Text 9331, 79 rader
Skriven 2006-10-13 11:59:40 av Shabaz
Ärende: Re: Further B5:TLT update from jms
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From: "Shabaz" <shabaz.x@gmail.com>

Chris Patterson wrote:
> In article <1160710889.028519.83780@k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
>  "Shabaz" <shabaz.x@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > But again, saying that colour grading is a gimmick is a bit like saying
> > that shooting stuff with a camera is a gimmick because the folks at BSG
> > tend to shake around theirs at times. I feel that I may have been
> > expressing myself really poor if you still think color grading is a
> > gimmick, because it really isn't.
>
> But the severe *over*-saturation of color such as I mentioned in the BSG
> exterior shots, I would call that a gimmick, because, as Amy mentioned,
> I *notice* it so much, and I'm noticing it *more* in recent years. I
> first *noticed* it in "Pitch Black", and Amy *noticed* it in BF:E.
> Wouldn't you agree that it can and has been applied with a "heavy hand"
> in those situations?
>
> By the way, I feel like the jittery camera is a bit of a gimmick as
> well, similarly over-used in recent years to artificially boost the
> anxiety level of a scene. First noticed, by me at least, in "NYPD Blue".
> --
> =====================================================================
> Chris Patterson                     chrispatterson.at.comcast.dot.net
> "The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are
> always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts."
>                                            -- Bertrand Russell
> =====================================================================

I think I'm finally getting the way you're thinking of colour grading.
You see, most you will not notice. Even the heavy handed stuff, like
what was done in something like LotR, isn't that readily noticeable
unless it is pointed out for most people. However, there are a few uses
of grading, where it is noticeable, and so those are what you're
thinking of when I talk about colour grading. Colour grading was done
to B5. Mostly, I'm guessing, to give the shots that were shot on fim a
consistent look in terms of the colour, saturation level, etc., after
the film was developed. It can also be used not just for consistency's
sake, but as an extension of the lighting process, if you will. A well
lit scene can bring out mood and atmosphere. A good grading, that can
now be much more targeted in its modern form, can be used as an
extension of achieving those goals.

And again, I've only seen a couple of BSG episodes so far, but nothing
I've seen came close to what was done in Pitch Black (only watched up
to Bastille Day). It's been a while since I've seen Pitch Black, but
what was done in the daylight planet surface scenes is actually an
interesting example. From what I remember, a lot of it was shot on
location outside, and not in a studio. They wanted to have this desert
like scorching lighting, and with ordinary lighting and sunlight, that
look was hard to achieve. So it actually is an excellent example of
where grading could've been used as an extension of the lighting
process. Now, I do remember that they didn't quite achieve what they
were trying to do, but part of the problem was they they weren't
particularly targeted in how they did the grading; something that more
modern tools would actually help with. Also, quickly looking up some
screenshots, in places they did mostly a desaturation of the image, and
then punched up the brightness and one particular colour.

But Pitch Black is about as extreme as you can get with regards to
grading, and not exactly what I had in mind. I would still not say
grading is a gimmick, and even with Pitch Black,.trying to recolour the
scenes in post was probably the right method to use for what they were
trying to achieve. They didn't quite get there, and I can remember
feeling a bit "meh' about the look of the film at times too, but they
chose the right tools for what they were trying to do. They did misuse
them though, I agree, and I do hope TLT will not do so in a similar
way. I don't think they will, and there is tons of room to experiment
with this tool without ever getting close to Pitch Black.

And I don't really like the shakey cam shots in BSG either. :) But I
heard they toned it done a bit in later episodes.

-Shabaz


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