@jaskoderonde
Cinematic node tree
GUIDE
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COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
1. Colorspace Transforms
• SET INPUT COLOR SPACE AND GAMMA TO CST IN
TO MATCH YOUR CAMERA’S FORMAT.
• SET OUTPUT COLOR SPACE AND GAMMA TO
DAVINCI WIDE GAMUT / DAVINCI INTERMEDIATE.
• EDIT CST OUT NODE TO CONVERT BACK TO REC.709 GAMMA 2.4.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
2. Exposure
• USE THE FIRST NODE TO ADJUST GLOBAL EXPOSURE
WITH PRIMARY WHEELS, HDR WHEELS, OR LOG WHEELS.
• USE THE PRIMARIES FOR FINE ADJUSTMENTS AND
COLOR BALANCING.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
3. Primaries
• TO CREATE A SOFTER IMAGE THAT’S EASIER ON THE EYES,
REDUCE THE CONTRAST SLIGHTLY.
• YOU CAN DO THIS BY LOWERING THE GAIN (HIGHLIGHTS)
WHILE RAISING THE GAMMA (MIDS) TO FLATTEN THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MID-TONES AND HIGHLIGHTS.
• ADDITONALLY, YOU CAN LOWER THE SHADOWS IF YOU WANT
TO COMPRESS THE DARKER AREAS.
• THIS ADJUSTMENT HELPS TO CREATE A MORE BALANCED
IMAGE, REDUCING HARSH CONTRASTS AND RESULTING IN A
VISUALLY PLEASING LOOK.
• USE THE WHEELS FOR SUBTLE COLOR ENHANCEMENTS THAT
COMPLEMENT THE OVERALL SOFTNESS OF THE IMAGE.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
4. Saturation & Color Boost
• ADJUST SATURATION AND TEMPERATURE TO SET THE
OVERALL TONE.
• SLIGHTLY LOWER SATURATION, THEN COMPENSATE BY
INCREASING COLOR BOOST.
• THIS ENHANCES VIBRANCE AND PULLS OUT MORE
NATURAL COLOR VARIATION FOR A CINEMATIC LOOK.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
5. Power Nodes
(Optional Adjustments)
USE PARALLEL NODES TO ISOLATE COLORS, ADJUST
CURVES, APPLY SELECTIVE CORRECTIONS, ETC.
WITHOUT AFFECTING THE ENTIRE IMAGE.
6. Glow Effect @jaskoderonde
• SET THE COMPOSITE TYPE TO SOFT LIGHT FOR A GENTLE BLENDING EFFECT.
• ADJUST THE SHINE THRESHOLD BY LOWERING IT TO SELECT THE
HIGHLIGHTED AREAS OF YOUR IMAGE. KEEP LOWERING UNTIL YOU
ENCOMPASS THE DESIRED LIGHT SOURCES WITHOUT INCLUDING TOO MUCH
OF THE IMAGE. STOP WHEN YOU’VE HIGHLIGHTED THE KEY AREAS YOU WANT
TO EMPHASIZE.
• NEXT, TWEAK THE SPREAD TO CREATE A BLOOM OR GLOW EFFECT AROUND
THE LIGHT AREAS. FIND A BALANCE THAT SOFTENS THE CONTRAST BETWEEN
HIGHLIGHTS AND SHADOWS, MAKING THE IMAGE FEEL SMOOTH AND
COHESIVE.
• AFTER THAT, YOU CAN ADJUST
THE GAIN AND GAMMA TO FURTHER
REFINE THE GLOW EFFECT.
• USE THE GLOBAL BLEND TO
CONTROL THE OVERALL INTENSITY
OF THE GLOW EFFECT TO SUIT
YOUR VISION.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
7. Halation Effect
• APPLY THE HALATION EFFECT, WHICH ENHANCES THE SOFT
EDGES AROUND HIGHLIGHTS, GIVING YOUR IMAGE A DREAMY
AND ATMOSPHERIC QUALITY.
• ADJUST THE SETTINGS TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED LEVEL OF
HALATION FOR YOUR SPECIFIC LOOK, ENHANCING THE
OVERALL AESTHETIC WITHOUT OVERPOWERING THE IMAGE.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
8. Film Look
• THE NODE CONTAINS A CST AND THE KODAK 2.8 FILM LOOK.
• NAVIGATE TO THE KEY SECTION AND REDUCE THE KEY
OUTPUT TO ADJUST THE INTENSITY OF THE FILM EFFECT.
COLOR GRADING GUIDE @jaskoderonde
9. Vignette
• THE FINAL NODE IS FOR THE VIGNETTE EFFECT. ADJUST THIS
ACCORDING TO YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE TO ENHANCE
THE OVERALL COMPOSITION AND DRAW ATTENTION TO THE
CENTER OF THE FRAME.
• THIS CAN ALSO BE PLACE BEFORE THE CST OUT FOR A
BETTER BLEND OF COLOR/NATURAL LOOK, BUT YOU’LL HAVE
LESS CONTROL OVER IT.
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