Christoffer Brekne
Color Grading test with freeware VirtualDub
When I really hit a hard rock in editing and have to deal with what is in reality unusable footage, I have often found that my best fallback positition and one of my most versatile and powerful tools for video correction and restoration is the absolute gem of a program VirtualDub. Here is an example of some basic color grading done through VirtualDub. Original footage off a Canon 5d Mkii.
VirtualDub is open source, freeware and there are hosts of freely available plug-ins for it developed by highly competent people. VirtualDub is not a non-linear editing application, but a dedicated video-processing power-horse which can be a useful addition to any post-production arsenal. Below is an example video and a few steps to 32-bit color-grading in VirtualDub, as well as some settings to download and load into VirtualDub to try it out on your own videos. Thanks to Tønnes Brekne for the video used in the example.
Looking at the video there is little or no noise or artifacting at all in the processed versions of the clip, even though some of the changes are pushed quite far and saturation boosted over the top in the second clip in the sequence. Of course in the compressed Flickr file you wouldn't see it anyway, but the original final export is very noise free. This is partly do to the source H.264 file off the Canon 5D MkII being interpolated to a 32-bit RGB colour space in VirtualDub before any changes are applied, allowing for much more latitude in color processing. But also it is do to the superior and highly customizable denoising filters available for VirtualDub that can be a good idea to run before applying any color work.
I have prepared a simple VirtualDub setting ready to load into VirtualDub. Included you'll find the extra filters needed to run the settings. This filter hierarchy works very well for most fundamental color grading needs and can give very good and clean results as long as your source file is of reasonable quality. The filter hierarchy runs like this:
colour space conversion ->
subtle denoising ->
de-interlacing (if you're working off an interlaced video signal, if not just disable)->
Levels adjustment ->
6-vector Hue/saturation/Intensity(lightness) adjustment ->
RGB adjust (tint) ->
subtle smart sharpen.
Download and extract the file, copy the vdf filters into the 'plug-ins' (not the plug-ins32) folder of VirtualDub, start VirtualDub and open a video file. Click 'Load processing settings' under the 'File' tab, and open HD1920_1080CC.vcf from where you saved it. Go to the 'Video' tab and click 'filters'. This will bring up your filter hierarchy.
Color conversion is already set to 32-bit and denoising is set to the lowest. This is usually enough to clean up the hidden artifacts that can become a problem once you start pushing it in color correction. In the 'Levels' dialogue click 'Show Preview' and then 'Sample Frame'. This will give you a window with a full resolution preview of the changes you are applying as well as a histogram. I usually leave the 'Operate in luma...' box ticked, as I don't want to start blowing out colors and oversaturating at this stage. Also, If you're going for a bleach bypass type of look, this option to correct levels in luma is very handy.
After this comes the color work itself. I have loaded the same HSL filter six times in the settings - one pass for each color channel. Tweaking your colors in these passes will give you very precise control over the color correction. Having converted to 32-bit and denoised to begin with, you will be able to play quite a lot around with these color passes as well as the levels without being annoyed with artifacts and noise - but be careful with the 'intensity' lever on your HSL passes.
After this I've put in a simple and nice tint filter with precise control over the RGB channels. I usually use this only for very slight tints to accentuate textures or add subtle moods to the grading. And then finally a little sharpening. This is quite optional, but a good idea. The particular filter used here is very risk-free, and used at low settings it will not generate noise.
When you are satisfied, click 'Video' and make sure that 'Full Processing Mode' is enabled in the drop-down menu. Then go to 'File' and click 'Save as AVI'. Here you choose your preferred compression for the output and where to export the file. If you intend on using the video for further work, I would suggest exporting to a visually lossless codec like f.ex. Cineform or Lagarith (free). If you're finished working on your video, then you can export to a delivery codec like x264, h.264 or mpeg2.
Finally, one note on the MSU filters for VirtualDub - a couple of which are included here, they are free to use for non-commercial work but require a license for commercial work.
You can also read this post at my blog.
Color Grading test with freeware VirtualDub
When I really hit a hard rock in editing and have to deal with what is in reality unusable footage, I have often found that my best fallback positition and one of my most versatile and powerful tools for video correction and restoration is the absolute gem of a program VirtualDub. Here is an example of some basic color grading done through VirtualDub. Original footage off a Canon 5d Mkii.
VirtualDub is open source, freeware and there are hosts of freely available plug-ins for it developed by highly competent people. VirtualDub is not a non-linear editing application, but a dedicated video-processing power-horse which can be a useful addition to any post-production arsenal. Below is an example video and a few steps to 32-bit color-grading in VirtualDub, as well as some settings to download and load into VirtualDub to try it out on your own videos. Thanks to Tønnes Brekne for the video used in the example.
Looking at the video there is little or no noise or artifacting at all in the processed versions of the clip, even though some of the changes are pushed quite far and saturation boosted over the top in the second clip in the sequence. Of course in the compressed Flickr file you wouldn't see it anyway, but the original final export is very noise free. This is partly do to the source H.264 file off the Canon 5D MkII being interpolated to a 32-bit RGB colour space in VirtualDub before any changes are applied, allowing for much more latitude in color processing. But also it is do to the superior and highly customizable denoising filters available for VirtualDub that can be a good idea to run before applying any color work.
I have prepared a simple VirtualDub setting ready to load into VirtualDub. Included you'll find the extra filters needed to run the settings. This filter hierarchy works very well for most fundamental color grading needs and can give very good and clean results as long as your source file is of reasonable quality. The filter hierarchy runs like this:
colour space conversion ->
subtle denoising ->
de-interlacing (if you're working off an interlaced video signal, if not just disable)->
Levels adjustment ->
6-vector Hue/saturation/Intensity(lightness) adjustment ->
RGB adjust (tint) ->
subtle smart sharpen.
Download and extract the file, copy the vdf filters into the 'plug-ins' (not the plug-ins32) folder of VirtualDub, start VirtualDub and open a video file. Click 'Load processing settings' under the 'File' tab, and open HD1920_1080CC.vcf from where you saved it. Go to the 'Video' tab and click 'filters'. This will bring up your filter hierarchy.
Color conversion is already set to 32-bit and denoising is set to the lowest. This is usually enough to clean up the hidden artifacts that can become a problem once you start pushing it in color correction. In the 'Levels' dialogue click 'Show Preview' and then 'Sample Frame'. This will give you a window with a full resolution preview of the changes you are applying as well as a histogram. I usually leave the 'Operate in luma...' box ticked, as I don't want to start blowing out colors and oversaturating at this stage. Also, If you're going for a bleach bypass type of look, this option to correct levels in luma is very handy.
After this comes the color work itself. I have loaded the same HSL filter six times in the settings - one pass for each color channel. Tweaking your colors in these passes will give you very precise control over the color correction. Having converted to 32-bit and denoised to begin with, you will be able to play quite a lot around with these color passes as well as the levels without being annoyed with artifacts and noise - but be careful with the 'intensity' lever on your HSL passes.
After this I've put in a simple and nice tint filter with precise control over the RGB channels. I usually use this only for very slight tints to accentuate textures or add subtle moods to the grading. And then finally a little sharpening. This is quite optional, but a good idea. The particular filter used here is very risk-free, and used at low settings it will not generate noise.
When you are satisfied, click 'Video' and make sure that 'Full Processing Mode' is enabled in the drop-down menu. Then go to 'File' and click 'Save as AVI'. Here you choose your preferred compression for the output and where to export the file. If you intend on using the video for further work, I would suggest exporting to a visually lossless codec like f.ex. Cineform or Lagarith (free). If you're finished working on your video, then you can export to a delivery codec like x264, h.264 or mpeg2.
Finally, one note on the MSU filters for VirtualDub - a couple of which are included here, they are free to use for non-commercial work but require a license for commercial work.
You can also read this post at my blog.