Color Grading Software Helps Give Video Action a Fantasy Look

Posted on: 28 April 2020

Creating short videos for online streaming can draw in many viewers. Bringing them in, however, is not the same as keeping them watching. The video has to impress viewers and hook them. Effective writing, acting, and directing all play essential roles, and so does crafting the right aesthetic look. Action-oriented shorts could benefit from something more fantastical, so bold, and bright tones may work better. When going for a fantasy/comic book-style look, color grading software helps the cause. Software-based alterations could make action less scary and open doors for a wider audience. Color grading might take the edge off of fight scenes and make the violence less violent.

A Classic Hollywood Approach

The Fast and Furious films, along with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, feature a lot of fights, car crashes, explosions, and all sorts of action that comes off as inoffensive. Cartoonish violence does not have the same impact on the senses as dark and gritty violence. And, no surprise, the audience for The Avengers is far greater than an R-rated 1970s-style crime film. Yes, the actual level of violence contributes to the rating, but so does the depiction. Bright lights, flashy colors, and over-the-top action take some of the edge away. And that may be a strategy worth emulating.

A Color Grading Strategy

There's no single rule or strategy about how to make an action film a little more cartoonish. Skilled users of color grading software can approach things from various angles. Here are some ideas to ponder:

  • Bring Out the Bright Colors on Clothes: Even though your action character might be a "regular human," you can evoke superheroes by highlighting clothing colors. A blue shirt could become Superman-like in brightness. While the human character wouldn't overtly become a fantasy-oriented one, there could still be a subliminal effect.
  • Minimize the Grays in the Background: Gray looks great in film noir and other movements that evoke dark realism. You won't want them in a more fantastic-styled project. Just as you can bring out bright colors, you could minimize dull ones.
  • Make the Sky Above Look Unreal: Color corrections can occur in the background, too. The sky overhead, be it night or day, could be tweaked to highlight a fantasy look. While the imagery may be in the background, the viewer sees it. Therefore, the imagery can be compelling.

Choosing the right software programs assists in achieving the desired look. Action directors and producers may find the software's color alterations helps them make their fantasy vision come to virtual life. To learn more, talk to a company like Cinema Grade.

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