I have seen a huge change from when I started grading in 1988 to 2013. This is a little light hearted look and the differences over a 10 year period.
2003 [Client] I have always wanted to be in one of these rooms, isn’t that machine a million dollars?
2013 [Client] Is this software free now?
2003 [Colorist] Look at the selection in the booze cupboard, take your pick?
2013 [Colorist] Can you pick up a couple of coffees on your way in as we don’t have a client service person.
2003 [Colorist] Are we transferring to D1 tape?
2013 [Colorist] Are we just making an H.264 IPAD version?
2003 [Colorist] How many weeks were you shooting this TVC?
2013 [Colorist] How many ads did you shoot in one day?
2003 and 2013 [Client question] Can we see the double head?
2003 [Colorist answer] Sure, do you want to see it on the Sony CRT
2013 [Colorist answer] What’s that a porno film?
2003 [Colorist] We have 90 camera rolls, that’s 30 lab rolls, our runner is bringing them up in the lift
2013 [Colorist] Is all your footage on this $99 USB drive, any backup?
2003 [Client] Does the Spirit have 1 or 2 windows?
Note (clients often thought it was the Spirit telecine that had the windows)
2013 [Colorist answer] Unlimited window shapes all tracking
2003 and 2013 [Client question] Can you defocus the invert of the key?
2003 [Colorist answer] No, this version of software doesn’t have that feature (Colorist doesn’t know how to do it)
2003 [Client reply] Oh, ok no worries.(Client certainly doesn’t know if the machine can or cannot do it)
2013 [Colorist answer] No, this version of software doesn’t have that feature.
2013 [Client reply] Yes it does, I used that function on my laptop last night, I can show you now, shift over!!
2003 [Client] Can you turn the DVNR up, touch of film grain in that 7298?
2013 [Client] Can you add some film grain into this footage?
2003 [Colorist] I’ll have to call the telecine engineer.
2013 [Colorist] I think I saw something about this problem on a forum last week
2003 [Client] Are we grading on a Pogle or da-vinci?
2013 [Client] What system are we using? There are so many I’ve lost touch.
2003 [Client] Film has got another 20 years, tape is a long way behind.
2013 [Client] We wanted to shoot film but couldn’t find a Lab close enough!
2003 [Colorist] We’ll need to do a separate grading pass for the car, the bonnet, the talent, the highlights and a plate pass for the background.
2013 [Colorist] I can fix it in one pass.
2003 [Colorist] Shall we eat out or go to the company kitchen?
2013 [Colorist] I can make you a sandwich
[Client Question] Can we see the cut with all the grades applied, with sound?
2003 [Colorist] I can’t show you now, I need to transfer all the selected takes. Can you wait for the Flame session tomorrow?
2013 [Colorist] Yes, here you go.
2003 [Client] Can you record some film spooling very fast from the TK machine? It looks great.
2013 [Client] I am going to key some of that film spooling stuff, got some on an old Digibeta that a Colorist recorded for me back in 2003, looks great.
