Given the Color Grading Breakdown Series’s recent popularity, it seemed logical to treat you guys with a new shot. Without further ado, here’s the series’ 12th shot taken from Black Tiger Sex Machine’s music video:
Color Grading Breakdown
The main goal when I graded this project was to hide the environment (especially curtains and wires). It was an important concern for the DP. The solution was obviously to darken the whole thing, but I wanted to try something special.
I didn’t really know how to put it in words at the beginning, but I guess I wanted to give it a “matte black” look. Like a motorcycle. Precisely like THIS motorcycle:
Step 01
The usual contrast curve to get us somewhere more saturated and contrasty.
Step 02
It was too magenta for my taste. I added some blue and cyan to get closer to what I had in mind
Step 03
I made the shot a notch darker in the highlights and the midtones. I also gave it a bit of saturation. We’re getting close.
Step 04
Now the fun begins for my “matte black” look. I created a custom shadow matte (using an luma key) and took out some blue and darkened the blacks without crushing them.
Step 05
If you look closely, I went a bit further and emphasized the last step, but almost cranked up the highlights and midtones. Grain was also added.
Step 06
I rendered my timeline out of the Lustre and imported it in After Effects and voluntarily lifted my blacks using an RGB Curve. This took out a lot of details, but this is what I was aiming for!
– – –
Missed the previous shots from the Color Grading Breakdown Series? Catch up right here!
I’ve also created a brand new Vimeo Channel strictly for the CGBS, subscribe here.
Music: Death From Above 1979 – Trainwreck 1979
Cheers and ride safely!
