DaVinci Resolve 20: Advanced Film Emulation and Pro Color Grading Techniques Tutorial

Director Qim

Introduction to Film Emulation in DaVinci Resolve [00:00:15]

• Director Qim introduces a detailed tutorial on film emulation and color grading in DaVinci Resolve, focusing on techniques he recently discovered.
• The goal is to explain frame conversions for film emulation and the subsequent color grading process.

Traditional Film Conversion Method [00:02:25]

• The first method demonstrates a standard film conversion using Color Space Transformation (CST).
  • Step 1: Input Transformation [00:02:27]
    • Convert footage from Red Gamma (source camera) to DaVinci Wide Gamut.
  • Step 2: Output Transformation [00:02:42]
    • Convert from DaVinci Wide Gamut to Cineon Film using the Kodak 3383 film print emulation.
    • This is described as a "normal conversion" that beginners typically use.

      

Advanced Film Emulation Method (Director Qim's Preferred Workflow) [00:04:47]

• Director Qim introduces an advanced method learned from Ken K's tutorial, which he found gives superior results without color "leaking."
  • Step 1: Initial Color Space Transformation (Input) [00:04:51]
    • Convert footage from Red Gamma to DaVinci Wide Gamut.
  • Step 2: Saturation Compression [00:05:09]
    • Apply saturation compression to clean up and control saturation levels.
  • Step 3: Intermediate Color Space Transformation [00:05:23]
    • Convert from DaVinci Wide Gamut to ACES AP0 Linear.
      • The speaker prefers AP0, but notes AP1 is also an option depending on desired saturation levels.
  • Step 4: Second Saturation Compression [00:06:04]
    • Apply another saturation compression to the image.
  • Step 5: Output Color Space Transformation (ACES to ADX10) [00:06:13]
    • Convert from ACES to ADX10. This step skips the input transformation as it's already linear from the previous step.
  • Step 6: Third Saturation Compression [00:07:32]
    • Apply a final saturation compression if needed.
  • Step 7: Film Print Emulation [00:07:43]
    • Apply a film conversion to Cineon Film.
  • Justification for Advanced Method [00:08:06]
    • This method prevents color leaking and casting issues, especially when pushing blue and red colors, providing a cleaner and more controlled "pure film tone" compared to the normal Cineon film method.

      

Comparing Film Emulation Methods [00:08:54]

• A side-by-side comparison reveals the differences between the traditional and advanced methods.
  • The advanced method (left) appears slightly darker with a subtle yellowish skin tone.
  • The traditional Cineon film method (right) is brighter but has a more orange skin tone.
  • The speaker states that the advanced method provides a "super cool" base, with the yellowish tint being easily correctable during grading.

    

Detailed Color Grading Process [00:10:31]

• The speaker then applies various grading steps using the preferred advanced film emulation node tree.

  • Initial Setup (Review) [00:10:31]
    • The node tree begins with Red to DaVinci Wide Gamut, followed by ACES AP0 Linear, then ADX10, and finally Kodak 2383.
    • The speaker notes a mistake of using Kodak 2383 twice but keeps it due to satisfactory results, recommending "DuraGloss paper" instead for the final print emulation.

      

• Exposure Adjustment [00:13:02]

  • The HDR panel is used to increase the overall exposure, compensating for the initial darkening from the film conversion, to achieve desired brightness.

    

• Dynamic Compression [00:14:56]

  • Curves are adjusted to compress the dynamic range, specifically by bringing down the highlights (below 700 on the waveform) to create a more filmic look.

    

• Color Balance [00:16:07]

  • Contrast is set to 1.5.
  • The gamma mid-range point is set to 0.336.
  • Image temperature is warmed slightly, and tint is adjusted to achieve the desired atmospheric and storytelling balance.

    

• HSV Saturation Control [00:17:51]

  • The HSV color space transformation is used for saturation adjustment.
  • Channels 1 (Red) and 3 (Blue) are unchecked, focusing adjustments on Channel 2 (Green) because it acts as a global saturation control without causing color leaks.
  • Gain and Gamma are increased on the green channel to boost saturation, particularly in the mid-tones.

    

• Applying LUTs [00:20:56]

  • Two custom LUTs (sold by Director Qim) are applied to further enhance the filmic look.

    

• Skin Tone Correction [00:21:36]

  • The skin tone is qualified (selected) for isolated adjustments.
  • Blacks are cleaned, and noise reduction is applied.
  • Saturation is reduced to prevent oversaturation.
  • The yellowish hue introduced by the ADX/ACES method is specifically targeted and reduced to achieve a more natural skin tone.

    

• Final Adjustments and Effects [00:22:48]

  • Beauty Plugin: DaVinci Resolve's built-in beauty plugin is used to smooth the skin.
  • Global Brightness: A global adjustment is applied to increase overall brightness.
  • Color Pop/Clean-up: A curve adjustment is made to reduce an undesirable blue-green cast, making the image "pop" more.

    

  • Glow and Halation: Normal glow and halation effects are applied, adjusting threshold, strength, and blending.
  • Sharpening and Detail Restoration: Sharpening and "Contrast Pop" are used to restore details that might have been lost due to noise reduction.

Before and After Comparison [00:24:57]

• The video concludes with a visual comparison of the footage before and after the entire color grading process, showcasing the transformation.

  

Conclusion and Recommendations [00:25:17]

• Director Qim encourages viewers to try this method, noting its effectiveness in changing color grading entirely.
• He advises that not all methods work for every footage and encourages continuous learning and experimentation.