27, 2017, 15:14 »

I have never understood why, in the microstock world, so little people (or even nobody) use DaVinci Resolve, probably the best software for color grading, and totally free… ??

Rage · « **Reply #14 on:** December 28, 2017, 09:22 »

Quote from: Chichikov on December 27, 2017, 15:14

I have never understood why, in the microstock world, so little people (or even nobody) use DaVinci Resolve, probably the best software for color grading, and totally free… ??

I did use it but it has a little bit of a learning curve. Plus no support for 4k (free version) so stopped it for now till i can afford pro

Let me search for lumetri

Brightontl · « **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2017, 15:01 »

Quote from: MartinD on December 19, 2017, 18:39

"In AE if you go to Effect - Color correction, you will find TRITONE, TINT and plenty of other effects"

Tritone, tint... - that's no color correction, that's a tint. Leave your footage neutral with correct white balance, saturation and contrast and let the customers decide what final look they want. If they want a black and white image they can do it by themselves. I would never upload a black and white image because i suggest this looks right. Only customers know which tint looks right regarding to their project.

I perfectly agree with you, but the OP was asking for "something similar to split tone in LR".
Tritone and tint are the closest thing.
Also you can use it with very low opacity, very far from B&W, just to add a slight tone to the highlights and shadows (and no, I don't use them)

Rage · « **Reply #16 on:** January 06, 2018, 11:05 »

Quote from: ForrestBrown on December 27, 2017, 14:25

You might want to check out the Lumetri Plug-in in After Effects. It has a lot of similar controls as Lightroom.

Quote from: izzikiorage on November 28, 2017, 02:55

What I'd want to do and want advise on
1. Color grading
2. Something similar to the split toning of lightroom
3. Gradient filters similar to light room
4. Selective color saturation

Finally got round to using Lumetri (splurged for AE 2018 CC in the process). This is just what i was looking for. Thanks a ton. Will start understanding it a little better over the weekend.

Issue 2 is that i use adobe encoder software to make the final video. How do i get AE to auto send the video to Adobe media encoder and start encoding once the warp filter finishes its work. Ie, i edit a bunch of stuff, then leave the warp encoder to run overnight. It would be amazing if AE could send it to AME and get the final video exported by the time i wake up

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Author Topic: Color grading and basic video edits for stock (Read 9273 times)

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