Ensuring Quality: How We Test and Validate Your Color Grade

Our Approach to Testing the Grade

Testing a grade is a crucial step in ensuring that the final look of your footage meets both your expectations and industry standards. Here’s how we approach the testing process:

1. Initial Grade Application

Apply the Grade: We start by applying the initial color grade to the footage, creating a baseline for evaluation. This helps us identify any immediate issues or areas that need adjustment.

2. Testing Across Different Monitors and Devices

Different Displays: We view the graded footage on a range of monitors and devices to ensure color consistency across different screens. This includes high-end professional monitors, consumer-grade TVs, and mobile devices.

Calibration: We use calibrated monitors for accurate color representation. Our testing also involves checking the footage on common screens, such as laptop displays and smartphones, to ensure it looks good everywhere.

3. Comparing to Reference Standards

Reference Material: We compare the graded footage to industry-standard reference material and other color-graded examples. This comparison helps us gauge whether our grade aligns with the desired look and feel.

Side-by-Side Comparisons: We conduct side-by-side comparisons with ungraded or differently graded footage to spot any issues with color balance, contrast, or exposure.

4. Checking for Technical Issues

Histogram and Scopes: We analyze the footage using histograms, waveforms, and vectorscopes to verify that color and exposure levels are within acceptable ranges and to ensure there’s no clipping or other technical issues.

Skin Tones and Color Accuracy: We pay special attention to skin tones and overall color accuracy to make sure skin tones look natural and colors are true to life.

5. Feedback Loop

Client Review: We share the graded footage with the client for feedback. They might notice details or have preferences that we need to address. To streamline this process, we use our cloud management system, AVAir. AVAir provides a secure and efficient platform for clients to review and comment on their footage directly. This helps us quickly implement any changes and ensures that we’re aligned with the client’s vision.

Revisions: Based on feedback received through AVAir, we make the necessary adjustments. Our cloud-based system makes it easy to manage revisions and track progress, allowing us to go through multiple rounds of feedback efficiently and deliver the final grade that meets or exceeds your expectations.

6. Final Quality Check

Consistent Playback: We ensure that the grade maintains consistency across various playback systems, including web players, streaming services, and broadcast setups.

Export and Delivery: We perform a final export and review the footage to check for any discrepancies in color or quality that may have emerged during the export process.

By following this approach, we ensure that your footage is professionally graded and looks outstanding on any platform.