InCinematographer - Issue 2 - September 2017 - 8

www.incinematographer.com | Issue 2 | September 2017

Live Grading a Super Hero

cont'd...

the CM-250 and the DM-250 from Flanders. So for
Spider-Man we used three SONY OLED PVMA250.
Most importantly I was tuning in and matching my
monitors with the monitors on the dailies lab, so
every two or three weeks, as soon as I had a window
of time during the shooting time, I went to the lab
and made sure my monitors matched the dailies lab
monitors. We did it before we started during the test
to prep, so we wanted to make sure that everything
in the color mapping was exactly matching, so
the decisions that Sal was having in terms of LUTs
Jon Favraeu, Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland were matching with what they were delivering on
for director and staff to watch, a couple of LUTs the dailies. Then every two or three weeks, being
that had that mitigation for the fringing to deliver exterior, running around, I wanted to make sure that
nice images.
everything was there, our monitors didn't drift too
heavily from post.
You had three different types of Alexa to
contend with. But they all match very well, in our
You were working with the dailies colorist Ed
experience.
Twiford at EC3?
Francesco: The sensor technology, the size,
Francesco: Yes with Ed. With a dailies colorist
everything is pretty much the same. There was a lot it's all about communication. It's important it not
of handheld small POV shots that were deliberately only comes in the form of a file or notes, also live
meant to feel like "cameras," which were captured communication with the colorist as to what exactly
with the Black Magic Pocket Camera. The Pocket is a the DP wants is very important. He and I were
completely different look, the colorspace is different, constantly exchanging messages, emails, sometimes
the resolution is different. We really wanted to give WhatsApp. I mean, whatever works to make sure that
that sense, because the story is taking place now, of a the workflow is smooth, and the dailies are fine for
kid shooting stuff either with a phone or a little digital the DP.
camera, so it worked organically with the story.
And so did you use a separate input device
transform for that camera to try and make it
match with ACES?
Francesco: We used it with IDT, but also in a lot
of situations the Pocket was used deliberately for its
different look, to create something that didn't feel
like the rest of the footage, that looked distinct from
the Alexa footage. It didn't need a lot of tweaking,
color-wise, but just say it was kind of a 50/50 in
terms of using the IDT from ACES or not. At times we
used the same workflow, where you used a different
input device for the small cam, and some other times
we just used what we had in terms of look since we
wanted it to look like a "camera."
What were you using for monitoring on set?
Was it mostly SONY OLED, or where are you right
now in terms of on-set monitoring?
Francesco: I have a Dolby in my office, and then
I use an OLED on-set, and I have a BVM, as well. I
do like the Flanders Scientific DM, but for now I'm
pretty satisfied with the mechanics and the screen
of the Sony OLED. The SONY panel is the same as

Tom Holland, Michael Keaton and Director Jon Watts

Keaton ready for action

When you're taking your monitors to EC3 to
match them to what you're seeing there, how
are you making sure that your monitors really
match?
Francesco: I have them calibrating my monitor
because they have a technical specialist, an engineer,
dedicated to monitor calibration. I know how to
calibrate my monitor, but I want them to calibrate
my monitor so I would know for sure that it will
be done precisely the same way they are doing
it. They set up their own monitors that they
grade dailies on, so I might as well have them set up
mine as well to be sure it's done identically. That's
the simple trick that I use. At the end, I'm going to
leave everything to them because they're going to
be controlling the monitoring throughout post. They
were gonna be in charge of that.
Were there any completely brand new setups,
or situations, or events that happened on this
film that you hadn't really been through before?
Francesco: The combination of those Black Magic
cameras, iPhone and other POV cameras meant to
look differently from the main camera. There was
a part of it, integrating those cameras, creating

something for on set to make sure that those
cameras were easy to use. For instance making sure
that there was image constantly at video village, so
wireless if possible, but also at times we had to roll
cabling as well when we couldn't build wireless.
ACES was the part where I had to work more on my
setups and run a lot of tests because it's so new. It
looks beautiful, and that purple fringing caught us all
by surprise, so we kind of had to redo a lot of things
to compensate. Knowing that there was EC3 behind
me was really a great situation, because it would
have been complicated otherwise.

Director Jon-Watts talks to Michael-Keaton

DIT is such a technical job, knowing all of that
workflow information, and then still having an
artistic eye at the same time. How do you feel
about switching back and forth between those
two aspects - not only with regards to working in
LiveGrade, but the DIT's job in general?
Francesco: To me I don't consider it switching.
They come combined. It's an art and craft, and so
LiveGrade somehow incorporates the two. Having
the technical knowledge helps you also with the
freedom in terms of creativity. Even when you're
being technical, you're still being artistic because
you have to understand the technical in order to
execute artistically. And most of all my role is just a
supportive aspect to make sure the DP is happy. We
deliver what the DP wants.
We thank Francesco Sauta for sharing his
insights into the production of Spiderman:
Homecoming with us! Thanks also to Charles
Haine for leading the interview!

LiveGrade Pro

The Reference for Professional Look Creation
Check out how LiveGrade is the way to have colors
on set and beyond!
http://pomfort.com/livegradepro

Author: Elisa is responsible for a great part of the
communication of Pomfort products.
When she's not at the office writing
or coding, you can be sure she is
watching yet another movie, scanning
the credits for the responsible DIT.

http://www.incinematographer.com http://pomfort.com/livegradepro/ http://www.pomfort.com/livegradepro

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of InCinematographer - Issue 2 - September 2017