Color Grading: The Ultimate Cheat Sheet for Film & Video

Introduction

Color grading is the process of altering and enhancing the color of motion pictures, video images, or still photographs. Unlike basic color correction, which fixes technical issues, color grading is a creative process that establishes mood, atmosphere, and visual consistency. Whether you’re a filmmaker, photographer, or content creator, understanding color grading can dramatically elevate your visual storytelling.

Core Color Theory Concepts

Color Properties

Color Models and Spaces

Color Scopes and Measurements

Color Grading Workflow

1. Preparation and Organization

• Set up color-accurate monitor calibration
• Organize footage into scenes/sequences
• Create reference stills for continuity
• Back up original footage
• Choose appropriate color space (Rec.709, DCI-P3, etc.)

2. Primary Color Correction

• Adjust white balance and exposure
• Set black levels and white points
• Fix color casts and technical issues
• Balance contrast and dynamic range
• Normalize colors between shots

3. Secondary Color Correction

• Isolate specific elements (skin tones, sky, etc.)
• Apply targeted adjustments to selected areas
• Use qualifiers to select color ranges
• Apply power windows and tracking for moving objects
• Create and refine masks for precise control

4. Creative Color Grading

• Apply LUTs (Look-Up Tables) as starting points
• Create custom looks according to project needs
• Adjust color relations to enhance storytelling
• Implement scene-specific color palettes
• Add film grain or other stylistic elements

5. Quality Control and Delivery

• Check for clipping and illegal colors
• Ensure continuity between scenes
• Verify output for different display environments
• Export with appropriate color space conversion
• Create deliverables in required formats

Key Tools and Software Comparison

Essential Color Grading Techniques

Three-way Color Correction

Step-by-Step Process:

1. Start with shadows to establish depth
2. Adjust midtones for overall color balance
3. Fine-tune highlights for atmosphere
4. Repeat process with refinements as needed

HSL/Curves Adjustments

Key Grading Techniques

Specific Look Recipes

Orange and Teal (Hollywood Blockbuster)

1. Primary Correction:

   • Neutral balance for proper exposure
   • Slightly increase contrast

2. Secondary Adjustments:

   • Push shadows toward deep teal/blue (shadows: +blue, -red)
   • Shift highlights toward warm orange (highlights: +red/orange, -blue)
   • Increase saturation of orange and teal selectively
   • Optional: Slightly desaturate other colors

3. Refine:

   • Protect skin tones with qualifier
   • Add subtle vignette
   • Slightly elevate blacks for filmic look

Vintage/Film Look

1. Primary Correction:

   • Reduce contrast slightly
   • Raise black levels (crush blacks less)

2. Secondary Adjustments:

   • Apply subtle S-curve for contrast
   • Slight yellow/green tint in shadows
   • Reduced saturation (80-90% of normal)
   • Optional: Add halation effect (reddish glow in highlights)

3. Refine:

   • Add film grain (2-5% intensity)
   • Slightly reduce sharpness
   • Optional: Add subtle gate weave/jitter

Bleach Bypass/High Contrast

1. Primary Correction:

   • Increase contrast dramatically
   • Reduce saturation by 40-60%

2. Secondary Adjustments:

   • Crush blacks significantly
   • Slightly clip highlights
   • Enhance texture with clarity/midtone detail

3. Refine:

   • Add cool tint to shadows
   • Introduce subtle blue-green to midtones
   • Preserve skin tone intensity relative to other colors

Common Color Grading Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: Inconsistent Footage

Solutions:

• Create reference stills from best shots
• Use stills as reference for matching other shots
• Apply base correction to scenes first, then shots
• Consider batch corrections for similar footage
• Use split screens to compare multiple shots

Challenge: Poor White Balance

Solutions:

• Use white/gray balance picker on neutral elements
• Adjust temperature and tint controls
• If severe, correct in RGB parade by aligning channels
• Use secondary correction to fix problematic areas only
• Consider separate corrections for mixed lighting

Challenge: Skin Tone Issues

Solutions:

• Use vectorscope to verify skin tones along I-line
• Create qualifier specifically for skin tone range
• Adjust saturation and hue separately from luminance
• Consider separate adjustments for different ethnicities
• Reference skin tone charts for accurate representation

Challenge: Overprocessed Look

Solutions:

• Reduce intensity of adjustments
• Apply grading with blend modes/opacity
• Focus on primary correction before creative grading
• Use before/after comparisons frequently
• Consider implementing LGG (Lift, Gamma, Gain) instead of curves

Challenge: Banding in Gradients

Solutions:

• Work in higher bit depth when possible
• Add subtle noise/grain (1-2%)
• Avoid extreme adjustments to problem areas
• Use smoother gradient tools/techniques
• Consider dithering in final output

Technical Considerations

Color Space Comparison

Bit Depth and Color Information

Color Sampling Formats

Best Practices and Tips

Monitor Calibration

• Calibrate monitor at least monthly
• Use hardware calibration tools (ColorMunki, i1Display Pro, etc.)
• Set proper brightness (100 nits for Rec.709)
• Control ambient lighting in grading environment
• Consider reference display for critical work

Grading Environment

• Neutral gray walls (18% gray ideal)
• Controlled, indirect lighting (D65 5500K-6500K)
• Eliminate reflections and glare on monitor
• Standardize viewing distance
• Use bias lighting behind monitor to reduce eye strain

Efficient Workflow Tips

• Create project templates with standard node structures
• Use groups for scene-wide adjustments
• Build custom power windows for recurring elements
• Save and categorize commonly used grades
• Create before/after versions for client review
• Use frame grabber for continuity references

Delivery Considerations

• Check output on multiple displays when possible
• Verify SDR and HDR versions if applicable
• Test grades on consumer devices
• Create trim passes for different platforms
• Document color decisions for future projects

Industry Standards and References

IRE Values for Broadcast

• Legal broadcast range: 16-235 (8-bit)
• Superwhites limit: 235-254
• Blacks below 16: “Superblacks”
• Reference white: 235
• Reference black: 16
• Skin tones: typically 50-70 IRE

Vectorscope References

• Skin tone line (I-line): 123° angle
• Primary color targets:
  • Red: 103°
  • Green: 241°
  • Blue: 347°
  • Yellow: 167°
  • Cyan: 283°
  • Magenta: 61°

LUT Types and Applications

Resources for Further Learning

Books and Publications

• “Color Correction Handbook” by Alexis Van Hurkman
• “The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction” by Steve Hullfish
• “Color Grading 101” by Charles Haine
• “Digital Colorist” by Tal Fineman
• “Color Correction Look Book” by Alexis Van Hurkman

Online Training

• Lowepost (color grading courses)
• MixingLight.com (color grading tutorials)
• DaVinci Resolve official training
• Filmmaker IQ (color science videos)
• Ripple Training (software-specific tutorials)

Color Reference Tools

• X-Rite ColorChecker
• DSC Labs OneShot charts
• Pantone color guides
• Kodak color reference cards
• Datacolor SpyderCHECKR

Software-Specific Resources

• Blackmagic Design training and certification
• Adobe Color workflow guides
• Baselight Cookbook
• DaVinci Resolve Definitive Guide
• Mixing Light Insights

Communities and Forums

• Lift Gamma Gain forum
• Colorist Society International
• r/colorists subreddit
• Creative COW colorist forums
• Blackmagic Design forums