Color Grading a Feature Film for Digital Cinema
Matias Koskinen · Theseus (Ammattikorkeakoulujen) · 2015
The craft of the colorist is a fascinating craft. The purpose of this thesis was to describe the grading process for a documentary feature film Autolla Nepaliin. The film was a charity project initiated by a handful of young entrepreneurs, who decided to drive from Finland to Nepal in order to raise money for a Nepalese women’s shelter and an outcaste school. On the journey they posted frequent video blog updates and afterwards they decided to compile the film based on the experience. The main objective for the thesis was to go entirely through the color grading workflow for digital cinema distribution. Which includes detailed preparation in order to ensure color accuracy, the enormous grading process in itself and the mastering process to comply with the present digi- tal cinema standards. While the thesis was focused on the grading process, in practice the research expands important knowledge about color accura- cy and digital cinema workflow to ensure the best grading outcome for the big white screen. The main research method was a collection of e-books regarding the color grading process supplemented by web research and expert interviews to confirm additional details. The thesis was based on the practical color grading project and thus it has a hands on approach. The thesis demonstrates how invaluable it is for the colorist to understand every aspect of the grading process. The process that helps the colorist to achieve color accuracy while making sure that the picture complies with digital cinema standards. As the final conclusion it is fair to say that the thesis is good for those who desire to learn about the big picture of the grading process.