Color Correcting in PrPro

[momoffduty]

I would like to enhance the HD video from my HV30. Any recommended tuts or have any tips? I've seen a few tuts and read the help a bit. Seems like this is an art and so many choices. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Chuck Engels]

Cheryl, What do you mean by 'enhance' exactly?
The video is pretty awesome to begin with

[Paul LS]

That's easy... Red Giants Magic Bullet Looks plugin (there is also the lower cost Magic Bullet Quick Looks now).

[Bob]

If you don't want to use the tools in After Effects and do your color correction/grading in Premiere Pro, explore the Three-Way Color Corrector. Not as fancy or as comprehensive as the expensive speciality tools, but you can do a quite credible job with it. And, best of all, coming included with Premiere Pro, it's free. It's used quite a bit in indie productions for that very reason.

Color Correction/grading is an art, but an approachable one. The hardest part is deciding on what type of a look you want. I think that's why tools like Magic Bullet Looks are popular. You can simply look at the included presets and pick one. No experience necessary (just kidding, Looks is a very powerful tool with a lot of control)

Pay attention to the movies and television shows you watch and see if you can tell what they've done to get their "look". Pretty soon, you'll start noticing the subtle ( and not so subtle) things they are doing to establish the look and feel they want.

Take at look at this: http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/videos/redgianttv-video.php?id=23. That, of course, uses Magic Bullet's Colorista and Looks products. But, the Three-Way Color Corrector does much of what Colorista does and you can adapt the techniques to what you have. The tutorial has some good information.

[momoffduty]

Paul, I would love to have Magic Bullet Looks, but too pricey. The Quick Looks is more my range. I found this at Adobe for a complimentary plug in. Is this still valid?

http://www.adobe.com/special/premiere/r ... scrip.html

Thanks for the tut Bob will put that on my must watch list.

The reason I want to do the color correction in Pro instead of AE is because I do not have dynamic link and this is for a 40 min family video. If I was working on a 2 min piece than I would go the AE route.

I tried the Fast Color Corrector effect, but will check out the Three Way Color Corrector.

And to answer Chuck's question, the video seems a tad flat. The lighting was not that great. The inside church shots seem muted and the inside the hall shots seem overblown with too many windows. The video is my granddaughter's baptism and the white gown didn't help.

[Paul LS]

Sony Vegas Pro had the same (looks like them anyway) free plugins as Premiere Pro lists on the link you gave. I upgraded from this very cheaply to the full Magic Bullet Looks.

[Bob]

Have you seen this tut on the three-way color corrector? http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/premierepro/articles/prp2am_3wcolor.html#

I was thinking you were talking more about grading than color correction. But, the three-way color corrector should be able to make the corrections you're talking about and you will be able to adjust the shadow, mid-range, and highlight regions separately as needed.

[momoffduty]

Thanks for the tut Bob. I haven't seen that one. Just finished watching the first one you posted and it did explain the concepts.

The current project is to boost it a bit. And I would like to learn more about color grading. Looks like the MB Quick Looks can only adjust the amount of the effect. Where as the full Looks have the individual parameters. Still can't justify the $.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Still can't justify the $.

Now that is something I can relate to!!

[momoffduty]

Watched the 2nd tutorial and very good too.

John, RenderLoft needs some sales to justify the expense.

[colt2048]

Have you seen this tut on the three-way color corrector?

I was thinking you were talking more about grading than color correction. But, the three-way color corrector should be able to make the corrections you're talking about and you will be able to adjust the shadow, mid-range, and highlight regions separately as needed.

I would love to see this tut but, it appears to have been removed! Any idea where it might have gone?

[Bob]

Sorry, I have no idea whether it's still available somewhere. it's been 4 years since I posted that and I don't recall the specific tutorial. Try Google with search terms: premiere pro 3 way color corrector