DaVinci Resolve Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) Effect: Professional Teal-Orange Look for Studio and Free Versions

Summary:

This video introduces DaVinci Resolve's Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) effect, demonstrating how to achieve a professional teal-orange cinematic look.

CTD Overview: The CTD is a DaVinci Resolve Studio exclusive feature that creates a "teal-orange" look in a single node, but the video also provides a method for free users.
Color Grading Workflow: The process begins with normalizing footage using Color Space Transform nodes (e.g., RED to DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate, then to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4).
Primary Correction: Before applying CTD, perform basic color correction by adjusting overall brightness, setting contrast with S-curves (recovering highlights), and balancing colors (e.g., skin tones) using the vector scope.
Applying CTD: Add the Color Tone Diffuser effect from the FX Library, select the "Teal Soft" preset, and adjust the global blend to control intensity. The CTD applies complementary colors: teal to shadows and orange/yellow to highlights.
CTD Fine-Tuning: Explore Diffusion parameters for light spread, Shadow Soft Clip to lift dark areas without crushing, and Highlight Soft Clip to recover blown-out highlights. Tone Lights allows specific shadow color bias.
Free Version Alternative: For users without the Studio version, a similar split-tone effect can be achieved manually using custom curves, adjusting individual RGB channels to push shadows towards teal and highlights towards orange/yellow, then controlling intensity with key output.
Final Touches: Further enhancements like film grain (from presets like 16mm or 35mm) and selective masking (for vignettes or directional light) can add to the cinematic aesthetic.

This video demonstrates how to achieve a professional teal-orange cinematic look using DaVinci Resolve's Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) effect. It covers the complete workflow for footage from various cameras and provides an alternative method for users of the free version.

Introduction to Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) [00:00]

The Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) is presented as a "divine effect" in DaVinci Resolve, capable of transforming footage into a professional-grade cinematic look instantly.
This effect allows users to create a teal-orange aesthetic in a single node.
While CTD is primarily a DaVinci Resolve Studio feature, the video promises to show a method for free users to achieve a similar result.

Night Neon Street [00:31]

Initial Setup: Normalization and Color Correction [00:46]
- The video begins by explaining the process using three different footage examples to cover various situations.
- Color Space Transformation [00:52]
  - Camera to DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate [00:53]
    - For footage shot with a RED camera, the input color space is set to "REDWideGamutRGB" and input gamma to "RED LogG310".
    - The output color space is set to "DaVinci Wide Gamut" and output gamma to "DaVinci Intermediate" to work in DaVinci's wide color space.
  - DaVinci Wide Gamut to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4 for Monitoring [01:06]
    - The final color space transformation converts "DaVinci Wide Gamut" to "Rec.709" with "Gamma 2.4" for display on a standard monitor.
    - Tone mapping is set to "DaVinci" and gamut mapping to "Saturation Compression" to manage brightness and color compression.
- Primary Color Correction [01:23]
  - Add a Primary Node (PRI) [01:26]
    - A new node, labeled "PRI," is added for primary color correction.
  - Adjust Brightness for Night Scene [01:40]
    - Using the HDR Global Wheel, the overall brightness is reduced to normalize the luminance for the night scene, preventing an overly bright appearance.
  - Apply S-Curve for Contrast and Detail Recovery [01:50]
    - To enhance contrast, the "Custom Curves" tool is used.
    - Editable splines are enabled to create an S-curve, gently clipping highlights and lifting shadows.
    - The goal is to recover blown-out highlight details without losing them entirely and to adjust mid-tones.
    - Care is taken to ensure the main subject's brightness remains visible.
  - Adjust Color Balance with Vector Scope [02:22]
    - The vector scope is used to check and adjust the overall color balance.
    - Focusing on skin tones, slight yellow bias is corrected by moving the global color wheel in the opposite direction towards blue-green.
    - This step aims to achieve a neutral state that is conducive to further grading.
Applying Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) [02:47]
- Add a New Node Labeled CTD [02:48]
  - A new node is added and labeled "CTD" (short for Color Tone Diffuser).
- Drag 'Color Tone Diffuser' Effect from FX Library [02:57]
  - The "ColorTone Diffuser" effect is found in the "ResolveFX Film Emulation" section of the FX Library and dragged onto the CTD node.
- Select 'Teal Soft' Preset [03:11]
  - From the presets dropdown, "Teal Soft" is selected, immediately applying the teal-orange look.
- Adjust 'Blend' Slider for Intensity [03:26]
  - The "Blend" slider is used to reduce the effect's intensity, making it appear more natural and less overpowering.
- Explanation of Teal-Orange Complementarity [03:41]
  - The CTD effect places teal in the shadows and orange/yellow in the highlights, leveraging complementary colors for visual separation, as often used by artists like Van Gogh and Matisse.
Detailed CTD Parameters [03:55]
- Diffusion (Light Spread) [04:20]
  - This section controls the spread and softness of light in the image.
  - Resolution: Acts similarly to a blur effect, making the overall image softer. [04:34]
    - It's advised not to reduce this too much to avoid an overly edited look.
  - Amount: Controls the intensity of the light diffusion. [04:47]
  - Radius: Determines the radius of the light diffusion. [04:56]
  - For a natural look, both "Amount" and "Radius" are typically reduced from their maximum.
- Shadow Soft Clip [05:26]
  - This feature helps prevent shadows from being completely crushed, preserving details in dark areas.
  - Threshold: Defines the range of shadows that will be affected. Increasing it lifts more of the mid-to-dark tones. [05:55]
  - Softness: Adjusts the smoothness of the curve, making the shadow lift appear more natural. [06:06]
  - Useful for achieving "creamy shadows" often seen in cinematic looks.
- Highlight Soft Clip [06:16]
  - This is the inverse of the Shadow Soft Clip, used to compress highlights and recover blown-out details.
  - Threshold: Determines the range of highlights to be compressed. [06:21]
  - Softness: Controls the smoothness of the highlight compression. [06:28]
  - Demonstrated by bringing back details in bright neon signs.
- Tone Lights (Shadow Color Bias) [07:32]
  - Allows for subtle changes to the color bias within the shadows.
  - For example, adjusting "Bias Green" can shift the teal in the shadows towards cyan.
- Image Adjustments (Exposure, Contrast, Saturation) [07:51]
  - Provides global fine-tuning for overall exposure, contrast, and saturation.
  - These adjustments are made after the CTD effect to further optimize the look.
Final Touches: Vignette [08:16]
- Add a Mask Node (MASK) [08:19]
  - A new node labeled "MASK" is added to create a vignette effect.
- Create an Elliptical Mask to Guide the Eye [08:23]
  - An elliptical power window is drawn around the main subject.
- Invert the Mask and Lower Exposure on the Outside [08:28]
  - The mask is inverted to select the outer area, and the exposure is slightly lowered using the HDR Global Wheel.
  - This directs the viewer's attention towards the brighter subject, enhancing visual storytelling.

Asian Food Stall [08:55]

Initial Setup: Normalization and Color Correction [08:58]
- Camera to DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate, then to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4 [09:02]
  - For Sony A7S3 footage, input color space is "Sony S-Gamut3.Cine" and input gamma "Sony S-Log3". Output is transformed to DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate and then to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4.
- Primary Color Correction [09:18]
  - Adjust overall exposure to brighten the image. [09:23]
  - Apply contrast using the primary wheels with a pivot of 0.336. [09:32]
  - Correct white balance on skin tones in the vector scope, counteracting a slight yellow cast without making skin look unnatural. [09:58]
Applying Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) [10:19]
- Add CTD node and apply "Teal Soft" preset. [10:20]
- Reduce "Blend" for a softer, more integrated effect. [10:35]
Refining with Saturation and Density [11:28]
- Reduce Blue Saturation [11:30]
  - A "Saturation" (SAT) node is added. Using the "Hue vs Saturation" curve, the saturation of strong blue elements in the background is precisely reduced to avoid distraction.
- Add Film-like Density [11:50]
  - A "Density" (DEN) node is added. Using the "ColorSlice" tool, the "Node" parameter is slightly increased.
  - This effect aims to emulate the color density found in traditional film.
  - Care is advised not to overdo it, as it can make colors too dark and unnatural.

Retro Car and Woman [12:27]

Initial Setup: Normalization and Color Correction [12:30]
- Camera to DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate, then to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4 [12:33]
  - For Arri camera footage, input color space is "ARRI Wide Gamut 3" and input gamma "ARRI LogC3". Output is transformed to DaVinci Wide Gamut Intermediate and then to Rec.709 Gamma 2.4.
- Primary Color Correction [12:48]
  - Apply contrast using the primary wheels with a pivot of 0.336 to enhance detail. [12:54]
  - Slightly brighten the overall exposure using the HDR Global Wheel. [13:09]
  - White balance is kept as is, as the scene is shot during golden hour, embracing the natural warm tones. [13:14]
Applying Color Tone Diffuser (CTD) [13:24]
- Add CTD node and apply "Teal Soft" preset. [13:26]
- Reduce "Blend" for a subtle effect, approximately 38%. [13:38]
- Adjust Diffusion Parameters [13:46]
  - "Resolution" is slightly lowered to soften the image, enhancing the soft light effect of the golden hour.
  - "Amount" and "Radius" are increased to emphasize the light diffusion on the car, creating a glowing effect.
- Shadow Soft Clip [14:22]
  - Applied to slightly lift the shadows under the car, preventing them from being completely crushed and adding depth.
- Highlight Soft Clip [14:44]
  - Not applied in this case as there are no blown-out highlights requiring recovery.
Enhancing Light and Shadow for Subject Focus [14:53]
- Add Parallel Nodes for 'SHADOW' and 'LIGHT' [14:56]
  - Two parallel nodes, labeled "SHADOW" and "LIGHT," are added to selectively adjust specific areas.
- 'SHADOW' Node: Darken Foreground/Background [15:08]
  - A power window mask is drawn around the foreground/background area (excluding the subject).
  - The mask's softness is increased.
  - Global exposure is lowered to slightly darken the non-subject areas, making the subject stand out.
- 'LIGHT' Node: Emphasize Rim Light/Sunset Warmth [15:39]
  - A power window mask is drawn around the top-left area where sunlight hits, creating a rim light effect.
  - The mask's softness is increased.
  - The global wheel is subtly adjusted towards yellow to enhance the warm, golden hour light.
Adding Film Grain [16:15]
- Add 'Film Grain' (GRAIN) Node after ODT [16:16]
  - A "Film Grain" node is added after the output display transform (ODT) to prevent any compression/deformation issues.
- Select 16mm Grain Preset [16:24]
  - From the presets, "16mm 50D" is chosen for a slightly rougher, vintage film look, common in independent cinema.
  - Different presets (e.g., 35mm) offer varying grain sizes and intensities.

Free Version Method [17:20]

Achieving Split Tone Manually with Custom Curves [17:22]
- The primary color correction steps remain the same as the Studio version.
- Use 'Custom Curves' (CURVE) Node [17:29]
  - A "Custom Curves" node is added.
- Unlock RGB Links [17:49]
  - The RGB channel links are unselected to allow individual channel adjustments.
- Introduce Teal into Shadows [17:54]
  - Select the Red channel. In the shadows area of the curve, pull the curve down to reduce red. This will introduce more cyan/teal (opposite of red).
  - Select the Blue channel. In the shadows area, slightly pull the curve up to increase blue. This further enhances the teal in shadows.
- Introduce Yellow/Orange into Highlights [18:00]
  - Select the Blue channel. In the highlights area, slightly pull the curve down to reduce blue. This will introduce yellow/orange (opposite of blue).
- Adjust Intensity with 'Key Output' [18:08]
  - The strength of the curve effect can be fine-tuned using the "Key Output" gain and offset controls.
- Add 'Black' (BL) Node (Optional) [18:21]
  - If the shadows become too muddy or lose their true black, a "Black" node can be added.
  - Use the "Log Wheels" in the custom curves to slightly adjust the black point, bringing back true blacks without affecting other tones.
  - This helps maintain contrast and prevent an overly washed-out look.