Correcting Shots - The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction - page 318

Broadening the Color Palette

Mike Most uses the “Chasing Ghosts—Diner” scene ( Figure 7.87 ) to explain
how a colorist can add interest to a shot by broadening the color palette of
the shot. Once again, Most is working without the direction of the camera-
man, so he must guess about the intent of the shot ( Figure 7.88 ).

You need to widen the color palette to get rid of the monochromatic
thing.

- Mike Most, Next Element by Deluxe

“On shots like this, I find that most cameramen are going for mixed
light. And if you find the mixed light, you bring a lot of life to it, and
here it seems a little more of a blue cast. But if I start throwing a little
more warmth in the mid range and the highs and keep the coolness in
the blacks, it takes on a little more life. If I looked at where it started, it
looked a little bit monochromatic, but in most situations like this, the key
on the people is usually warm to counteract the bluer daylight that's com-
ing through the windows. Once you throw in a little bit of warmth, and
I probably went a little too far here, it tends to separate things better. And
it's not a matter of bright and dark; it's a matter of color, because you need
to widen the color palette to get rid of the monochromatic thing. Now, it
happens that he may have been going for an intentional monochromatic
look for mood, but this makes it more visually interesting, at least to me.
By adding a little bit of warmth, I separate the curtains by the window.
I separate the foreground biscuit tray or croissants or whatever they are
and I make the faces come out a little bit more. I also put a little bit of
color into the back window and wall, which may or may not be appropri-
ate. In this case, it's more a sense of set lighting and aesthetics that's guid-
ing me, because I have no idea what's going on in the story. The reason
they put that foreground in there is to make a more interesting frame. It
has no other reason to be there. In this case, there's some color to it, so
filling out the color is a good thing” ( Figures 7.89 and 7.90 ).