DaVinci Resolve Color Grading Tutorial: Mastering SERR's Film Emulation PowerGrade for Cinematic Looks

gianludona

Introduction to SERR Film Emulation [00:00]

The video presents a tutorial on color grading using the SERR Film Emulation PowerGrade in DaVinci Resolve, aiming for a cinematic look.

• Video Context: The tutorial uses footage from the speaker's brother, filmed for a climbing video, which served as inspiration for a cinematic color grade.
• Tool Introduction: The speaker highlights SERR's Film Vision 2 PowerGrade as a personal favorite, used for achieving rich, film-like colors.

Who is SERR? [00:56]

SERR is introduced as a young filmmaker and Director of Photography (DOP) from Los Angeles.

• Discovery: The speaker initially found SERR while seeking presets for photos that emulate the Kodak style.
• PowerGrade Development: SERR later developed a film emulation PowerGrade for DaVinci Resolve, which offers a highly cinematic color style.
• Usage Recommendation: The PowerGrade is described as very "film-like" and powerful, making it suitable for artistic and personal projects rather than commercial videos due to its distinct, sometimes invasive, aesthetic.

Example 1: Indoor Climbing Gym [01:53]

The first example demonstrates the full color grading process on an indoor climbing clip shot with Black Magic film Gen 5.

• DaVinci Resolve Setup:
  • Timeline settings: Full HD, 25 frames per second.
  • Color Management: DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate to Rec.709a.
  • Initial Clip State: The raw footage appears faded and lacks color.
• Applying the PowerGrade:
  • The "Film Vision 2" PowerGrade is applied, revealing a series of interconnected nodes in the node editor.
  • One node, "Ab Scan," is a compound node containing multiple internal adjustments.
• Internal Node Adjustments (Ab Scan) [03:50]:
  • LUT Application: Inside the Ab Scan node, the appropriate LUT is applied based on the camera footage (Black Magic Film Gen 5 in this case).
  • Contrast Adjustment [04:39]:
    • Exit the compound node and adjust the "Contrast" node.
    • Increase contrast gradually until the desired look is achieved (e.g., 1.228 in this example).
    • Rationale: Color is built by adding contrast and saturation.
  • Exposure Correction [05:05]:
    • Use the "Exposure" node to fine-tune highlights and shadows.
    • "Gain" adjusts lights (highlights).
    • "Lift" adjusts blacks (shadows).
    • "Gamma" adjusts mid-tones.
    • Emphasize avoiding crushed blacks or blown-out highlights.
  • Saturation Boost [06:04]:
    • Create a new serial node (Shift + S) specifically for saturation.
    • Rename it "Saturation."
    • Increase saturation using the main saturation control (e.g., to 70) to make the image more vibrant.
  • White Balance Adjustment [06:21]:
    • Use the "White Balance" node.
    • Adjust the "Temp" (temperature) slider to move the color balance towards orange if the image appears too blue.
    • Small, iterative adjustments are key, as they collectively build the final look.

      

      

• Further Compound Node Adjustments (Ab Scan) [07:18]:
  • Re-enter the Ab Scan compound node.
  • Texture [07:29]:
    • Activate the "Texture" node (initially deactivated) to slightly increase image sharpness.
  • Color Density [07:38]:
    • Activate the "Color Density" panel to deepen colors, especially noticeable on blues.
  • Roll-off [08:14]:
    • Activate "Roll-off" to gently reduce highlights, creating a softer film-like feel.
  • Grain Type [08:28]:
    • Change the default grain type which is often too strong.
    • Reset the current grain slider.
    • Select a preferred grain, e.g., "35mm 400t" or "200t" for a subtler effect.
  • Other Panels (1/8, D55, 500t, 250d) [09:23]:
    • Experiment with activating/deactivating panels like "1/8" (which adds a light boost/glow) and "500t" (which affects color and luminance) based on aesthetic preference.
• Saving and Applying the Grade [10:31]:
  • Save the finished grade as a "still" in the gallery (right-click, Grab Still).
  • To apply to new clips, select the clip, right-click on the saved still, and choose "Apply Grade."
  • This provides a starting point, often requiring minor adjustments for each unique clip.

    

Example 2: New York Outdoor Building [12:32]

The speaker applies the PowerGrade to an outdoor New York clip, demonstrating scene-specific adjustments.

• Re-application: The previously saved grade is applied, but the image appears too dark and blue.
• Adjustments:
  • Re-apply the Black Magic Film Gen 5 LUT.
  • Increase contrast and exposure (gain, gamma) to brighten the dark image.
  • Adjust white balance by moving the temperature towards orange to counteract the blue tint.
  • Activate texture, color density, and roll-off.
  • Deactivate "Blur" (which softens the image) for a sharper look.
  • Experiment with other panels like "D55" to shift towards yellow and "250d" to reduce green tint if needed.

Example 3: New York Street [15:50]

Another New York clip, featuring a person walking down a street, is graded using the saved preset.

• Initial Application: The applied preset makes the image slightly too yellowish.
• Correction: Deactivate the "d55" node (which adds a yellowish tint) to achieve a more balanced color.

Example 4: New York Indoor [16:36]

An indoor clip from New York (Grand Central Station) requires more significant adjustments.

• Correction:
  • Deactivate the "d55" node.
  • Correct exposure by lowering gain (lights) and lift (blacks) while raising gamma (mid-tones).
  • Reset the white balance temperature to neutral, as it was too orange.

Example 5: New York Street with People [17:31]

A street clip with people is quickly adjusted.

• Correction: Lower the exposure (gain) and lift (blacks) to create contrast, and slightly raise gamma for mid-tones.

Example 6: New York Houses [18:03]

This clip needs minimal adjustments after applying the saved preset.

• Correction: Slightly lower exposure and lift to enhance contrast.

Example 7: Turin Festival Close-up [18:32]

A close-up shot from a festival in Turin is graded from scratch.

• Re-application Steps:
  • Apply Lab Scan, select Gen 5 film LUT.
  • Increase contrast.
  • Activate texture, color density.
  • Remove blur.
  • Change grain to 35mm 400t.
  • Adjust exposure by slightly increasing gain to brighten the image.

Example 8: Mountains [20:17]

A mountainous scene is graded.

• Re-application Steps:
  • Apply Lab Scan, select Gen 5 film LUT.
  • Increase contrast.
  • Adjust exposure by lowering gamma and increasing gain.
  • Adjust White Balance towards orange to suit the snowy environment.
  • Experiment with other nodes.

Example 9: Plant Close-up [22:19]

A close-up of plants in nature is graded, highlighting specific color manipulation.

• Initial Application: Apply a previously saved PowerGrade.
• Adjustments:
  • Lower lift and increase gain for exposure.
  • Adjust white balance towards blue to change the hue of the greens.
  • Add a new node at the end to fine-tune the green colors using the HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance) curves panel.
  • Select the green color in the image and adjust its hue (e.g., towards yellow or blue), saturation, and luminance.
  • Add a mask for vignetting, blurring it, and lowering the lifts to darken the edges.

    

Conclusion [23:50]

The speaker reiterates the importance of practice and iterative application for mastering color grading with this PowerGrade.

• Learning Method: Encourage users to apply the preset to their own log footage, adjust the LUT, and fine-tune settings repeatedly to develop an intuitive understanding.
• PowerGrade Value: The SERR Film Emulation PowerGrade is presented as a powerful tool for achieving a desirable filmic, creative, and artistic look, though not universally suitable for all commercial applications.
• Call to Action: The speaker invites feedback and questions for future tutorial improvements.