The final look of every shot, set in a darkened grading suite.

The job

You adjust colour, contrast and texture shot by shot so scenes match and the picture tells the story.

Before the shoot you may build the show LUT with the DoP and DIT. During it, a dailies colourist puts that look on the rushes. After lock, the final colourist grades the conform with the DoP and director, often for weeks on a feature, and makes masters for every format: HDR and SDR, cinema and streaming.

A typical day (in the final grade)

• Check the conform against the offline reference.
• Grade a reel or episode with the DoP in the room.
• Match shots across cameras, locations and lighting changes.
• Use windows, keys and tracking to shape faces and backgrounds.
• Review VFX shots as they arrive, and flag problems.
• Render a review copy for the director and producers.
• Prepare the HDR and SDR deliverables at the end of the grade.

Skills

• A trained eye for colour, contrast and skin tones.
• DaVinci Resolve or FilmLight Baselight at a high level.
• Colour science: colour spaces, ACES, LUTs, HDR standards.
• Understanding of cameras and how they record.
• Client skills. You spend long sessions in a room with the DoP and director.

Reporting lines

You usually work for a post house, and report to its head of grading or picture department. On a project you work to the DoP and director and agree schedules with the post-production supervisor. Assistant colourists and grading assistants report to you.

How people get in

Most colourists start as runners at a post house, then work as grading assistants or dailies operators before getting their own sessions. Some come from the camera department as DITs. Learning Resolve thoroughly is the most useful thing to do first. A photography or film background helps your eye.

Next step up

Senior colourist on features and high-end drama, or head of grading at a facility. Some move into colour science or DI supervision.

Find out more

• ScreenSkills: colourist profile
• ScreenSkills: grading assistant profile
• Post rates: the post cards on the Bectu rate cards index