What is the colorist job market like?

[Scott Pultz]

Hello,

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I have seen other colorist talk here. I'm curious as to what the job market is like for a professional colorist using resolve and eventually broader post production? This question is for an artist friend of mine who is looking to expand their career into an interesting and more lucrative direction. I know that it would be tough going for awhile but that seems to be true for any artistic profession. My friend is currently on the path for 3D animation and modelling. He is very talented.

Scott

 

[Trevor Meier]

The colorist job market is very, very small. Similar to directing / filmmaking, there are opportunities if you follow the money. At the highest end there is a small handful of top feature-film colorists, some of whom hire assistants to do the majority of the setup work. If you are speedy and a whiz at workflow, there are opportunities in the fast turnarounds of corporate and commercial work. The rest is very difficult to break into.

Like anything, the opportunity comes from producing more value than you take. Being a great colorist is just one (important) part of the value proposition you're providing to the directors, DPs, producers and creative directors who will be hiring you.

 

[Marc Wielage]

I also think a lot depends on area. There are theoretically more job opportunities in (say) London, New York, Chicago, and LA, vs. the midwest or the south, or in distant foreign countries. If the colorist can form a partnership with an existing editing/mixing house, he or she might be able to bring color-correction to the company's arsenal of services.

Otherwise, the freelance market out there is tough. Finding people with sufficient budgets to afford reasonable rates is always a challenge -- but that's also true for sound, VFX, and editing. It doesn't help that there are always people who erroneously believe that because they own the software, they understand how to do the job efficiently and quickly for the best possible results.

 

[Karim D. Ghantous]

I am not a colorist or a DP. However, I would say that a talented colorist, who humbly takes orders from directors and DPs, and who communicates well with same, is going to have a good career ahead of them.