In 2019 we started transitioning from Adobe Premiere to DaVinci Resolve. The reasons for this decision were two fold: we experienced a better edit workflow with Resolve, and its color grading capabilities are the best in the industry.
The majority of the footage we shoot is from our RED Weapon cameras. In our color image pipeline, we use IPP2 color science, RedWideGamutRGB for our color space, and Log3G10 for our gamma curve. This creates the flat-looking LOG image, which gives us full range and flexibility when working in R3D footage.
We are documentary filmmakers, and our esthetic coloring principle is to keep our footage looking as authentic as possible. But the coloring possibilities in Resolve are nearly limitless. We balance and color each individual image, never relying on the use of LUTs alone. However, we are always up for the challenge to create ‘looks’ when the style calls for it!
One of our favorite things about Resolve is its unlimited node-based color grading. Every scene can be adjusted to minute detail. A node can be assigned to balance the gamma of the image, then add another node to just change the color temperature of the shot. Then add a node to adjust the saturation, another to tweak the color of the sky. Add a tracker to a node to raise the brightness of the subject’s eyes while that subject is moving across the frame, and so on. The possibilities are endless.
