Overseeing color grading on iPad

[Ryan McGregor]

A DP I was talking to today said that his previous DIT managed to set up a network between his iPad and MacPro, so that he could have a preview of the DIT's monitors while he was color grading off set. This way he could give him grading instructions without having to leave set. Anyone have any ideas on how to set this up?

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

DP giving DIT grading instructions ?

 

[Vinit Borrison]

VNC? remote desktop?

 

[Joshua Brown]

VNC? remote desktop?

Second that.

-JABrown

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

http://avatron.com/apps/air-display/

but it's a little goofy to me to supervise color corrections on an iPad.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

"Goofy" being a euphemism.

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

"Goofy" being a euphemism.

It is FAR more efficient to have the DP make any adjustment to settings on the camera - which are non-destructive - meta-data embedded in the R3D files - that he or she can view ON SET on a calibrated monitor.

 

[sander kamp]

It is FAR more efficient to have the DP make any adjustment to settings on the camera - which are non-destructive - meta-data embedded in the R3D files - that he or she can view ON SET on a calibrated monitor.

Not sure about that. Ideally you want to see on the monitor what the camera captures. For instance, if you plan on a high contrast look you still might want to capture some detail in the shadows just in case you change your mind later.

I think it's an interesting idea to use an iPad as a grading reference as there's not much you can change about the iPad's screen, potentially making them all the same. Certainly better than a random laptop from which you don't know what settings it has. And the iPad's screen is pretty good, too.

 

[Hrvoje Simic]

It is FAR more efficient to have the DP make any adjustment to settings on the camera - which are non-destructive - meta-data embedded in the R3D files - that he or she can view ON SET on a calibrated monitor.

Agreed. If I may add: more efficient AND more accurate.

Not sure about that. Ideally you want to see on the monitor what the camera captures. For instance, if you plan on a high contrast look you still might want to capture some detail in the shadows just in case you change your mind later.

I believe Mark was just suggesting a better solution than the one prior mentioned. Exact and universal "ideal" setup doesn't exist as it depends on a lot of factors one of which being DP's M.O.

I think it's an interesting idea to use an iPad as a grading reference as there's not much you can change about the iPad's screen, potentially making them all the same. Certainly better than a random laptop from which you don't know what settings it has. And the iPad's screen is pretty good, too.

"iPad as a grading reference" is an oxymoron.

I would never recommend it, as well as any "grading" on set, which is a mental heritage of digital era prior to RAW.

 

[Mark L. Pederson]

I believe Mark was just suggesting a better solution than the one prior mentioned. Exact and universal "ideal" setup doesn't exist as it depends on a lot of factors one of which being DP's M.O.

Exactly. We all know studio executives are watching dailies more and more on laptops - and rarely on a calibrated screen. On-Set edit media creation is the trend - and that is not going to stop with new tools like Cinedeck recording DNxHD and AJA's new KIPro Mini, etc. etc.

I believe a DP should be able to see a monitor on the SET that is as good of a representation of what dailies will look like as possible.

I'm a big fan of doing this in the camera - with meta-data.

I would never recommend it, as well as any "grading" on set, which is a mental heritage of digital era prior to RAW.

100% agreed. It's a slipper slope that rarely ends well.

 

[Jason H]

will this http://avatron.com/apps/air-display/

mirror my display as well?

 

[sander kamp]

Hmm, I would never say never. I agree that normally on the set there is no time to do grading. Grading of footage needs input from DP and director, both who have better things to do on the set.

But I can also think of scenarios where a quick grade might be useful, especially if the production is going for a more extreme look.

I guess ideally you want two monitors on the set: one for a clean image and one for a image with a look applied, which is something that - if I remember correctly - Epic would be able to do.

But back to the question, whether an iPad could be useful in the grading or look process. I think it is an interesting idea and one that I will want to try.