DaVinci Resolve Old Look Color Grading Workflow for Cinematic Footage

Flavor TV

Introduction and Footage Preparation [0:00]

• The presenter, Andi Jaff, a Director, Cinematographer, and Colorist from Indonesia, introduces the tutorial for achieving an "Old Look" color grade in DaVinci Resolve.
• The video uses footage shot with a Sony FX6 camera and G Master lens, originally created for a music video.

DaVinci Resolve Project Setup [0:26]

• The tutorial begins by setting up the project's color management in DaVinci Resolve.
• The "Color Space" is set to "ARRI LogC3."
• The "Output Color Space" is set to "Rec.709."
• The "Output Gamma" is selected as "Rec.709 Gamma 2.2" or "Gamma 2.4," advising users to choose based on their monitor calibration.
• These settings are saved before proceeding.

Initial Color Transformation (IDT/ODT) [1:01]

• A "Color Space Transform" (CST) node is added, labeled as "IDT" (Input Display Transform).
  • The "Input Color Space" is set to "Sony S-Gamut3."
  • The "Input Gamma" is set to "Sony S-Log3."
  • The "Output Color Space" is set to "ARRI Wide Gamut 3."
  • The "Output Gamma" is set to "ARRI LogC3."
  • "Tone Mapping" is turned off.
• Another "Color Space Transform" node is added, labeled "ODT" (Output Display Transform).
  • The "Input Color Space" is set to "ARRI Wide Gamut 3."
  • The "Input Gamma" is set to "ARRI LogC3."
  • The "Output Color Space" is set to "Rec.709."
  • The "Output Gamma" is set to "Gamma 2.2."
  • This ODT node converts the footage to a display-ready format.

Primary Color Corrections (Contrast & White Balance) [2:00]

• A new node, "Primaries," is added for basic image adjustments.
• Contrast: Adjusted using the color wheels. The highlight (Gain) is slightly reduced, and gamma is adjusted for overall brightness.
• White Balance: Fine-tuned using the offset controls in the color wheels to correct any noticeable color casts, specifically reducing red, green, and blue biases in the shadows.

HSL and HSV Adjustments [3:37]

• An "HSL" node is introduced.
  • The color space is changed to "HSL."
  • Only "Channel 2" is activated for adjustment.
  • The gamma is slightly reduced to affect the luminance of specific colors.
• An "HSV" node is added next.
  • The color space is changed to "HSV."
  • Again, only "Channel 2" is activated.
  • Hue, Saturation, and Luminance values are adjusted to refine color accuracy.

Specific Color Adjustments with Color Mapper (Grass) [4:42]

• A "Color Mapper" node, labeled "Weeper," is used to target specific colors in the scene.
• The Hue-Saturation mode (spiderweb icon) is selected and set to 12 segments.
• The green range, specifically for the grass, is selected and adjusted.
  • The hue is shifted.
  • The saturation is slightly reduced to achieve the desired "Old Look" effect.

Applying Overall Look with Temperature and Tint [5:18]

• A new node, "Look," is created to apply a stylistic overall look.
• Temperature: Increased to +80 to add warmth to the image.
• Tint: Increased to +14 to adjust magenta/green balance.
• Lift: Slightly reduced to prevent excessive red bias in the shadows.
• Saturation: Reduced to around 35 to give a slightly desaturated, vintage feel, while ensuring skin tones remain acceptable.

Targeted Skin Tone Correction for Main Subject [6:27]

• A "Parallel" node is created and labeled "Skin Tone" to isolate and correct the main subject's skin.
• The "Qualifier" tool is used to precisely select the skin tones in the image.
• The selection is refined using hue, saturation, and luminance controls to ensure only skin tones are affected.
• The offset in the color bar is slightly adjusted to fine-tune the skin color, removing any remaining unwanted tints.

Background Subject Correction [7:33]

• A new "Parallel" node is added, specifically for the male subject in the background, labeled "SDF."
• A "Power Window" is used to draw a custom mask around the background subject.
• The mask is tracked across the timeline to follow the subject's movement.
• Gamma is increased to brighten the subject, and contrast is adjusted to prevent a flat, "faded" look.

Refined Look Adjustments (Look 2 & Magenta) [8:52]

• The original "Look" node is copied and pasted as "Look 2" to create a secondary look effect.
• Temperature: Set to -100, and Tint: Set to +10, with reduced offset to introduce a cooler tone, complementing the initial warm look.
• A new node, "Magenta," is added.
  • The "Curves" tool (RGB Custom) is used to fine-tune magenta tones, addressing any remaining color biases.
• Key Output: The key output values for both "Look 2" and "Magenta" nodes are adjusted (e.g., to 0.600) to control the intensity of their effects.

Final Contrast and Film Grain [10:35]

• A "Contrast" node is added.
• The "Curves" tool (RGB Custom) is used to create an S-curve, enhancing contrast across the image. Highlights are slightly increased, and shadows are slightly lowered.
• A "Film Grain" node is added.
• A "35mm 5247" film grain preset is applied to introduce a classic film texture.
• The "Global Blend" of the film grain is adjusted (e.g., to 0.700) to control its intensity.

Final Color Balancing and Outro [13:44]

• Further fine-tuning of the overall image is performed, including:
  • Adjusting highlights in the main curve to balance brightness.
  • Reducing saturation for the main subject's skin tone slightly.
  • Correcting the background subject's skin tone by increasing gamma and reducing saturation via a Power Window.
• The video concludes with the final graded shot, showcasing the "Old Look" effect.