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| Color Correction for Video, Second Edition: Using Desktop Tools to Perfect Your Image (DV Expert Series) |  | Authors: Steve Hullfish, Jaime Fowler
Publisher: Focal Press
Category: Book
List Price: $49.95
Buy New: $28.88
as of 9/9/2010 02:42 CDT details
You Save: $21.07 (42%)
New (20) Used (8) from $28.88
Seller: Textbook_TBS
Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 122,891
Media: Paperback
Edition: 2
Pages: 296
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.7
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 7.4 x 0.8
ISBN: 0240810783
Dewey Decimal Number: 778.593
EAN: 9780240810782
ASIN: 0240810783
Publication Date: October 27, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Use color to improve your storytelling, deliver critical emotional cues, and add impact to you videos. This book shows you how to analyze color correction problems and solve them- whatever NLE or plugin you use.
Experienced editors and colorists in their own right, the authors also include the wisdom of top colorists, directors of photography, and color scientists to deliver this insightful and authoritative presentation of the theory and practice of color correction.
The book provides technical insight into how to effectively color correct your video, also delving into how color can impact storytelling and deliver critical emotional cues. The new edition also includes 2 new "Quickstart Tutorials", a new chapter on how color impacts storytelling, information on the impact HD has had on the correcting process, and updated application specifications. The companion DVD features new and more robust tutorial media.
* Application agnostic, step-by-step instruction for an array of color correcting concepts and solutions
* Effectively use color to improve your storytelling, deliver critical emotional cues, and add overall impact to your media
* Companion DVD contains tutorial media for hands-on exercises
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
 Good Reference for Technician and Artist Alike July 10, 2009
Karl Bielefeldt (Huntsville, AL USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
As an engineer, I read a lot of technical books. This one stood out to me in both its breadth and depth. It covered a wide range of topics, but also went into a satisfying amount of detail on each.
The authors targeted a wide audience. I found the book extremely useful, and the closest I have come to being a video professional is being paid for a few wedding videos, and making occasional software programming contributions to an open source NLE. On the other hand, the proper use of high end equipment is covered enough that I can see it being useful to someone starting out as a full fledged professional colorist.
I liked that the authors didn't pick a favorite NLE. They gave examples from all the major players and made sure to point out the differences so you could accomplish the tasks on any software. My particular NLE of choice is not one on their list, but I was still able to apply what I learned without any difficulty. For example, my NLE does not currently have an RGB parade available, but the authors provided alternative methods of getting the job done without one. I also found most of the information readily applicable to still photography, which is another of my hobbies.
I liked that the authors gave equal weight to the technical and artistic aspects of color correction. Yes, they showed how to fix an image shot with the wrong white balance or underexposed, but they also talked about the way people perceive color, how to achieve certain looks like the C.S.I. Miami look or day for night, why realistic color isn't always the "correct" color, and so forth. The authors took examples from actual films and changed the color to illustrate how the feel is affected.
All the examples from the book are available on the included DVD-ROM to try on your own, interestingly enough including the script from an oft-repeated example to help illustrate how the color and the story were meant to interact.
The one weakness of the book is it covers so much that it can feel scattered at times. However, this is most apparent when reading it cover to cover the first time. The authors successfully cover the topics so well that this isn't an issue so much when using the book as a reference while working.
Someone who is not willing or able to learn a fair bit of technical jargon will not be able to follow this book, but very little prior background knowledge is assumed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to put in a little mental effort in exchange for a great improvement in the quality of their video.
Much to Learn, but it's a Lot of Fun July 1, 2009
Vesta Irene (the Pacific Northwest)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
If you've ever been lost by the color correcting tools in Final Cut Pro then this is the book for you. Sometimes it's tough slogging, but that being said, this is a fascinating book.
I will probably never understand histograms, but I sure can grasp how important the yellow of the little girl's hat on page 89 is. And now I kind of have an understanding of masking off a portion of the picture and working with only the colors masked. I now have a basic understand of over and under exposure and how to correct it and I was amazed at how the horrible shot of the fence on page 179 could be turned into such a gorgeous shot.
There is much to learn in this book and I can see that I'll be going back to it often. It's not work if you enjoy doing what you're doing and I really enjoy working with photographs. With the help of this book and its tutorials I'm going to get better and better at it.
Reviewed by Vesta Irene
Professional Grade Guide June 25, 2009
Nick (Seattle, WA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Having been involved in post production in print for many years, I was surprised by what a different beast video color corrections can be. This book is definitely geared towards professionals and those studying to become professionals in the video world; this is not a book for people looking to casually edit their home videos on their PC or Mac (although the principles still apply).
I do agree with orangekay's review regarding the layout and graphic design of the book: the highlighted pull quotes resting above the very sentence that is being quoted (this happens on multiple occasions) is a bit distracting and very poor design.
Here's a chapter breakdown:
1. Getting Started with Color Correction
2. Analyze This - Your Monito
3. Using Scopes as Creative Tools
4. Other Methods to Analyze Footage
5. Colorists' Tools - Primary Color Correction
6. Secondary Color Correction
7. Tutorials
8. Advanced Color Correction Tutorials
9. The History and Role of the Colorist
10. Vision and Color Theory
11. Built-in Software and Plug-in Capabilities
I'd recommend this book for anyone seeking an in-depth guide on the principles of video color correction, but that isn't expecting a step by step, software specific, tutorial filled book.
Great resource for pro and aspiring producers July 11, 2009
Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
For most of us who dabble in video, which probably covers 98% of those producing video, this book is informative, but constitutes massive overkill. We're simply not going to spend the money or the time with color correction, beyond whatever primitive capabilities are supplied in our video editing program(s) of choice. YouTube and other popular video outlets have increased tolerance for what would have been previously denigrated as amateurish quality and reduced audience demand for on-the-money color correction.
Besides, the authors cover the more expensive video editing suites like Final Cut Pro and After Effects. They also recommends you use a waveform monitor, a gadget that can set you back several thousand dollars.
Finally, color correction requires time, something most people putting some video together don't want to spend.
But for the 2% who really want to turn out a perfect video, with colors that spread the tonal range and are balanced, this is the book. It is a tutorial, essentially, that takes you step by step down the road of color correction, beginning with setting up your color reference levels which takes 30 pages to describe!
Next come 16 pages on setting up and calibrating your monitor. There are also a couple of illustrations of pro video color correction workstations that will make you realize that you probably don't have enough money to equip yourself well.
Now we have 43 pages on using your scope - that umpteen thousand dollar scope - well. Scopes are also emulated in many video software editing packages. I've had some experience using scopes for this purpose and can tell you that this chapter is terrific, packed with the lots of very useful information.
Chapters 4 through 8 are the real meat of the book: the actual "how to do it" of color correction. It is interesting, but it will also show why only existing pros and those who want to be colorists or serious filmmakers do this. It is a lot of work, takes lots of time and, as the author so aptly sums it up, it is a skill that must be practiced. In short, most of us are simply not going to do this often and if we do, we'll be relearning it every time.
But pros and those who want to become pros will find the information presented in these tutorials invaluable. The accompanying DVD is essential.
Finally, the author provide an interesting chapter on the history and role of the colorist which was fascinating to me. Color correction for video is a very recent phenomena and the transition from color corrector to colorist is quite interesting. A chapter on vision and color therapy rounds out the book.
Again, this book is not for amateurs, other than those like me who enjoy learning about all facets of a technology even though I know I will never have practical application for the knowledge. The authors close with an overview of popular higher-end editing packages and describing their color correction capabilities. I learned things about my software that I never knew before.
Aspiring video professionals will find the book and its extremely well done tutorials very worthwhile and they are the audience the authors are talking to. The rest of us can just drool with envy at the editing suites pictured here.
Jerry
A Full Course in Color Correction January 29, 2010
Dave Mayer (Huntington Beach)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have to admit even though I've had (years and years ago) some classes in film, I'd never really thought much about color correction. Sure, I mess around with the color in Photoshop and I've even designed a few book covers that eventually saw the light of day. But I did it by the seat of my pants.
I've got a few more book covers in me and I can see that this book will come in handy. However, I must say it's not for the faint of heart. They authors say in the introduction that they wrote the first version for basically everybody, but I'm pretty sure they mean everybody who's seriously into color. If you are, then this is certainly the book for you. It's a full course, though. If you work through the book, and I mean work, and if you do the tutorials on the DVD, you'll wind up with not only understanding color correction, but you'll be proficient at it as well.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 19
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