Initial color correction pass focused on technical consistency rather than creative look – corrects exposure variations, white balance shifts, and color casts between shots to create a neutral baseline before creative grading begins.
What is Technical Grade?
Technical Grade refers to the first color correction pass, which focuses on technical consistency. Before creative grading begins, exposure, white balance, and color casts between shots are balanced.
Basic Principle
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Goal | Technical consistency |
| Timing | Before Creative Grade |
| Focus | Neutral, balanced |
| Result | Clean baseline |
vs. Creative Grade
| Aspect | Technical | Creative |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Consistency | Look |
| Timing | First | Afterwards |
| Focus | Corrective | Artistic |
| Decision | Technical | Aesthetic |
Corrections
| Element | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Exposure | Match exposure |
| White Balance | Color temperature |
| Color Cast | Remove color casts |
| Saturation | Normalize saturation |
Typical Problems
| Problem | Cause |
|---|---|
| Exposure Drift | Lighting changes |
| WB Shift | Mixed lighting |
| Green Spill | Green reflections |
| Flicker | Light inconsistency |
Workflow Position
| Phase | Activity |
|---|---|
| Conform | Prepare footage |
| Tech Grade | Establish consistency |
| Creative Grade | Develop look |
| Master | Final Output |
Shot Matching
| Aspect | Method |
|---|---|
| Luminance | Compare scopes |
| Color | Vectorscope |
| Skin Tones | Hold reference |
| A/B Compare | Direct comparison |
Tools
| Instrument | Usage |
|---|---|
| Waveform | Check luminance |
| Vectorscope | Check color |
| RGB Parade | Compare channels |
| Histogram | Distribution |
Primary Corrections
| Tool | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Lift | Shadows |
| Gamma | Midtones |
| Gain | Highlights |
| Offset | Global |
Special Situations
| Situation | Handling |
|---|---|
| Day/Night | Intentionally different |
| Mixed Light | Match |
| VFX Shots | Integration |
| Stock Footage | Matching |
Automation
| Tool | Function |
|---|---|
| Auto Color | Basic correction |
| Shot Match | Automatic matching |
| Group Grading | Similar shots |
| Copy/Paste | Transfer settings |
Quality Control
| Check | Method |
|---|---|
| Consistency | Play through scene |
| Clipping | Over/underexposure |
| Banding | Artifacts |
| Color Shifts | Unwanted changes |
Dailies vs. DI
| Context | Depth |
|---|---|
| Dailies | Quick, rough |
| DI Tech Grade | Precise, final |
| Online | Basic matching |
| Master | Perfect |
Time Investment
| Factor | Influence |
|---|---|
| Material Quality | The better, the faster |
| Consistency | Similar material = fast |
| Problems | More time for fixes |
| Shots | Number determines duration |
Best Practices
| Practice | Reason |
|---|---|
| Reference | Hero shot as baseline |
| Groups | Similar shots together |
| Notes | Document problems |
| Communicate | Coordinate with colorist |
Today
Technical Grading is an essential, often underestimated step in the DI process. A clean technical foundation enables more efficient creative grading and more consistent final results. Automation tools speed up the process but do not replace the trained eye for subtle inconsistencies.
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