[This article was first published in the June, 2004, edition of "Larry's FCP Newsletter". Updated July, 2004, and Feb. 2006 with different images and including comments from Andrew Balis.]

Here's the challenge: you need to color-correct a scene in Final Cut and you don't have a lot of time or experience.

While there are a number of great articles on the subject, here's a seven-step quick way to improve your color.

These are the steps:

1. Put your playhead in the clip you want to color correct and select the clip
2. Apply the Color-Corrector 3-way filter to the clip
3. Double-click clip to load it into the Viewer and click the Color Corrector 3-way tab at the top of the Viewer
4. Select Window > Arrange > Color Correction
5. Adjust the black levels to 0
6. Adjust the white levels to 100
7. Color balance the whites using the eyedropper tool

Voilá. Seven steps to perfection.

Let's see what this looks like in practice.

Select a shot that needs correction. This one, from "Getting Ready to Fly", has a scene which is too yellow.

To fix, this, we apply the Color Corrector 3-way filter to the clip. (This is the only color correction filter that works in YUV color space, so it's the preferred filter to use for video. Plus, it works in real-time on most systems.)

Double click the clip to load it into the Viewer.

Either click the Filters tab in the Viewer, then click the Visual button to display the Color Corrector 3-way filter -- or click the Color Corrector tab in the Viewer.

However you decide to select it, the three distinctive color wheels that appear represent -- from left to right -- the black, mid-gray and white color ranges of your image.

Go to Window > Arrange > Color Correction. This opens the video scopes window and arranges everything so you can see the scopes, Timeline, Viewer and Canvas on one screen.

In this example, the black levels are too high, so click the left black level arrow under the Blacks color wheel to bring down the black levels so they are sitting right at 0%. Bringing black levels down helps make an image look richer and more vibrant.

(Digital black levels always set to zero. If you are outputting to Betacam for broadcast, your capture card will raise digital black to the broadcast standard of 7.5 IRE.)

Now, click the white level arrows to adjust the white levels so they are just at 100%. Remember, move gently -- don't just grab and drag the slider!

To help make sure your settings are correct, go to View > Range Check > Excess Luma (Control+Z) and make sure the checkmark symbol in the Canvas stays green. A yellow icon means your white levels are too hot.

For me, I find where the yellow checkmark disappears, then lower the white level by four clicks.

Now that the black and white levels are set (and, by the way, it helps to set them in this order), it's time to get the colors right.

Change the scope to "Vectorscope," and click the eyedropper in the Color Corrector next to the far right circle, labeled "Whites." Use this to select the color in the image you want to adjust to make white.

(Andrew Balis prefers to color-correct on mid-grays. I've found mid-grays often hard to find in a shot, and think it is easier to color correct on whites.)

Click the eyedropper on something that should be white in the image, in this case, I used the white paper on the desk. Be sure to select something that is not over-exposed and blooming. (In other words, avoid the sky, light through windows or overexposed sections of your image.)

Notice how the colors have instantly shifted closer to the flesh tone line?

Ta-dah! Instant color correction.

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This article is from the June, 2004, issue of "Larry's FCP Newsletter," a very cool FREE monthly Final Cut Pro newsletter -- subscribe at Larry's web site: www.larryjordan.biz.

Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild and Producers Guild of America.

Text copyright 2004 by Larry Jordan. All rights reserved.

 

Larry Jordan is a post-production consultant and an Apple-Certified Trainer in Digital Media with over 25 years experience as producer, director and editor with network, local and corporate credits. Based in Los Angeles, he's a member of both the Directors Guild of America and the Producers Guild of America.

The information in this article is believed to be accurate at the time of publication. However, the author assumes no liability in case things go wrong. Please use your best judgment in applying these suggestions.

The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. This newsletter has not been reviewed or sanctioned by Apple or any other third party. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are mentioned here for editorial purposes only.

Links to my website home page or this article are welcome and don't require prior permission.