Unlock the Amazing Power of those Image Filters on your Phone
You’ll never watch TV the same way again. Why?
Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And once you’ve played around with this amazing tool, you’ll be as addicted as any film producer to the power of colour grading.
This is true for any good photographer, videographer or fine art fan. I drive my patient wife and TV viewing partner LeeAnne crazy by chattering about it. And it’s probably having a profound effect on your Netflix viewing experience.
Colour grading is a process by which film (and TV) specialists correct for ambient lighting conditions, then make profoundly important colour and light decisions that influence the viewing experience. This technique is equally important in video and in photography, so you’ll definitely love this technique no matter what kind of visual media you’re making.
And, ironically, when you’re really good at colour grading, it’ll be perhaps the most impactful effect that people will never overtly notice. They’ll just stare at your shots and think you’re awesome.
Check out these screenshots straight from Netflix. If you didn’t know a single thing about the plot of the show, could you still sense the mood of each scene?
Title: Dune (2021)
Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure
Mood: Cool, Intense
Title: Enola Holmes (2020)
Genre: Mystery, Adventure
Mood: Warm, Nostalgic
The technique of professional colour grading is a little time consuming than just adding a filter on your phone’s editing software and thus isn’t always offered on budget productions. But for DIY video producers look no further than the built-in filters to influence the final look of your shots. Many programs offer scalable filters, so the best results often occur in the subtle 15% to 25% range. Like salt & pepper, a little filter is usually better than a lot.
Choosing the right look for the right project is actually a fun part of the creative process. Consider the impact of colour grading in these samples across a range of applications:
Client: Bella Stone Bath Wall Systems
Application: Installation Support
Mood: Cool, Technical
Client: Quinte West Chamber of Commerce
Application: Communicating Member Diversity
Mood: Warm, Professional
Client: Alexx and Tyler
Application: Love Story
Mood: Very Warm, Sentimental
Client: Mountainview Asphalt Paving
Application: Social Media Marketing
Mood: Saturated High-contrast, Documentary
While every phone is different, you’ll generally access the filters from the “edit” menu. Sometimes the filters are indicated by an icon depicting three interlocking rings. And once you’ve activated each filter, watch for the slider (usually below) that will allow you to add just a little bit of effect to keep things classy. Instagram has a similar built-in feature but the sliders are activated with a double-tap as you’re presented with the colour adjustment options.
Whether you’re an ambitious pro-sumer, or a DIY businessperson or you’re working with a professional to develop a video asset for your business, the impact of colour grading is something to consider as your project moves toward its final stages.
