Color 1.5:
Color 101: An Introduction to Color Correcting and Grading in Final Cut Studio

Our Apple Color training provides you with the right training solutions to help you learn Apple Color for Final Cut Studio Pro. Check our schedule for class dates and prices for Color training in Dallas, Texas or call us for private training at your site.

This hands-on course will familiarize students with Apple’s masterful new color grading and finishing software. Start with the basics of color balancing and correction, and move on to the fine points of secondary grading, including scene matching, using vignettes to isolate and track regions, creating advanced color effects and "looks," skin tone adjustments, adjusting the composition and framing of a shot, and much more.

Included with the class is the Color test (a $150 value) for Apple certification. You can take the test on one of our scheduled testing days, or schedule with the instructor if you can't make the scheduled testing day.

Apple Course Description

Topics covered in this two-day class are:

Understanding the Color Application

  • Overview of the Color interface
  • Sending a Final Cut Pro project to Color
  • Using and Understanding Rooms
  • Program and Project Settings

Basic Grading (Corrections)

  • Using the Primary In room
  • Understanding the Waveform and Vector scopes
  • Evaluating Clip Color and Exposure
  • Using Color balance controls
  • Using Curves to modify contrast

Basic Secondary Grading

  • Understanding a Secondary Grade
  • Three types of Secondary Grades
  • Correcting Specific Colors using a Hue, Saturation, and Luminance selection
  • Performing vignette-based Corrections
  • Using Curves to Select and Modify Specific Colors

Advanced Secondary Grading

  • Using multiple secondary corrections
  • Combining a color key and vignette
  • Combining several Secondary Corrections
  • Creating Custom Mask Shapes

Grade Management

  • Managing grades on a single shot
  • Adding  and deleting grades
  • Setting the beauty grade
  • Saving corrections and grades
  • Moving grades from clip to clip
  • Grouping shots
  • Working with multiple grades

Color Effects

  • Using the color effects room
  • Using Pre-built Effects
  • Building color effects
  • Saving and reapplying effects as presets

Common Color Looks

  • Black Hawk Down look
  • CSI Miami look
  • Schinfler's List look
  • Saturated sunrise look
  • Skin diffusion and beauty tricks

Keyframing Effects

  • Understaning Keyframes in Color
  • Adding and Manipulating keyframes
  • Keyframing color effects
  • Navigating to keyframes
  • Deleting keyframes
  • Animating User shapes

Tracking Areas for Correction

  • Using the Geometry room
  • Tracking objects
  • Applying tracking data to corrections
  • Manual tracking

Primary Out and Rendering

  • Understanding how Color Renders Corrections
  • Adding Clips to the Render Queue
  • Managing which Grade is rendered
  • Exporting the finished Project to Final Cut Pro