Two “Top Ten” lists of tips and techniques from “The Inside Tips” for 2020. The first is by number of views, the second is by reader ratings. These cover Adobe and Apple software, along with codecs, media, visual effects and production.
Motion has a full range of lights and, more importantly, lighting presets that can add drama and visual interest to any scene – especially one that involves 3D objects. Here’s an illustrated tutorial on how to use them to increase the drama in your projects.
Here’s a summary of the new features introduced at Adobe MAX (Oct. 2020) for Adobe Premiere Pro, with a link for more details.
In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan illustrates why correctly setting the HDR Graphics White Point for HDR HLG media is important when adding graphics or SDR media to an HDR sequence. This is a new feature in Adobe Premiere Pro v.14.4.
Earlier this week (Sept. 15, 2020), Adobe announced new versions of Premiere Pro and After Effects. Available immediately, as part of a Creative Cloud subscription, here are the new features.
In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan shows how to use the new ISO and white point settings to adjust ProRes RAW media using the latest 10.4.9 version of Apple Final Cut Pro X.
I first wrote these “Media Planning Guidelines” as a series of bullet points to help us think about media and the storage necessary for video editing. In this article, I expand these to explain my thinking to help you make better media decisions for your next project.
Examples of how blend modes can add texture to colors and scenes, along with how to use them to fix problems with exposure or color. This is created in Adobe Premiere Pro, but applies to all NLEs.
CommandPost is a free, flexible, customizable tool that allows editors to get far more out of Final Cut Pro X than they would ever expect. Here’s an illustrated tutorial to this powerful software.
A LUT (LookUp Table) is a conversion table that instantly changes pixel values from one setting to the next. Final Cut provides two different ways to apply LUTs to your footage: the Inspector and the Custom LUT effect. This article describes how to use the Custom LUT effect.
In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan answers a question showing how to use Apple Final Cut Pro X to match the color between video clips shot using different cameras, one of which was an iPhone.
In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan answers a question on how to use LUTs to color grade HDR or Log video in Apple Final Cut Pro X.
There is difference in how the same color is displayed in Premiere, Final Cut and QuickTime. This made worse when looking at media on a P3 display. Here’s what you need to know.
In an ideal world, all your green-screen source files are perfectly lit. This illustrated tutorial deals with reality – green-screen source files that are badly light, poorly saturated and with gear lying all around the frame. Sheesh!
A fast, automated method to optimize grayscale (exposure) settings to video clips in Adobe Premiere Pro.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to color grade Panasonic HLG Log media in both a Rec. 709 and HDR projects. Bonus: Larry also illustrates how to use the HDR Tools effect for converting HDR media.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how to display and color grade ProRes RAW media in Apple Final Cut Pro X. (This also includes a bonus technique on using the Balance Color effect for HDR media.)
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates the different color spaces between SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) and HDR media.
An explanation of how Apple Final Cut Pro X handles ProRes RAW images, along with a link to an Apple white paper to learn more.
Color correction and color grading are part art, part science and part applied technology. In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan demonstrates how to adjust grayscale values and use the video scopes to improve the look of your images.
Color correction and color grading are part art, part science and part applied technology. In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to use the video scopes in Adobe Premiere Pro to evaluate skin tones.
Color correction and color grading are part art, part science and part applied technology. In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to create two color effects using masks in Premiere Pro.
This is a REALLY fast way to get rid of color casts in video clips using Adobe Premiere Pro.
Match Color does more than simply match colors between clips. Once you understand what it is REALLY doing, you can use it to create some fascinating effects.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows two different ways to remove color casts from skin tones and improve color accuracy in Apple Final Cut Pro X.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to use the Hue and Saturation Curves in Final Cut Pro X to replace and adjust a single color in a clip.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to use the Balance Color and Match Color tools to quickly fix color problems in your clips.
Here’s a preference setting and a detailed blog on how to improve color display in Adobe Premiere Pro.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how use a Morph cut with green-screen footage to fix jump cuts in Adobe Premiere Pro.
In this short video demo, watch as Larry Jordan shows how to add and modify gradients to elements in Apple Motion.
This technique works as well or better than any other color correction technique I’ve seen in Photoshop in removing color casts. Best of all, it’s easy! (And, this also works inside Adobe Premiere Pro CC!)
The DataColor SpyderX Elite calibrates computer monitors for accurate color. It is easy to use, but has limited tutorial, limited help, and was not able to match colors between two monitors attached to the same computer.
How to retain the highest image quality when exporting media from Apple Final Cut Pro X.
Color temperature is the measure of the perceived color of white light on a scale from warm (gold) to cool (bluish). We work with it every day in lighting. Here are some interesting facts about it that you may not know.
Whether you work with Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Photoshop or other image editing programs, you can create unusual, captivating effects using gradients and blend modes. Best of all, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to use them.
This a very cool Mac utility that allows you identify any color on your screen, copy its values or color, and copy them into another app
Pro Color Monitor is an innovative way to enable editors to monitor and modify images with color problems without requiring a degree in video engineering, though it can use some work to make it easier to understand its display.
An illustrated tutorial on how to create, apply and delete effects presets in Apple Final Cut Pro X.
An illustrated tutorial on how to display Nit values for HDR projects in Apple Final Cut Pro X.
Raw files give us the most control over the color and gray-scale values in our image, but they create massively large files and require significant time spent color grading. Log files allow us to retain highlight detail. And LUTs allow us to quickly convert an image or clip from one look to another. This article explains what each of these are and how they relate to video editing.
This provides an overview of what High Dynamic Range (HDR) media is, where we are now, where we are going, how it works in video editing systems and links to learn more. Written for a video editor, not an engineer.
A very cool technique to create unique looks for your video using LUTs. This requires Photoshop and can be used in Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro X, or Davinci Resolve. You’ll like this.
With all these different high-end video formats, it’s easy to get confused. In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan defines and illustrates color spaces and LUTs; and how they apply to video media.
High Dynamic Range (HDR), RAW, sLog, vLog, HDR, 10-bit, 12-bit… In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how to create custom LUTs for media in Adobe Premiere Pro using Adobe Photoshop. This is a VERY cool technique!
High Dynamic Range (HDR), RAW, sLog, vLog, HDR, 10-bit, 12-bit… In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how to optimize preference settings in Adobe Premiere Pro to work with HDR media.
With all the different high-end HDR video formats, it’s easy to get confused. In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan illustrates how to use Range Checking to control highlights in both SDR and HDR media using Final Cut Pro X.
With all the different high-end HDR video formats, it’s easy to get confused. In this short video excerpt, watch as Larry Jordan shares tips on how to color grade HDR media in Apple Final Cut Pro X.
An explanation of the Broadcast Safe effect in Final Cut Pro X, what it is, how and why it is used and when you should avoid using it.
Significant announcements from Filmlight, Assimilate, Telestream, ColorFront, MTI Film and Grass Valley support Apple ProRes RAW.
In this short video excerpt, Larry Jordan shows three different ways to correct a color blemish within the frame. This technique works in either Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere Pro CC.
