May 29, 2008

da Vinci Systems, Gamma & Density Ensure Color Consistency, Host Seminar

Coral Springs, Fla. - da Vinci Systems is collaborating with 3cP (Cinematographer's Color Correction Process) developer Gamma & Density Co. to ensure that 3cP is fully interoperable with the company's Resolve and 2K Plus systems, for on-set color correction and calibration.
3cP is a laptop-based system that allows color grading decisions to be made on-set by the cinematographer or director of photography (DP). Settings can be passed on to the dailies timer and to the colorist directly involved with postproduction.
Using 3cP, everyone in the postproduction environment has a precise preview of color decisions for dailies, pre-post, matching special effects, and Digital Intermediate (DI) final color-grading. 
 
The system, which is packaged as a laptop computer loaded with 3cP software, works with film, DI, video (NTSC/PAL), and HD productions to perform on-set color correction with live settings. These settings are then saved to a USB memory stick as ASC CDL XML files, which are easily transferred to the Resolve suite for finishing.  
 
The ASC CDL (American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List) protocol was developed by members and contributors of the ASC Technology Committee, including Gamma & Density Co. and da Vinci, to provide an industry standard for cross-platform exchange of primary RGB color correction data using offset (lift), slope (gain), and power (gamma) functions and also saturation, printing lights, curves, and other utilities in the future. Unlike 3D LUTs, color corrections saved as an ASC CDL can be modified or reversed once they are in the Resolve or 2K suite.  
 
Gamma & Density and da Vinci, together with Panavision and Modern VideoFilm, will host a Master Class Seminar on Sunday, June 22, during Cine Gear Expo 2008 in Universal City, Calif. At the seminar, the companies will demonstrate the workflow that DP Rodrigo Prieto (ASC. AMC) undertook on the film to keep color consistent across shooting, dailies, post, and DI.