DaVinci Resolve: A Step-by-Step Guide to Color Grading Documentary-Style Interviews

JP Reshuan

Summary:

Learn to color grade documentary-style interviews in DaVinci Resolve, transforming raw footage into a polished, cinematic look. This tutorial covers initial project setup, clip-level adjustments, global enhancements, creative look development, and advanced targeted corrections.

Introduction and Project Setup [0:00]

• The tutorial demonstrates how to achieve a documentary-style color grade for interviews in DaVinci Resolve.

Opening DaVinci Resolve and Creating a New Project [1:00]

• The latest version of DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 is opened, and a new project named "tutorial" is created [1:00].

Importing Footage [1:39]

• Footage, including B-roll and the main interview, is imported into the edit tab by dragging and dropping from the file finder [1:50].
• It is crucial to select "don't change" when prompted, to preserve the original frame rate [2:00].
• The main interview clip is identified as the "hero frame" due to consistent lighting and location, serving as the primary reference for the initial grade [2:22].

Grouping Clips for Efficient Grading [4:24]

• All clips sharing the same lighting and location are selected and added to a new group, named "office" [4:24].
• This grouping creates a node structure with 'pre-clip,' 'clip,' and 'post-clip' nodes, enabling global adjustments across the entire group or specific clip-level modifications [5:17].

  

Project Settings Configuration [6:30]

• Project settings are configured under "Color Management" [6:30].
• "DaVinci YRGB Color Managed" is selected for "Color Science" and "Timeline Color Space," with "Output Color Space" set to "Rec.709 Gamma 2.4" [6:40].
• Preferences are verified to ensure "use 10-bit precision" and "automatically tag Rec.709 scene clips as Rec.709-A" are enabled for Mac users (for Windows, ensure "Rec.709 Gamma 2.4" is correctly set in project settings) [7:00].

Color Space Transform Setup [7:40]

• Pre-Clip Color Space Transform [7:56]
  • A "Color Space Transform" effect is added to the 'pre-clip' node, configuring input settings to match the camera's color space and gamma (e.g., Sony S-Gamut3.Cine / S-Log3) [7:56].
  • Output color space is set to "DaVinci Wide Gamut" and output gamma to "DaVinci Intermediate" with tone mapping set to "None" [8:35].
  • This node universally converts all log footage within the group to a standardized working color space [8:44].
• Post-Clip Color Space Transform [8:55]
  • Another "Color Space Transform" is added to the 'post-clip' node, with input matching the pre-clip output ("DaVinci Wide Gamut" / "DaVinci Intermediate") [9:10].
  • Output color space is "Rec.709" and output gamma is "Gamma 2.4," with tone mapping set to "Luminance Mapping" and gamma mapping to "Saturation Compression" [9:30].
  • These pre and post-clip nodes serve as the foundational "buns of a burger" for the entire group's color workflow, bracketing the creative grading steps [9:57].

    

Initial Clip-Level Adjustments (The Core Grade) [10:19]

• The speaker selects a representative "hero frame" to establish the initial color grade [10:07].

1. Exposure Adjustment [10:39]

• Three serial nodes are added to the 'clip' node: one each for Exposure, White Balance, and Contrast [10:28].
• Exposure is adjusted using the HDR wheels' "Global" control to subtly decrease overall brightness without sacrificing shadow detail [10:44].
• Cmd/Ctrl + D is used to toggle the node on and off for quick comparison [11:35].

2. White Balance Correction [11:52]

• White balance is refined using the offset wheel to correct color casts, aiming for neutral blacks and whites while retaining warmth from practical lights [12:08].
• Visual inspection and the parade scope confirm an initial orange/red tint, leading to adjustments to balance red, blue, and green channels [12:13].

3. Contrast Adjustment [14:40]

• Contrast is adjusted using the YRGB Curves by unlinking colors from luminance (Y) [14:55].
• Highlights are brought down and shadows are raised, then fine-tuned to achieve desired contrast while preserving details [15:05].

Applying the Grade to All Clips [16:12]

• The refined grade from the "hero frame" (exposure, white balance, contrast) is saved as a "steel" in the gallery [16:12].
• This saved grade is then applied to all other clips within the group, ensuring a consistent base for all shots while allowing individual clip adjustments later [16:18].

  

Pre-Clip Group Adjustments (Global Enhancements) [16:55]

• The pre-clip group is used for global enhancements that affect all clips within the group.

  

Noise Reduction [17:41]

• A serial node for "noise reduction" is inserted before the Color Space Transform within the pre-clip group [17:41].
• Temporal noise reduction is applied (e.g., 'frame 3,' 'better' quality, with an 'amount' of approximately 5.2) to subtly reduce image grain without compromising sharpness [18:29].

Saturation Enhancement [19:03]

• A "saturation" node is added to the pre-clip group, and its color space is changed to HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) [19:03].
• Hue and Value channels are deselected, isolating only the saturation control [19:51].
• Saturation is subtly increased using the 'gain' wheel, enriching colors in a deep and natural manner, in contrast to the less refined 'saturation' slider [20:07].

  

Highlight and Shadow Adjustments [21:09]

• A dedicated node for "highlight and shadows" is added to the pre-clip group [21:09].
• Highlights are subtly decreased to "take the edge off" overly bright areas, and shadows are slightly increased to recover details in darker regions without over-exposure [21:24].

Post-Clip Group Adjustments (Creative Look and Effects) [22:29]

Establishing the Documentary Look [23:44]

• Nodes labeled "look," "look adjustment," and "hue, saturation, luminance" are added to the post-clip group [23:06].
• The "look" node is used to build a moody, subtly warmer, documentary aesthetic with enhanced contrast on the skin [23:44].
• The 'lift' wheel (controlling shadows) is adjusted towards the blue/cyan/green spectrum to introduce cooler tones into the shadow areas [24:19].

Skin Tone Balancing [25:07]

• The 'vector scope' is utilized, with the "show skin tone indicator" enabled, to precisely monitor skin tone consistency [25:35].
• The 'gamma' wheel (controlling midtones) is carefully moved towards the orange side to balance skin tones against the cooler shadows, ensuring a natural complexion [26:18].

  

Hue vs. Hue Adjustments (Teal and Orange Look) [27:03]

• In the "look adjustment" node, the "Hue vs. Hue" curve is selected [27:05].
• Specific hues (red, yellow, blue) are targeted to shift their color properties (e.g., yellows towards orange, blues towards cyan/green), contributing to a "teal and orange" cinematic aesthetic [27:10].

  

Hue vs. Saturation Adjustments [28:50]

• Within the "hue, saturation, luminance" node, the "Hue vs. Saturation" curve is employed to manage saturation levels of specific hues [28:53].
• The saturation of yellows and blues can be subtly reduced to fine-tune overall color intensity and prevent oversaturation [29:06].

Adding Texture and Pop (Paid Version Effects) [29:56]

• (Note: The following effects are primarily available in the paid version of DaVinci Resolve Studio) [29:59]
• 1. Beauty Filter [30:31]
  • A "Beauty" effect is added to a dedicated node; set to "Automatic," the 'amount' (e.g., 120) and 'scale' (e.g., 350) are adjusted to subtly smooth skin [30:50].
• 2. Glow Effect [31:49]
  • A "Glow" effect is applied with 'Composite Type' set to "Soft Light," 'shine threshold' pulled back, 'spread' around 1.4, 'saturation' down, and 'blend' adjusted (e.g., 540) to introduce a soft glow [31:56].
• 3. Contrast Pop [33:01]
  • A "Contrast Pop" effect is added, with parameters such as 'effect amount' (e.g., 65), 'detail size' (e.g., 140), 'low/high threshold,' and 'softness' (e.g., 650) adjusted to add subtle pop to fine details [33:08].
• 4. Sharpening [35:44]
  • A sharpening tool is applied as one of the final adjustments, with the 'radius' setting adjusted to a low value (e.g., 48-49) for gentle, overall sharpness [35:50].

    

Optional: Anamorphic Look [37:51]

• To achieve a cinematic, wide-screen aesthetic, "Timeline Output Blanking" is set to "2.35" to add black bars, and the image can be repositioned in the edit tab [37:58].

Advanced Targeted Adjustments (Bonus) [38:25]

Power Windows for Lighting Correction [38:43]

• On the clip level, three parallel nodes are created to utilize power windows for localized lighting and exposure adjustments [38:43].
• 1. Focusing on the Subject [38:51]
  • A circular power window is drawn around the subject, rotated to align with the key light, diffused, and then inverted [38:51].
  • The 'gamma' (midtones) is subsequently lowered to subtly darken the background, drawing focus to the subject [40:01].

    

• 2. Boosting Practical Lights [40:59]
  • A second circular power window is positioned over a practical lamp, shaped, and diffused [40:59].
  • The 'gain' control is then raised to increase the perceived intensity of the practical light, enhancing atmosphere [41:11].

    

• 3. Recovering Underexposed Areas [41:40]
  • A linear power window is employed to selectively brighten a dark, underexposed area (e.g., a bookshelf) [41:40].
  • This window is diffused and positioned to selectively raise the 'gain,' bringing back lost details without over-exposing other parts [42:03].

    

Enhancing Subject Highlights [43:03]

• A new serial node is added after the contrast node [43:03].
• The 'qualifier' tool is used with 'luminance' set to 'Loft' and a value of '12' [43:10].
• Shift+H is used to view and refine the mask, isolating only the highlights on the subject's face [43:22].
• The 'gain' is then subtly increased to add a final "pop" to these subject highlights, making them stand out with a refined glow [43:47].

  

Conclusion [44:24]

• The tutorial concludes by summarizing the comprehensive process for achieving a professional documentary look [44:24].
• The speaker notes that matching other scenes to the hero frame will be covered in a subsequent, more advanced video [44:44].