Color Grading
Color grading is the process of adjusting and enhancing the colors in video footage or films to create a specific look or mood. It's similar to how photo filters work on Instagram, but much more professional and precise. This is one of the final steps in video production, where specialists use special software to ensure all scenes in a show or movie have consistent colors and the right visual atmosphere. Some people also call this process "color correction" or "color timing." It's an essential part of making television shows, movies, commercials, and online videos look polished and professional.
Examples in Resumes
Performed Color Grading and Color Correction for over 20 television commercials
Led Color Grading department for major streaming series, managing consistent look across 8 episodes
Utilized DaVinci Resolve for Color Grading and Color Timing on documentary projects
Typical job title: "Colorists"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Colorists
Online Communities
Professional Networks
Job Boards
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you manage color consistency across an entire series or film project?
Expected Answer: A senior colorist should explain their process for creating and maintaining color standards, working with reference images, and ensuring consistency across different scenes and episodes, even when they're shot on different days or in different conditions.
Q: How do you handle difficult client feedback or competing creative visions?
Expected Answer: Should discuss their experience in managing client relationships, translating subjective feedback into technical adjustments, and finding solutions that satisfy both creative and technical requirements.
Mid Level Questions
Q: What's your process for matching footage from different cameras?
Expected Answer: Should explain how they analyze and adjust footage from various sources to create a unified look, mentioning basic tools and techniques they use to achieve consistency.
Q: How do you approach creating different looks for different genres?
Expected Answer: Should describe how they adjust their grading style for different types of content (like horror vs. comedy) and how they create specific moods through color.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What are the basic tools you use in color grading?
Expected Answer: Should be able to explain basic adjustments like contrast, saturation, and color balance, and demonstrate familiarity with common color grading software.
Q: How do you ensure proper exposure in your grades?
Expected Answer: Should understand basic concepts of reading scopes and waveforms, and know how to adjust exposure while maintaining image quality.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic color correction and balancing
- Understanding of common software tools
- Primary color adjustments
- Basic understanding of color theory
Mid (2-5 years)
- Advanced color matching between scenes
- Creating and applying custom looks
- Working with different video formats
- Secondary color corrections
Senior (5+ years)
- Complex look development
- Team management and client relations
- Color pipeline development
- HDR and premium format grading
Red Flags to Watch For
- No knowledge of industry-standard color grading software
- Cannot explain basic color theory
- No experience working with professional video formats
- Lack of attention to detail in showing work samples
- No understanding of color management workflows
Related Terms
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