Sunday

Camerimage is fast becoming a Colourist Festival. It began Sunday afternoon with the FilmLight Colour Awards, which played to a packed house. This year’s winning looks were diverse and, refreshingly, winners and finalists originated from big companies, boutiques, and freelancers alike. Congratulations to all! See the Winners.

The panel discussion that followed was led by Lawrence Sher (cinematographer, director, founder of Shotdeck, and chairman of the FilmLight jury). One takeaway: whilst many colourists are involved before shooting, some still get the call after picture lock with little consultation before the final grading session. This is especially true for commercials and music videos. AI was briefly discussed with panellists agreeing that AI tools can be useful for conforming, rotoscope, tracking and depth maps, but are unlikely to replace the human interaction required for final grading.

Monday

Monday brought Colorist Society’s Colorist Mixer which featured a panel of award finalists and winners. Many topics were covered but one interesting fact that surfaced was that four out of the five panelists regularly employ colour management. Time and budget were also discussed. Whilst acknowledging that some big budget projects take months to grade, two weeks is more common for features and a day for commercials and music videos. Marina Starke, a freelancer nominated in three categories, noted that it’s often not a matter of how much time a client can afford, but rather how much time the colorist is prepared to spend…a factor of both money and interest in the project. Relationships with DPs, directors and producers was also touched on with the panel agreeing that communication and psychology constitute at least half of the job skills colourists must master.

The panel agreed that free entry for the FilmLight Colour Awards makes a big difference and adds prestige as awards don’t automatically go to big jobs and big companies. Each of these finalists submitted their entries themselves and included commentary about their work. Whilst good cinematography and colour grading are essential for a winning result, an explanation of the concept, research and decision-making process helps the judges better appreciate the colourist’s contribution.

The talk also included a brief mention of how things get fixed—meaning VFX and editing issues. All noted unsolved problems that make it to the final grade must be dealt with…one way or another…by the colourist.

Tuesday

On Tuesday night, Colorist Society and BVK member Dirk Meier organised a wonderful seminar on look development with luminary cinematographers Steve Yedlin, Ari Wegner and Pascale Marin. Steve described his process for look dev using Nuke nodes. When asked if he was eliminating the colourist, he was very clear that colourist magic is still very necessary, but his method ensures his vision is maintained through edit and VFX.

Ari eloquently explained how she plans a shooting philosophy for each film rather than locking into a pre-defined Look. The shooting philosophy might include the point of view, lens choices, framing, eyelines and much more.

While noting that her projects tend to have lower budgets than the other speakers, Pascale said that she follows a similar approach. She relies on communication with colourists, directors and producers to achieve high quality solutions within budget constraints. Shared understanding and good relationships between all parties is crucial to a smooth and pleasant journey…and to great images.

All the DPs were clear that they contact the colourist as soon as they get the project, and value colourist input, particularly for exploring conceptual ideas, creating show LUTs and planning colour management.

The BVK/ CSI seminar is available to view here. 

Alongside these activities were plenty of other stimulating screenings and presentations. I found the Zeiss and Arri presentations especially useful. And, of course, the FilmLight Masterclass has become a tradition that never fails to mix interest and knowledge in an entertaining way.

This year the organisers presented a curated mix of films, new and old. I had not previously seen The Truman Show on the big screen and was glad for the opportunity to do so here. Many scenes work incredibly well in a theatre but lose their impact on the small screen. In the example below, a life size Christoff (Ed Harris) appears to standiin front of the screen caressing the star of his show projected on the big screen. I did not appreciate the power of this image until I saw it in the cinema! I think everyone at the festival felt the love for cinema.

This year the festival organisers arranged for the display of Polish artist Jan Matejko’s epic painting Astronomer Copernicus: Conversations with God (on loan from Kraków's historic Jagiellonian University). A national treasure, it depicts the great astronomer on a terrace adjacent to a Gothic cathedral in Frombock that still stands. Inspired by my experience at the festival, I enjoyed the story elements and chiaroscuro of the painting and how they compared to film print emulation as discussed by Steve Yedlin on Tuesday night. I am going to include more paintings in my look development research in future. (Cem Ozkilicci referring to exactly this in describing his inspiration for the Spotlight Award winning Possession.)

If you have never been to the festival, you can get a feel for its unique flavour in this highlights reel featured on the German Chapter page.

All in all, Colorist Society had a happy presence at the festival.  Before our society was formed in 2016, colour management was rarely discussed, let alone used and colourists were rarely mentioned. Whilst there are still very few awards open to colourists, the FilmLight Colour Awards are now well respected because they provide an even playing field and are judged by cinematographers and colourists who appreciate the challenges and the vision. Colorist Society cannot take all the credit for these landmark changes, but it is gratifying to know that we are moving in the right direction.

I look forward to Camerimage 2024 and encourage colourists to submit entries for next year’s FilmLIght Colour Awards. It’s important to build on this year’s success in building the colourist community. The festival is teeming with cinematographers and full of enlightening chats after screenings and seminars…and during after parties. Torun is both fascinating and inexpensive. I hope to see you there next year.

Kevin Shaw, President of the Colorist Society

The 2023 FilmLight Colour Award winners were announced by jury president Lawrence Sher, ASC, at a dedicated colour ceremony as part of EnergaCAMERIMAGE in Poland on Sunday, 12 November.

The awards, which are open to colourists on any grading platform, were independently judged by renowned cinematographers, directors and colourists.

“Representing our fantastic jury, I’d love to congratulate the winners of this years’ FilmLight Colour Awards,” comments Sher. “These diversely talented artists – and the inspiring work they helped craft – are a testament to the critical importance of the colourist in the art of filmmaking. It’s great to see these artists come from across the globe – proving that good work isn’t limited to huge budgets or big shops, but available to everyone with a good eye and refined skills. Kudos to all and we look forward to seeing the submissions next year.”

Image titles from left to right: Theatrical Feature winner, Barbie; TV Series / Episodic winner, The Pimp: No F***ing Fairytale (OT: Luden); Commercial winner, Zara Man – SS23; Music Video winner, Mayyas – Horra; Spotlight winner, Possession

The award for the grading of a theatrical feature went to Yvan Lucas at Company 3 for Barbie. Yvan worked closely with director Greta Gerwig and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto to create the perfect ‘Barbie look’ for the critically acclaimed movie. Gerwig wanted the skin tones in ‘BarbieLand’ to be more pastel and less saturated, but everything else about the shots to be full of those pinks, turquoises, and other colours that stand out so much. The look was partially defined by a specific LUT that Lucas and Prieto created to enhance the strong feeling of saturation and pushed the colours into the ‘BarbieLand’ space.

“It is like the recognition of a lifetime’s work,” comments Lucas. “It brings me immense joy that colour grading is recognised as an essential part in crafting the look of a film. The experience of working on this film with Rodrigo and Greta was one of the most artistically gratifying of my career.”

The award for the grading of a TV series / episodic went to freelance colourist Dirk Meier for his work at D-Facto Motion on season one of The Pimp: No F***ing Fairytale (OT: Luden). Meier and cinematographer Tim Kuhn found look inspiration in a music video that used documentary footage from a sequence of the 1962 movie, Mondo Cane, shot in the red-light district around the Reeperbahn street. Meier developed a highly textured look with a dark and moody atmosphere. Especially in the HDR version he worked with the extended range of contrast and wider colour palette to create a period feeling with lifted black levels, while ensuring the 1980’s neon lights stood out.

“When I first read the list of nominees and their projects, I couldn’t fully grasp how I made it into this group,” says Meier. “And now I’m really grateful and touched that the jury found my work merits this award.”

The award for the grading of a commercial went to Tim Masick at Company 3 for his work on Zara Man, ‘SS23’. Masick, who also won the commercial category in 2021, worked with director Fabien Baron and DoP Philippe Le Sourd to create the winning spot. Masick worked to create a fantasy/dream world where the elements are subtly dramatised – recreating the mood and imagery of Red Desert(1964, Antonioni), Paris, Texas (1984, Wenders), and photographer Todd Hido.

“I am honoured that our work has been recognised by the jurors among so much great work from around the world,” comments Masick. “Winning a second time is a great affirmation, but also feels like a challenge to go beyond and push things further.”

The award for the grading of a music video went to freelance colourist Marina Starke for her work on ‘Horra’ by Mayyas – America’s Got Talent’s 2022 dance group winners. Starke was nominated across three categories this year, making her a five-time nominee of the FilmLight Colour Awards. Horra was directed by the all-female group’s choreographer, Nadim Cherfan, and shot by cinematographer Shadi Chaaban, who Starke worked closely with to create the moody, mysterious, and bold aesthetic that they were looking to achieve.

“I am absolutely honoured,” says Starke. “It was such strong competition and amongst everyone I look up to, as well – I am extremely happy.”

The Spotlight award, which showcases the craft that contributes to the creative impact of a low budget feature, went to freelance colourist Cem Ozkilicci for his work at Uhoert on Possession. Inspired by Scandinavian romantic and landscape painters, Ozkilicci completed the grade over 10 days, working closely with director Henrik Martin and cinematographer Oskar Dahlsbakken to create a nostalgic look with a unique patina – achieved through a combination of lenses and sharpening techniques in grading.

“I am deeply honoured and humbled,” comments Ozkilicci. “Being shortlisted was in itself a reward for the hard work invested, but to be selected as the winner amongst all the nominees by such a remarkably talented, diverse and highly respected jury was unexpected. I am truly grateful.”

The Colour Awards are lead and organised by FilmLight, in conjunction with EnergaCAMERIMAGE, and are supported by prominent international groups such as the ASC (The American Society of Cinematographers), the BSC (British Society of Cinematographers), the AFC (The French Society of Cinematographers), CSI (Colorist Society International), CNSC (Chinese Society of Cinematographers), Imago (the International Federation of Cinematographers), the Polish Society of Cinematographers (PSC) and many more.

The full list of nominees can be found here.

A new member of Colorist Society Hollywood, Jason Bowdach is a colorist and finishing editor at Fox where he grades multi-platform marketing media for such hit shows as 9-1-1, The Cleaning Lady and The Masked Singer. He is also a certified DaVinci Resolve trainer, contributing author to Frame.io and entrepreneur. His company PixelTools develops “artist focused” plugins and presets for Resolve.

A Southern California native, Jason got his start at Disney where he was involved in remastering and localization of entertainment content for international markets. Looking for a more challenging career, he sought advice from industry veterans and determined that color was his best bet. “The idea of influencing a viewer’s emotions through color suited my personality,” he says. “I enjoy helping filmmakers bring their projects to life.”

Jason gained exposure to color through grading his own short films. Eventually, he acquired enough experience to leave Disney and pursue work as a freelance colorist. After having success in commercials and independent films, he landed a gig at EFilm as assistant to veteran colorist Walter Volpatto, CSI on Roland Emmerich’s Independence Day: Resurgence.

He calls it a career altering moment. “It was a big adjustment to go from $100,000 indie films to a $200 million blockbuster,” he recalls. “But it was an amazing experience. It confirmed how much I loved color grading and that it’s what I hope to do for the rest of my life.”

Around the same time, Jason developed an interest in teaching. He became a certified Da Vinci trainer and has taught color grading through such companies as Mixing Light, Lowepost, TAC Resolve and Adobe. He hosts the Color & Coffee podcasts and produces training videos, writes articles on post-production problem solving and leads seminars at trade shows.

To facilitate his work as a trainer, Jason began developing presets for Resolve. They proved so effective in streamlining his workflow that he formed a business to license them. “In 2019, I launched PixelTools,” he says. “I create looks and presets just as I did for my project clients, only now, I do it for other colorists. There is nothing better than building tools for people I like shooting the breeze with.”

Among the products offered by PixelTools is Hue Shift, which supercharges Resolve’s native tools for shifting hues and adjusting density. “It makes it easier to create looks and perform routine tasks,” he explains. “It’s a lifesaver when you have thousands of shots to grade and only so many days to do it. It’s a dream to take things like that that are in my head and make them a reality.”

A member of Colorist Society since 2016, Jason says he was honored to receive an invitation to join the Hollywood Chapter. “I’m a person who wants to give back,” he insists. “That’s what attracted me to this organization. I want more people to recognize the artistry of color and the dedicated people who practice this craft.”

The Hollywood Professionals Alliance has announced nominations for the HPA Awards 2023 Creative Category. Colorist Society is a sponsor of the competition, which includes awards for color grading, editing, visual effects, sound and restoration. Among the nominees for Outstanding Color Grading – Live Action Episode or Non-Theatrical Feature is Walter Volpatto, CSI. Winners will be announced November 9^th.

A complete list of nominees is available here.

Colorist Society Hollywood members John Daro, CSH, Lynette Duensing, CSH and Juan Cabrera, CSH shared their expertise in SDR/HDR grading at an event sponsored by SMPTE Hollywood. The three veteran colorists discussed best practices for SDR/HDR through examples drawn from their work in film, television and trailers. Held October 5 at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Linwood Dunn Theater, the event dre an enthusiastic crowd of more than 200 industry professionals and students.Daro, Duensing and Cabrera shared insights into LUTs, deliverables, and ACES workflows.

Click here to watch the video

Annie Chang, P/Creative Technologies, Universal Pictures and ACES Co-Chair, followed with a presentation on the technical application of ACES and the soon to be released ACES 2.  All four presenters were then joined by colorist Laura Jans Fazio for a lively panel discussion moderated by SMPTE Hollywood chair Marc Zorn, Content Protection & Production Security, Marvel Studios was moderator.

Colorist Society Hollywood hosted its first in-person meetup on Thursday, September 14^th at the classic Hollywood pub, The Cat & the Fiddle. Colorists from across Southern California turned up for an evening of drinks, hos d’oeuvres, conversation and fun. The Hollywood Chapter expects host to many more such events, says Lynette Duensing, CSH. “It was great seeing everyone in person,” she notes. “The folks shared their experiences with technology and philosophies on how to approach a project. This speaks exactly to one of the core missions of CSH.”

The event was organized by Michael Mintz, CSH and promoted by Troy Smith, CSH.

Submissions are currently being accepted for the Dehancer Colourist Awards, a worldwide competition for colorists, created by color experts. Categories include Feature Film, Short Film, Documentary, Music Video and Mobile Video. Submissions are free but limited to projects using the Dehancer plugin and at least one film profile. Make your submissions here. Submissions close December 14.

The company describes the competition as “a great opportunity to showcase your skills and get recognized around the world. It is more than just a competition; it is an homage to the artistry, creativity and storytelling through film color.”

Winners receive a cash prize of US$ 6,000. Shortlist nominees are awarded a Lifetime License for Dehancer. Other prizes include subscriptions to Lowepost, Ravegate Cinelook perpetual licenses, monthly, full access subscriptions to DeMystify Color, vouchers for DeMystify Color Shop and Filmic Pro annual license codes. Winning work will also be featured in the company’s social media, which reaches 30,000 industry professionals.

Judges include:

• Nico Fink, colorist, Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Certified Trainer, Head of DeMystify Color
• Daria Fissoun, CSI, Colorist, Compositor, and Certified DaVinci Resolve Trainer
• Darren Mostyn, Senior Colorist and Founder of Online Creative
• Stig Olsen, Founder and Creative Director of Lowepost and Ravengrade
• Toby Tomkins, CHEAT Founder and Senior Colorist
• Matthew Tomlinson, Head of Color Science at Harbor

Please read the Rules & Legal Terms carefully before submitting your project.

On October 18 at 7pm AEST, the Australia/New Zealand Chapter will host an online meeting via our Discord Group. Along with a general group catch up, it will include a discussion about working remotely with clients in a post-COVID world. We are looking to broaden our scope, so please invite friends and colleagues from the vision side of production and post-production to take part in the discussion and perhaps become members.

Register here.

Colorist Society hosted a Colorist Mixer, September 16, in Amsterdam in tandem with the 2023 International Broadcasters Convention. Organized by iColorist, the event was held at Arti et Amicitiae, former home of a Dutch artist's society, in Rokin. 

The Mixer was well attended and enthusiastically received. It was a great opportunity to network, relax, learn, reconnect with old friends and make new ones. We also handed out more than $15,000 in raffle prizes provided by our sponsors. Winners included Jamie Dickinson (ACES), Cassiano Zoboli (Adobe), James Willett (ASUS) Nikolai Waldman (Blackmagic Design), Rik Mahieu (Colorfront), Alexander Hohenthaner (Flanders Scientific), Boris Klasser (Hedge), Paolo Verrucci (Kaurus), Alexandre Sadowsky (Leader), Achim Kapitza (MASV), Jenn Lee (Portrait Displays), Jon Hall (Professional Video Alliance) and Peteris Sudakovs (Tangent). 

(l to r) Alexander Hohenthaner, Rik Mahieu, Boris Klasser, Alexandre Sadowsky, Jenn Lee, Jon Hall, Kevin Shaw, James Willet, Jamie Dickinson, Achim Kapitza, Paolo Verrucci, Nikolai Waldman, Peteris Sudakovs, Cassiano Zoboli

IMDbPro recently launched a series of “How To” videos on YouTube to help you manage your profile. Learn how to change your primary profession or update your personal details with step-by-step instructions. Click here.

Colorist Society members receive a discount off an IMDbPro Premium Subscription, which offers full access to the most powerful features, including setting your featured image, primary profession and unlocking advanced search. See the Member section of the website for details.