Why grading matters

When shooting it’s important that the colour consistency of each shot matches, so as not to jar the audience. This is where subtle grading can help by colour correcting each scene so that they match up and don’t drowning your film in dark shadows. Sometimes the changes are very slight because if it looks too graded then these changes become a distraction to your audience.

Visual consistency isn’t just about the imagery, it’s also about seamless storytelling.

Getting the right look

Before grading begins, I put together a look book: a set of colour references from other films that capture the tone a scene needs. This gets built alongside the director and DOP, so the grade supports the story a scene is actually telling rather than being applied as a generic filter afterwards.

Lighting and the grade

A consistent grade starts on set, not in the suite. Flicker-free LED lighting, correct colour temperature, and clean exposure all make a stronger grade possible later. The less a colourist has to fight the source footage, the more room there is to shape it creatively rather than just correct it.

Industry standard tools

Every trade requires the right tools and there are several software packages that cover grading. However, the current industry standard is Black Magic Design’s DaVinci Resolve, which my entire workflow is based around. By now being able to shoot in 4K RAW video we can achieve a lot more flexibility when it comes to grading your piece.

Creative grading

Grading is also a storytelling tool in its own right. Warm tones can carry warmth or nostalgia, cool tones can carry distance or unease, and a shift in palette across a film can track a character’s arc without a line of dialogue. The best grades have a reason rooted in the story, not just a look chosen because it’s fashionable.