#9 // Light and Darkness

In the final episode of the season, senior colourist Angela Cerasi explores the ways in which grading commercials is unique from drama and documentary.  She explains how colour work for motion picture is different to print advertisements and touches on colour perception.

In life and in art, light and darkness can be representative of good and evil, hope and fear.  But what else can it symbolise?  How can light and darkness be used as a visual motif and how can it be used in the colour grade to add deeper meaning to your imagery?  Senior colourist Angela Cerasi breaks it all down in this episode.  See angelacerasi.com.au for show notes, links and images.

HDR is a superior picture format which now comes as standard in most modern TV's and devices.  It is also becoming a required deliverable that filmmakers need to provide streaming platforms.  So what are the basics that you need to know?  And how can finishing in HDR be used to enhance your story?  Senior colourist Angela Cerasi demystifies it for you - minus the techy talk.

How do I know when my work is finished? Why do I have imposter syndrome and self doubt? How do I stop procrastinating? Everyone from directors to editors to colourists deal with the wild ride of being creative and working in a creative industry.  Senior colourist Angela Cerasi breaks it all down in this episode.  See angelacerasi.com.au for the show notes and images.   TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Art and money Procrastination Imposter syndrome Self-doubt Charging (or not) for your creativity The etiquette of a 'value exchange' The feature colour is...

Senior colourist Angela Cerasi explores the meaning behind the colour blue and how its various shades, hues and tones are used in visual language to subliminally layer a story and add greater depth to a film.   TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:   The shades of blue Blue light in the natural world The link between blue and sadness Blue as powerlessness Working with blue in the colour grade The "teal and orange" look Using blue in the colour grade to create atmosphere Moonlight The ocean The feature colour is...

As a filmmaker working today, you will no doubt hear a cinematographer, DIT and/or a colourist talk about LUTs.  So what even is a LUT and what do you need to know?  In this fun episode, senior colourist Angela Cerasi breaks it down for you so that next time you hear about them you can participate confidently in the conversation.   TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:   What is a LUT? The different types of Technical LUTs. Why you would use a Creative LUT. If you know only one thing about LUTs, know this… The feature colour is…

How do you give an awesome creative brief to a colourist? Senior colourist Angela Cerasi shares her top five tips for giving a creative brief and explains how this is fundamental to getting the best result out of your colour grade.   TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Director – colourist relationship Who is ‘driving’ the grade? Commercial and long form differences Emotional arcs and turning points Director of Photography input The best reference images Apologies The feature colour is…

"Make it look natural" is what we have traditionally heard during the creative brief for a documentary grade, but what does this actually mean and is there a better way?  Senior colourist Angela Cerasi explores how images can have deeper meaning whilst still "looking natural" and explores new visual trends in this space. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Current trends in the visual looks of documentary Discovering the overarching tone of the film Going further than colour correction When and why to go with a "video look" Subverting what is expected Cinematic documentary Career lessons regarding "stylised" grades The feature colour is...

One of the most common creative briefs a colourist will receive is to make the show look "filmic".  In this episode senior colourist Angela Cerasi unpacks what that actually means, and explores how and why giving a project a "filmic look" can add greater meaning to your story. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: What "filmic" actually means in visual terms... What is a "video look" Differences in colour Differences in contrast What is "roll off"? Differences in texture What "filmic" signifies to a story Motion smoothing on your TV The feature colour is...  

Talking her way into a Film and TV degree, finding her way on to random film sets and camera assisting on multi-million dollar shoots is where it all began.  Senior colourist Angela Cerasi explains why the weather is to blame for her switch from cinematography to colour grading, and how zig zagging through life can build a wonderful career. TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Who is this podcast for and why is it being created? Who is Angela Cerasi? Film school experiences. Explaining telecine. Starting out as a camera assistant. Character-building jobs and travelling Europe. The assistant colourist position. Gary Curran - senior colourist. Freelancing as a colourist. Starting the colour grading company, Peachy Keen Colour.