#438

Curated links of news, reviews, thoughts, career advice, and humor

for professional Video / Film Colorists & Finishers. Delivered Sundays.
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Last week I mentioned that if you're a professor (or adjunct) and are interested in using Mixing Light in your classes to finish out the semester (for free), that you should reply and let me know. Well...

As I was starting on this Newsletter, I was surprised that I only got two responses. THEN, I checked my Spam.

Of course. There were a bunch of replies but technology (and machine learning) thwarted me.

My plan is to reply to everyone on Monday and get you started. I also plan on starting a Slack channel for enrolled professors, so we can communicate about the best ways Mixing Light can support your remote learning needs.

For any others who could use some help in teaching color grading to their students, this offer will stand through the month of April - an unexpected time of dislocation. Just hit reply. And yes, I'll be checking my Spam folder all week.

This week's Newsletter is light.

Maybe it's because everyone else is feeling as distracted as I have been? Or maybe all of our favorite vendors and peers have been too busy figuring out new workflows to publish much on the intertubes?

But still, take a scan - you'll likely find something that piques your interest enough to click through.

I'll see you next Sunday.

Stay busy. Stay healthy.

Happy Grading!

(and remember - if you have a story that's a fit for this Newsletter, hit reply or email it to 'newsletter@taoofcolor.com'! Include a quick reason for the suggested link.)

- Patrick Inhofer
Colorist | Publisher | Coach

P.S - The Color Cartel protein folding team is doing fantastic. We're in the 25th percentile of teams. If you've got spare CPU cycles to donate to the cause of fighting COVID-19 and viruses/cancer in general then join Rosetta@home, set up an account, and join the team! The link to the team page will be in the masthead for the foreseeable future.

With 3,000 nits peak luminance, 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, 2,000+ LED zones, and professional 12Gbps SDI inputs the XM310K is exceptionally well suited for Dolby Vision mastering applications.

On sale for a limited time for just $22,500!

Featuring the work of creative craftsmen, the theory of color, and industry news. Learn practical workflows, useful theories, and actionable insights from existing (and emerging) leaders and teachers in our industry.

In Mixing Light's Office Hours this week, one member offered up several Russian portrait photographers as a source for color inspiration. This photographer is one of my favorites. (via Jon Pears)

Are you US-based? Are you seeing your work dry up? The CARES act is the recent legislation passed to give small businesses money for payroll, rent, and a few other expenses. This article does a good job explaining of what it is and how you can claim a loan that, if used as directed, will be forgiven by the Feds. Just remember: The total funds have a cap, so do this NOW if you want a chance at these disbursements.

"MANRS’s goal is to shore up the internet's lax security when it comes to routing people's connections around Earth." Question: How long before world legislatures start insisting on a 'back door'? Let's hope MANRS minds the public, first.

"We surveyed hundreds of video teams to learn how they're adapting to remote workflows, and staying creative and productive in challenging times."

Presumably, post work is still being done before the brands share.

This is a fantastic Mac-centric article about the now-famous Zoom conferencing app. It gives you the history of every known Zoom flaw, lets you know if they still require any corrective action, and what that action should be? So if you hear co-workers bringing up these concerns, this is a good article to reference if those concerns are still valid.

This is a running list of post-related companies and their special offers for the Work From Home crowd. Of interest to Newsletter readers are offers from sponsor FSI plus Red Giant, Apple, Avid, EditShare, Adobe, Streambox, Frame.io, and more.

Our craft keeps changing. And growing. Learn about updates to your favorite software. Discover new tools to help you work faster or more creatively. Build your toolchest with new techniques and approaches.

I mentioned Postlab last week, but this article goes into more depth about this tool if you're unfamiliar with it.

"What better way to pass the time for editors and post-production types than learning about some new tools, apps,..." This list is pretty much Mac-focused.

"Our first webinar dives into the new and enhanced colour management tools coming soon in Baselight 5.3."

(video) "Boris FX has given us all a sneak peak at their upcoming new plug-in Silhouette Paint: a paint and tracking plug-in that brings paint tools to editing and effects applications," including DaVinci Resolve.

These stories are from MixingLight.com's membership Library. It's a color grading website (Tao Of Color is co-Owner). Do you want to read a story listed here but not a member? Sign up for a free 7-Day Test Drive. There's also color correction Practice Projects.

Mixing Light is launching our member's only Slack channel. The initial goal is fostering community interaction during forced separation.

(video) Premiere Pro has strict, but hidden, color management. Learn how to setup the software and hardware for proper color management & finishing.

(videos) Flight Path: Discover our color grading tutorials and articles on creating HDR and Dolby Vision content. Learn the fundamentals and specific workflows.

Want to see what we're all about?

TAO newsletter subscribers get to skip the waitlist.

Stay updated on the latest hardware that's shipping - because the craft of color grading isn't just about software. Plus, keep an eye on future equipment trends and hardware odds-and-ends.

(video) Are you a colorist looking for a programmable mouse? This one includes a programmable joystick. But is it worth the asking price??

"Keyboards with dedicated macro keys can streamline your editing workflow, so consider these worthy keyboard options and save time on your next edit." Or color grade.

"Blue light, and light in general, has another, more subtle effect on humans: it can suppress melatonin production and affect the circadian rhythm . . I will examine the science behind this disruption."

"I will discuss some of the products display companies have introduced in response to the public’s interest in blue light and, especially, its effect on going to sleep at night . . . reducing blue light from displays is something most display makers seem to be working on." So you know how our color grades are being viewed.

Random thoughts, tidbits, and fun stuff that caught my attention this week. Maybe it's color grading related. Maybe not. Ya got'ta read to the end of the Newsletter to find out.

Do you need a bit of an escape that's not all action, guns, and blood? Here are some suggestions.