Archives

Footloose 2011 – orange/teal split

Nov27

The orange teal split uses basic complimentary color contrast to make skin tones stand out. In Footloose 2011 the look is used rather strongly, but her face is vignetted/masked and brought back to a more pinkish tone, avoiding the spray tan look and giving her a more vibrant and tender complexion. The look is extra effective on her because it accentuates her blue eyes.

Footloose (2011) - Digital Intermediate Colorist Walter Volpatto 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision3 200T 5213, Vision3 500T 5219)

Footloose (2011) – Digital Intermediate Colorist Walter Volpatto
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision3 200T 5213, Vision3 500T 5219)

Children of Men – cream highlights

Nov27

Children of Men’s most consistent feature is the compressed creamy highlights. Be it a high contrast bloom, a shadowy afternoon, or mid day out in the open, the sky and highlights ride very low with no piercing speculars. This ties together war torn chaos and pleasant reprieves under one umbrella of oppressive smog.

Children of Men (2006) - Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) – Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) - Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) – Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) - Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) – Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) - Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) – Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) - Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) – Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Backlit Dark/Bright

Nov25

Here we see two backlit yellow scenes, one from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and the other from Children of Men.

Both cases communicate the negative properties of yellow: an uneasiness or dissatisfaction.

In Benjamin Button it is a monotone life with shadows into which his face cannot be seen -he does not know himself, only his paltry accommodations. This shot is soon juxtaposed by his leaving to see the world in cyan daylight.

In Childrenof Men, it is a frenetic unease in the face of cerebral antagonism. We quickly realize that he has a long established rapport with his kidnapper, and the light returns to normal for their more cordial conversation.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - Senior D.I. Colorist Jan Yarbrough Arriflex 435, 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 50D 5201, Vision3 500T 5219) Sony CineAlta F23, Thomson VIPER FilmStream Camera; 4:4:4 1080p log

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) – Senior D.I. Colorist Jan Yarbrough
Arriflex 435, 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 50D 5201, Vision3 500T 5219)
Sony CineAlta F23, Thomson VIPER FilmStream; 4:4:4 1080p log

Children of Men (2006) - Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott 2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Children of Men (2006) – Digital Colorist Steven J. Scott
2K D.I. from 35 mm (Kodak Vision2 Expression 500T 5229)

Cairo Time – yellow/cyan split

Nov24
Color isolations allow a yellow sandy wash for a warm Egyptian look while allowing the picture to retain a contrast dynamic in the colors bringing all of the blues to a near opposite position on the color wheel.

Color isolations allow a yellow sandy wash for a warm Egyptian look while allowing the picture to retain color contrast by bringing all of the blues to a near opposite position on the color wheel.

Throughout the film Cairo time maintains a mostly sand yellow pallet with small bits of cyan to break up the wash. The mid tones in this film ride on the low side with rich color and strong but smooth contrast. Also note the  orange bloom where the sunset sky creeps between buildings emphasizing the romantic feel of the film.