Editing Tip: Color Correction

Posted on by Jeff Riegel, Producer/Editor

December 8, 2010

by VideoMaker.com

 

Color Correction

There are times when the color of the footage you have to edit is less than ideal. There are other times when it’s downright bad. Fortunately, many editing applications have a color corrector tool that will turn discolored footage into well-matched, white balanced shots.

There are occasions when the footage that was captured turns out looking a bit on the blue side, and then there are occasions when it has a yellow tinge to it. This is a result of not properly setting your camera’s white balance. However, there is no need to fret. There is a quick, and easy, way to fix this in post production.

Within your editing software there is a color correction tool. Upon opening the 3-way color corrector, you will find an eye-dropper beneath the mid color wheel. Click on the eye-dropper, then click on an item in the frame that should be white. By doing this you are telling the software that the selected item is white, and to match the rest of the shot according to that standard. Your color correcting tool will do the rest by white balancing the entire clip. You’ll have to do this for each individual discolored clip, however, and if the color is still not balanced, you may have to manually adjust the color to your liking.

There are many techniques you can apply with the color corrector tool. You can simply color correct the shots that are not properly white balanced, or you can create color effects that will give your video an extra bit of flair. By learning how to use your editing software’s color correcting tool, your videos will always look polished and professional.

Color correction is an essential skill every videographer needs to possess. By understanding how to color correct in post, you will be able to fix scenes in which the white balance is less than ideal. In our eDoc, Color Correction 101, we show you how to use a color corrector to fix poorly white balanced footage that would, otherwise, look discolored and unprofessional. To learn this secret trick used by the professionals, download this eDoc today.

Don’t be scared of Color Correction;
Videomaker’s easy-to-understand eDoc makes it a snap!

The ability to use the Color Corrector 3-way window is a very useful skill. With color correction, you can save an improperly shot scene, or improve one that is less than brilliant. Many video editors make a good living just specializing in color correction. Unfortunately, this tool can be a bit intimidating and most people need help realizing its full potential.

In Color Correction 101, we take a normally complex subject and walk you step-by-step through the same process the professionals use. Our tutorial will unlock the secrets to using this tool like a pro. Since this eDoc can be opened with any PDF reader, it takes up very little space, easily storing on a hard drive for future reference, as part of your digital library.

In this eDoc you will learn:

  • The best equipment for monitoring your work.
  • Where to find the color correction tool in your video editing software.
  • How to adjust the whites and mid-tones, using the color correction tool to get the effect you want.
  • The step-by-step insider tricks the professional use, when adjusting color.

If you’re not versed in how to use color correction, you can fill this void today by downloading this eDoc for just $3.49. This valuable skill could be worth thousands. We deliver it to you instantly, so you can acquire the knowledge you need now and have a reference source you can review on your own computer.

 

Editing Tip: Color Correction

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For two decades, Jeff Riegel was a senior level Producer/Editor for the Department of Defense and various government contractors in Northern Virginia. Outside of the workplace, Jeff keeps himself busy with the creation of festival worthy documentaries "Tori Nelson: Fighting for Her Future" and the once nominated and two-time Emmy award winning "A Journey of Education and Remembrance." His short film "The Great Realisation" captured the eyes at 18 international film festivals with various winning honors; a poem that takes on heavy themes such as fevered capitalism, man-made ecological issues, digital addiction during the global Covid blight. Jeff is looking for funding investors and co-producing "The Lost Clipper," a two+ decades project about the first hijacking in U.S. history and the search for those 15 lost souls abducted in 1938, the true first act of war with Japan. Filming takes him to Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Canada, and locations across the U.S. (see www.LostClipper.com) He enjoys creating media-marketing social networking campaign for personalities such as 13-time world boxing champion Tori Nelson, Netflix's "Narcos" personalities Steve Murphy and Javier Pena, and renowned landscape photographer Frank Lee Ruggles. Jeff is eager to attack any project head-on. Jeff's Motto: think beyond convention...and consider it done!