As instructors, we often get asked where people should start with grading classes – whether wanting to learn from scratch, refresh existing knowledge, or take their skills to the next level after years in the business.

That’s why, in 2024, Kevin Shaw is doing things a bit differently. To make it easier than ever for people to get to grips with color, he’s running a full colour curriculum from start to finish. Broken into three modules, these classes will cover everything so you can go from colour novice to colour confidence.

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COLOR PIPELINE MENTOR PROGRAM

Module One: Setting The Look In Production

For: Directors, Cinematographers, DITs, Post Supervisors, VFX, Conform Artists, Assistant Colorists, Colorists and Editors

Content: Module Onestarts with the general principles of color science without getting too technical or theoretical. Kevin effortlessly collaborates with cinematographers and directors to ensure optimal capture of the intended visual mood. He serves as the bridge between the creative team and the technical crew. We discuss the psychology of seeing and the language of color. Production is the main focus of the later classes and we cover how camera settings affect the image. Then we explore how colorists and cinematographers tackle Look Management with color science, LUTs and CDLs and the importance of consistency. By the end of the module, participants should understand the factors that need to be agreed and documented in workflow documents so that the Director’s vision is achieved, editors and VFX can monitor images consistent with the intended Look,  and the delivery requirements are met.

• Class 1: The Magic of Color
• Class 2: The Defining Color Exploring color from both technical and artistic points of view
• Class 3: Managing Color Understand the differences between the appliance of science and the art of the craft
• Class 4: Setting the Look in Production Learn how cinematographers and colorists implement looks. The more you look the more you see
• Class 5: Workflow Documents How to mastermind the masterplan
• Class 6: Meeting Standards Is there anything standard about standards?

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Module Two: Color Management And Color Grading

For: Cinematographers, DITs, Post Supervisors, VFX, Conform Artists, Assistant Colorists, Colorists and Editors

Content: Module Two is more practical and begins with setting up color grading projects ready for finishing. davinci resolve is freely available and used as the example throughout the program, but the principles apply equally to other grading software. We follow the interaction between editing, vfx and final color. We also dig deeper into the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES), other color management solutions and the fundamentals of color grading. By the end of Module Two participants have a thorough grasp of technical grading and matching and take away Kevin’s unique approach to optimising and tweaking images while remaining consistent to the vision captured in Production. The last two classes in the module cover Look Development using both inspiration and perspiration. Contrary to popular belief their is a huge difference between matching the Look of another film and developing that Look into something new that enhances your project. Kevin is unwavering in his commitment to perfection. He approaches each project with an insatiable hunger to understand the vision and painstakingly translates it into a meaningful reality.

• Class 7: Project Management Good housekeeping in the color suite, using davinci resolve as an example
• Class 8: Preparing to Finish How the plan finally comes together!
• Class 9: ACES and other Color Management Systems Flying with the ACES. Simplify the technical and focus on the creative
• Class 10: Technical Grading Primary steps to reveal the masterpiece within
• Class 11: What Makes Pictures Better? How to improve inspiration with perspiration
• Class 12: HDR and SDR The future is looking brighter but is that all there is to it?

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Module Three: Look Development & Grading

For: Cinematographers, DITs, Assistant Colorists, Colorists and Editors wishing to further their color grading

Content: Module Three builds on the color knowledge of Module One and the fundamentals of Module Two to unleash the final color skills needed to elevate the visual impact of the footage. We subtly manipulate colors, contrast, and saturation to breathe life into the imagery, immersing the audience in captivating visual narratives. The module begins by explaining the allure of the film look and the elements that contribute to it. We continue by exploring tools that isolate and spatial tools that go beyond the realm of LUTs. The focus is always on practical applications. Kevin stays at the forefront of cutting-edge technologies and industry trends, continuously refining his craft, so the program could not end without applying the knowledge and techniques gained to the broader canvas of HDR, including the latest developments from Dolby.

• Class 13: Look Management Get your check list for matching and then developing Looks
• Class 14: The Varnish Learn tools about that are selective and put them to good use
• Class 15: Skin and Sky Refining skin, sky and other techniques that are frequently requested
• Class 16: Film Print Emulation (FPE) The Look of film is still a major influence. See how digital processing can be more like film than film
• Class 17: HDR Grading Boldly explore the new frontiers
• Class 18: Dolby Vision Learn the wonders of Dolby Vision

Pricing

• SINGLE £360
• ALL MODULES £900

For more info, see finalcolor.com or the iColorist class calendar >

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