Introduction to Color (Color 101)
Color Correcting and Grading in Final Cut Studio
Course Description
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.
Who Should Attend
This course is designed for existing Final Cut Pro users who want to learn more about the color correction and grading capabilities of Color. The course is designed for those who prefer hands-on and interactive instruction to best explore the functionality of Color.
What You Will Learn
- Navigating the Color Rooms
- Understanding Waveform and Vectorscopes
- Using Trackers
- Color Correcting Contrast
- Color Correcting for Brightness
- Working with Vignettes
Prerequisites
Students should have the following prerequisite knowledge prior to attending the course:
- Basic knowledge of Mac OS X
- Basic knowledge of FInal Cut Pro 6 is required. Level One Final Cut Pro End User certification is preferred. Ideally, students will have attended a Final Cut Pro 101, 200 or 250 course.
Course Outline
Day 1
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Color Quick Start | Importing a Final Cut Pro Projects to Color, Composer and Viewer Windows, Introduction to Scopes, Basic Navigation, Introduction to the Color Rooms, and Outputting back to Final Cut Pro |
| Basic Primaries | Exploring the Primary Room, Using the Auto Balance Control, Correcting with the Color Wheels, Adjusting Contrast and Color with Color Wheels, Correcting Color and Contrast with Curves, Understanding Basic Saturation and Advanced Tab |
| Basic Secondary Grading | Overview of the Secondaries Room, Isolating Areas by Color using the eyedropper and HSL Selectors, Masking Areas by Shape, and Grading with Secondary Curves |
Day 2
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Advanced Secondary Grading: Combining Grades | Using Multiple Vignettes, Combining Keys and Vignettes, and Employing Multiple Secondaries |
| Grade Management | Creating and Recalling Corrections and Grades, Using the Timeline, Using the Still Store Room, and Grouping Shots |
| Apply Effects in the Color FX Room | Overview of the Color FX Room, 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
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Common Recipes: Creating Specific Looks | Correcting Skin Tones, Day for Night, Bleach Bypass, Dream Sequence, Edge Vignette, DV into Film Look, and Damaged/Vintage Film Look |
| Recomposing Shots in the Geometry Room | Geometry Room Overview, Pan-and-Scanning, Repositioning the Frame, Rotations and Zooms, Fixing Your Framing and Creating Custom Shapes |
| Tracking and Keyframing | Tracking Images, Applying Trackers to Vignettes, Applying Trackers to Other Corrections, Advanced Tracking Techniques and Using Keyframes |
| Finalizing Grades and Outputting | Broadcast Safe Settings, Render Settings, Using the Render Queue, Final Print Options, Final Gather Options, Exporting JPEGs and Archiving Projects |
To Register
Check the course schedule for a list of courses available for registration at Apple Authorized Training Centers worldwide.
Build Credibility. Get Certified.
This course covers the knowledge necessary to become an Apple Certified Pro, Level One in Color. Level One certification is granted upon successful completion of the Color, Level One exam. Apple Authorized Training Centers offer this exam either as part of the course or separately.
This certification also counts towards Final Cut Studio Master Pro certification which recognizes competency with the entire Final Cut Studio product suite.
Apple Pro Training Series
The book for this course is Color, by Michael Wohl and David Gross.