Seeking solution for videoish looking footage:

[Omar Robles]

Hello Group:

So I ve been obsessing over getting a look that I like in Davinci.  I ve seen some commercials from mexico city and the color grade has looked really nice.  I understand production design and lighting play a big part.  My only problem is I shot some footage that I think was well lit for a test and to my eye it screams digital.   Based on a still are you able to gather what i could be doing different in the grade?  I understand i should have seperated my talent from the background but the set was really small and i had no other options.

 

The second one is the one that has inspired me, besides the obvious lighting, production design what do you think they did to get that look in post?

 

My shot was on an arri alexa the second clip was an alexa mini.

 

 

 

 

[Marc Wielage]

Eh, my usual deal is punch the saturation, pop the whites, consider a soft roll off for highlights, a vignette, and a little film grain. That's a typical "commercial look" to me. Nothing wrong with that, anything to aggressively grab the viewer and make them watch what you're trying to sell. 

[Omar Robles]

When you say soft roll off highlights is that by using the custom curve and using the special spline in davinci?

[Marc Wielage]

1 hour ago, Omar Robles said:

When you say soft roll off highlights is that by using the custom curve and using the special spline in davinci?

No. Soft clips. Soft Clips -> High Soft controls. 

Glow might be another tactic. That can take the edge of "videoish" material to a point.