Do Film Schools neglect Color Grading?
Based on my recent experience in Australia the answer is probably yes. Read on for a possible solution.
Students will get some color knowledge from their editing and cinematography lecturers but nothing over a 101 level. It mostly scratches the surface of what can be achieved. The constant changes in camera tech and software means we are working with new cameras, sensors, higher resolutions, new grading toolsets and OFX plugins.
The tech though is only one side of the story, most might argue that the creative side of grading is far harder than learning the software
I understand that having a color expert on staff or a freelancer readily available to run regular sessions at a Film School is not an easy option for both financial and time restraint reasons.
Collarts Lab
In December 2024 I ran a color workshop at Collarts Film School in Melbourne. They had been asking for me to put together a 5 day workshop for their Film School but the $ rate and my expenses meant that my quote kept going over budget.
The model needed changing so I came up with a solution that made sense for all parties.
The ‘Color in School’ partnership we decided on was this:
Collarts supplied their training room and any additional kit, they also had x2 control surfaces.
Their fee for the dry hire was x2 free spots and x2 discounted spots from iColorist.
This left 6 spots for me to sell to the public.
Both parties made some PR assets, we then jointly promoted the workshop.
Student set up
The tickets were priced to sell and we got to 10 students pretty quickly. This included not only Melbourne locals but interstate visitors from NSW and SA.
Collarts used their free and discounted places for x2 students and x2 staff members.
The 5 day Melbourne workshop was a mixture of my RG101, 201 and 301 workshops. Students brought their own footage to work on which complemented the standard iColorist footage that I use. Students from different levels and backgrounds tend to all ask different questions, often ones you would never have asked yourself.
Pressure tests, a 1 min grading challenge and a quiz added too the variety of the week.
EIZO supplied a grading monitor, which allowed me to showcase a professional workflow to all students.
I really enjoyed the week
Student snapshot
EIZO ColorEdge 27″ monitor
Student testimonial.
“Thanks again for the great week, much appreciated.
It is something I wish I’d done years ago, and I’m looking forward to using the knowledge in the coming weeks”
Dan Slaughter.
DP/Editor/Finisher
If you would like more information about iColorist running a workshop at your Film School or company please contact us here.
