DaVinci Resolve Pro Colorist Q&A: Node Tree DCTLs, Live Concert Grading, Color Balance, DRTs, Export Settings, and Black & White Workflows

Cullen Kelly

Where do you place SatShaper, High/Low Trim or Contrast DCTLs in the node tree? [2:13]

• Node Tree Workflow Evolution [3:39]
  • The speaker now uses the HDR palette's global adjustment wheel [5:18] for linear exposure in the prime node instead of offset, then switches to primaries for other adjustments. This combines exposure and ratio into a single node effectively.
  • Why linear gain is preferred: Linear gain (like HDR global wheel) is considered a more photometrically sound way to adjust exposure, avoiding the need for compensations introduced by offset adjustments. [4:46]
• Basecon DCTL (Contrast) Placement and Functionality [7:18]
  • Purpose: Provides more flexible contrast pivot control than native Resolve tools. [7:40]
  • Linear vs. Rolling Contrast: Allows blending between linear and S-curve contrast shapes using a "rolloff" slider, adaptable per node and per shot. [8:48]
  • Preserve Color: Offers the ability to choose between RGB-only contrast and Y-only contrast, preventing "bleachy" or overly saturated looks. [9:40]
  • Placement: Applied within the primary node (often the "prime" node in the speaker's template node tree). [10:13]
  • Order of Operations: OFX (DCTLs) typically happen before HDR palette adjustments within the same node. [15:26]
• Sat Shaper DCTL (Saturation) Placement and Functionality [11:33]
  • Purpose: An enhanced saturation tool, inspired by HSV saturation techniques. [11:51]
  • Modes: Offers "subtractive" (HSV-like) and "spherical" color models for saturation, providing more nuanced control than Resolve's native saturation knob. [13:01]
  • Placement: Used in a dedicated "sat" node in the node tree. [11:36]
• Hyo Trim DCTL (Highlights/Shadows) Placement and Functionality [13:29]
  • Purpose: Designed for smooth and targeted trimming or stretching of highlights (and shadows, implicitly by extension). [13:49]
  • Controls: Includes "trim" (threshold), "length" (feathering/width of effect), "roll strength" (compression amount), and "preserve color" (for Y-only adjustments in highlights/shadows). [14:14]
  • Placement: Typically used in a node dedicated to highlight/shadow adjustments, allowing smooth manipulation of dynamic range. [14:55]

    

    

How to deal with live concerts as there might be extreme saturation values that change constantly? [15:53]

• Prioritize Imaging Pipeline and DRTs (Display Rendering Transforms) [16:50]
  • The most crucial factor is having a robust output transform that can gracefully handle extreme and rapidly changing colors/saturations common in concert footage.
  • Explore Alternative DRTs: Investigate different DRT options beyond default Resolve Color Management or ACES 1.0 (which is noted for struggling with extreme colors). [17:23]
    • Examples: ACES 2.0 (pre-release), Aries Reveal L, or custom DRTs like Juan Pablo Zbrano's "24.99." [17:35]
  • Time Investment: Dedicate significant time to testing various DRTs to find one that handles "edge cases robustly, consistently, and smoothly." [19:30]
• Conservative Look Application [19:47]
  • Once a suitable DRT is chosen, apply a light touch with the overall "look" to avoid "bumping" or undermining the DRT's handling of the extreme source material.
  • Concert footage often inherently has a strong "look," so extensive reshaping might be unnecessary or detrimental. [20:00]

Is there a ‘’correct’’ way to approach color balance? [20:27]

• Photometric vs. Perceptual Adjustments [21:07]
  • Linear Gain for Exposure: The speaker emphasizes linear gain adjustments (e.g., HDR global wheel) for exposure as photometrically sound. [21:17]
  • Skepticism on Temp/Tint: Expresses cynicism regarding the photometric accuracy of "temperature" and "tint" sliders in post-production, suggesting they don't replicate on-set lighting changes perfectly. [21:42]
  • Eye-Based Balance: Often relies on visual assessment and direct linear gain adjustments in the balance node for color correction. [22:01]
• Chromatic Adaptation as an Alternative [23:02]
  • Use Case: Potentially useful when the key light temperature and camera rating are clearly known to be mismatched (e.g., fluorescent light with daylight camera setting). [24:25]
  • Mechanism: Chromatic adaptation tools provide presets for converting between different color temperatures. [24:44]
• Split Toning using LAB Color Space [26:06]
  • LAB Channels:
    • Channel L: Luminance (grayscale).
    • Channel A (or 2): Runs along a green-magenta axis. Gaining it positive adds magenta, negative adds green. [27:48]
    • Channel B (or 3): Runs along a blue-yellow axis. Gaining it positive adds yellow, negative adds blue. [27:42]
  • Application: By isolating and adjusting these difference channels (A and B) using gain or contrast pivots, one can achieve targeted split-toning effects. [29:51]

    

Why is it important to evaluate our grading on a grayscale ramp? Is there something similar to color volume in 2D? [30:34]

• Utility of Grayscale Ramps and 3D Color Cubes [31:08]
  • Abstract Tools: These are not meant to represent real-world pixels or scene exposures directly.
  • Purpose: They serve as abstract graphs to reveal how a color operation or LUT will perform across a complete, evenly distributed range of input values (0-1). [31:19]
  • Smoothness is King: The primary goal is to ensure "smoothness" in the output. Any "unsmooth" or "jagged" areas in the ramp or cube indicate a "time bomb" – a potential problem that, sooner or later, will manifest as an undesirable artifact in real footage. [32:27]
  • Higher Bar: They set a higher standard for evaluation than simply checking if an operation "looks okay" on a few images, predicting issues that might not be immediately apparent. [35:51]
• 2D Representation of Color Volume [36:59]
  • While there are 2D graphs that can show aspects of a 3D color cube's data (e.g., a color bar or patch display), they are often not more intuitive than learning to interpret the 3D cube itself. [37:22]
  • Recommendation: Dedicate time to learn how to read the 3D color cube directly, as it provides a comprehensive view of color transformation behavior. [37:31]

    

Is there a way to convert a theatrical release to REC709 without affecting color perception that much? [37:55]

• Color Management for Conversion [38:11]
  • The standard approach is to use color management to directly convert from the theatrical P3 (or P3DCI, P3D60) color space to Rec.709. [39:55]
• Gamut Compression [40:47]
  • Converting from a wider gamut (P3) to a narrower one (Rec.709) will necessarily "clip off" or compress colors that fall outside the Rec.709 gamut. [40:53]
  • Role of DRT: A well-designed DRT is essential to handle this gamut compression "artfully," minimizing perceived impact. [41:01]
• Perceived Differences & Trimming [41:55]
  • Common Perceptions: Most perceived differences after conversion are often related to contrast or overall image shape due to different viewing environments (large cinema screen vs. smaller monitor), rather than significant, jarring color loss.
  • Trim on Glass: After the color space conversion, perform a "trim on glass" (fine-tuning by eye on a calibrated Rec.709 monitor) to adjust any elements that feel "off" or "bumped" in the new viewing environment. [42:11]

    

Exporting for social media and TV. The advanced tab in the delivery settings. [43:00]

• Gamma Settings for Different Platforms [43:34]
  • Web/Social Media (YouTube, Instagram): Export with gamma 2.2. This gamma best describes most computer monitors and displays. [44:01]
  • Broadcast/Streaming: Export with gamma 2.4. Streaming platforms often provide specific delivery specifications, making this less ambiguous. [43:41]
• Advanced Tab & QuickTime Gamma Shift [44:14]
  • NCLC Tagging: The Advanced tab in Resolve's delivery settings allows tagging the color space and gamma. Critically, the NCLC tagging system has no official tag for gamma 2.4, making it ambiguous. [45:26]
  • QuickTime Misinterpretation: When a gamma 2.4 image is tagged with a generic Rec.709 tag, QuickTime often misinterprets it as gamma 1.9 (or similar), leading to severe "gamma shifts" where the image appears much darker or brighter than intended. [45:33]
  • Gamma 2.2 Advantage: There is an NCLC tag for gamma 2.2, which results in much closer agreement between Resolve and QuickTime playback, making it a reliable choice for web deliverables. [45:52]
• Importance of a Reference Monitor [47:42]
  • To accurately assess gamma and color, a calibrated reference monitor is essential. Without it, the initial "source of truth" might be incorrect, leading to compounding issues when trying to match on other displays. [47:49]

    

Exporting Apple ProRes for social media rather than H264 or H265 [48:58]

• No Perceptible Quality Improvement (Current Findings) [49:46]
  • Initial testing suggests that uploading ProRes files to platforms like YouTube (which re-encode to H.265 or similar codecs) does not yield a significant improvement in perceived quality (e.g., less macro blocking, noise, or banding) compared to uploading H.265 directly.
• Increased Processing Time: Using ProRes for social media upload significantly increases local encoding time without a clear quality benefit due to the platform's re-encoding process. [49:54]

Do you grade stills on projects inside Resolve as well? [51:12]

• Yes, within Resolve [51:18]
  • Stills are graded in DaVinci Resolve using the same general color grading principles as video footage.
• Workflow for Stills [51:25]
  • If possible, color manage them (especially if they are in a camera RAW format that can be brought into a scene-linear state).
  • Otherwise, color manage them as Rec.709 or perform basic tweaks and trims directly in display space, potentially adding texture if needed. [51:34]

How do you handle projects that require Black and White when your timeline grading contains something that adds color such as split toning? [52:32]

• Adjustment Clips for Black & White [52:50]
  • Layered Approach: The preferred method is to use adjustment clips on a separate video track above the main footage.
  • Scene-Specific Treatment: A black and white LUT or a desaturation effect can be applied to an adjustment clip, which is then placed over the specific scenes or shots that need to be black and white. [54:03]
  • Overriding Main Look: This allows the black and white effect to override any global color looks (like split toning) applied downstream or at a group level. [54:11]
  • Composite Modes: To control how the black and white interacts with underlying contrast, the composite mode of the adjustment clip can be set to "luminosity," which preserves the contrast curve of the main look while removing color. [54:27]
• Shared Nodes (Alternative for Main Look) [55:51]
  • A main color look can be applied via a shared node (e.g., at the group post-clip level), ensuring consistency across the entire project.
  • Adjustment clips can then selectively apply black and white treatments on top of this shared main look for specific sections. [56:53]

    

Can you interpolate between a film LUT and an HDR rendering? [57:50]

• Technically Possible via Layer Mixer [58:52]
  • Yes, it's possible to mix between different color transformations (e.g., a standard Color Space Transform (CST) with a look, and a film rendering like ACES ADX + a film print LUT) using a layer mixer node. [1:00:14]
  • By adjusting the key output gain of one input to the layer mixer, you can blend the two different renderings. [1:01:01]
• Preference for Single Process [1:01:25]
  • While feasible, the speaker personally prefers to identify and develop a single, coherent color process that achieves the desired aesthetic, rather than relying on blending two separate, often disparate, renderings.