Theatrical Grading

[Mark Mulcaster]

Hi everyone,

I have a project coming up later next year, its a feature length documentary that looks like is going to have a theatrical release.  We're currently quoting for the post and the producers have asked that we include time to do the theatrical grade pass  as well.   As a "TV" colourist  ie i work for a company that only delivers for Television i've not had much experience grading for a threatre - in fact when i've worked on a couple of  super low budget micro  theatrical films we've just graded in my normal suite on my BVM X-300.

So i'm looking for advice basically on whether  i'll get that much benefit from doing the TV grade first (as its the primary release) and then do a a couple of days in a theatre for a trim pass or if its needed at all.I'm not pushing it either way so want to do whats best for the production and they seem to have a decent budget.

I'll be working on Baselight in a colour managed workflow either ACES or Filmlight T-Log/E Gamut.

 

Many thanks!

[Tom Evans]

My take on this is to grade the documentary on your X300, and do the theatrical pass in the same suite.  You know the audience will watch the documentary in a dark room so that might allow you to go deeper and darker on some scenes and earn you a few more dollars.