An Introduction to Color
This three-day hands-on course will familiarize students with Apple’s masterful new color grading and finishing software. Start with the basics of color balancing and correction, and move on to the fine points of secondary grading, including scene matching, using vignettes to isolate and track regions, creating advanced color effects and “looks,” skin tone adjustments, adjusting the composition and framing of a shot, and much more.
Prerequisits
A basic understanding of Mac OS X and a good understanding of Final Cut Pro. Students should ideally have attended at least FCP 101: An Introduction to Final Cut Pro.
Certification
This course covers the requirements necessary to successfully become an Apple Certified Pro, Level 1 in Motion. Level 1 certification attests to basic operational knowledge of the application. Motion Level 1 certification also counts towards the new Final Cut Studio (FCS) Master Pro certification. FCS Master certification recognizes a Certified Pro’s skills with the entire Final Cut Studio product suite. You are required to have an Apple Tech ID number before registering for any Apple exam. You can apply for a Tech ID by following the instructions at certifications.apple.com.
Day 1
Lesson 1 Setting Up a Project and Navigating the Color Rooms
Setting up, Primary In, Secondary Rooms, Color FX, Primary Out, Geometry, Still Store, Final Print, Transferring Final Cut Pro Projects to Color, Standard-definition and High-definition Formats,l Frame Rates, Project Frame Sizes, Broadcast Safe Settings, and Preventing Illegal Video Signals.
Lesson 2 Making Basic Adjustments
Understanding Scopes, Adjusting Contrast, Primary Color Balancing, Defining, Lift, Gain and Gamma, Hue Controls and Correction, Saturation Controls and Correction.
Lesson 3 Creating and Recalling Grades: Advanced Primary Correction
Switching between Grade Banks, Dragging and Dropping Grades, Grouping Shots and Grading Groups, Checking Continuity and Still Store Bin.
Day 2
Lesson 4 Basic Secondary Correction
Using Hue, Saturation and Luma Curves, Using the Eyedropper, Keying, Using HSL Selectors, and Fixing Skin Tones.
Lesson 5 Using Vignettes: Secondary Correction
Using Vignettes to Isolate Regions, Inside and Outside Vignettes, Tracking Vignettes to Points, Keyframing -Secondary Controls, Using Multiple VIgnettes to Achieve a Grade and Relighting.
Lesson 6 Applying Effects and Creating Looks: Color FX Room
Commonly Used Grade Effects, Presets, Using Nodes, Day for Night, Bleach Bypass, Dream Sequence, Edge Vignette, Creating a Film Look, Using Old or Damaged Film-Vintage Effect, Saving and Recalling your Favorite Effect.
Day 3
Lesson 7 Recompositing the Shot and Making Final Adjustments
Panning and Scanning, Using Keyframes, Repositioning the Frame, creating Custom-Shaped Vignettes, Clipping Saturation and RGB and Final Adjustments and Corrections.
Lesson 8 Tracking in the Geometry Room
Using Trackers, Advanced Tracking Techniques, Applying Trackers to Vignettes and Shapes.
Lesson 9 Rendering, Exporting and Archiving
Shots to Render Queue, Print Options, Final Gather Options, Exporting JPEGs, and Exporting