Preparing R3Ds for the VFX artists

[James Page]

Hey
I've cut natively with R3Ds in Premiere and now i'm ready to pass on certain shots to the VFX artists. I've been asked to provide DPX Sequences, which is fine, however i want to maintain the most neutral and maximum latitude throughout the pipeline, ready for grading at the other end.

How do i set the R3Ds to be as neutral as possible?

 

[Louis Maddalena]

I'd correct all the color, make sure skin tones look nice, you're at the correct white balance,etc. and then export a DPX sequence in REDLogFilm.

Good color in, easier time post VFX in the color suite.

 

[Marc Wielage]

I would ask the VFX people specifically what they want, ask for the specs in writing, and give them what they ask for. Some people prefer to have something close to final color but more "ballparkish," not clipped or crushed, but leaned in the direction they need. Other VFX people are fine with a LUT, so you give them something in a RedLogFilm direction (with the appropriate RedColor setting applied), and then the 1D LUT just drops the contrast down to something reasonable. They take the LUT off the top layer before rendering.

Ideally, this is the kind of thing a VFX supervisor can advise.

 

[James Page]

I would ask the VFX people specifically what they want, ask for the specs in writing, and give them what they ask for. Some people prefer to have something close to final color but more "ballparkish," not clipped or crushed, but leaned in the direction they need. Other VFX people are fine with a LUT, so you give them something in a RedLogFilm direction (with the appropriate RedColor setting applied), and then the 1D LUT just drops the contrast down to something reasonable. They take the LUT off the top layer before rendering.

Ideally, this is the kind of thing a VFX supervisor can advise.

There is no VFX supervisor on this project.Thanks.

 

[PatrickFaith]

Give the vfx guys the r3d, i dont know a single competent vfx guy that doesnt know r3d. also never apply gamma curves before vfx. if you dont care that the vfx elements color space pops from the rest of the frame(so its obvious what is real vs vfx), then it doesnt matter if you dont have a vfx sup.

 

[paulherrin]

second what marc had to say. if you give them redlogfilm or one of the newer log3G10/12 make sure you tell them they will need to apply a LUT for checking something close to the colored result. if you can't trust their experience on that kind of stuff, you need to pre color/gamma it, as marc says, in the ballpark of where the finishing will get you. either way, make sure you get a decent whitebalance before exporting to DPX (or TIF or EXR). not a bad idea to send them r3d trims as well if you've got the space to do so. personally, i would prefer r3d's and, if applicable, some notion of the look of the final.

 

[James Page]

All the VFX will be done before anything is coloured.

 

[paulherrin]

just think white balance, white balance, white balance
you may want to speak with your colorist as well
ask what they want from vfx