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The Art of Visual Effects: Enhancing the Horror of “Curse of the Necklace”

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In a chilling scene from Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz’s late 2024 horror film “Curse of the Necklace,” a seemingly ordinary bookshelf takes on a sinister life of its own, becoming a menacing presence that perfectly encapsulates the film’s supernatural undertones. Achieving this level of tension and realism required a seamless blend of practical ingenuity and advanced visual effects techniques, spearheaded by the film’s on-set VFX supervisor, Connor Thomas.

Originally, the scene involving the bookshelf was to be captured entirely in-camera. The production team had planned a practical effect using a wire system to control the fall of a real bookshelf, ensuring it wouldn’t endanger the actress during the shoot. However, during a safety test, the wire failed, causing the bookshelf to collapse and rendering it unusable. While no one was hurt, this unexpected setback left the team scrambling for a solution that would maintain the director’s vision without compromising safety or the film’s tight schedule.

Connor Thomas quickly stepped in with a creative alternative: replace the bookshelf with a fully CG version that could be manipulated to achieve the desired look and feel. To ensure the CG bookshelf would integrate seamlessly into the live-action environment, Thomas took meticulous steps to gather the necessary visual and lighting references. Using a 50 MP camera, he captured high-quality HDRi images of the set to recreate the scene’s lighting and reflections accurately. These HDRi images provided the foundation for lighting the CG elements in Blender, the 3D pipeline of choice for the production.

Additionally, Thomas placed small tracking markers within the environment to facilitate 3D camera tracking in post-production. This ensured that the CG bookshelf would move naturally and align perfectly with the live-action footage, creating a convincing interaction between the digital and physical worlds.

Blender’s versatility and robust toolset were instrumental in crafting the CG bookshelf. The team modeled a detailed replica, paying particular attention to the texture and weight of the wood to match the set’s aesthetic. Using the HDRi images, they were able to simulate the set’s lighting conditions, ensuring that the CG bookshelf reflected and refracted light in a way that was indistinguishable from its practical counterpart.

The team used Blender to animate the bookshelf’s unnatural fall, heightening the horror of the scene. The director, Juan Pablo Arias Muñoz, wanted the movement to feel otherworldly, as though an unseen force was guiding the bookshelf’s collapse. By exaggerating the timing and angles of the fall, the team was able to integrate the CG bookshelf with a supernatural presence that added to the film’s unsettling atmosphere.

Once the CG elements were rendered, the team turned to Nuke for compositing. Nuke’s node-based workflow allowed for precise integration of the CG bookshelf into the live-action footage. The tracking markers placed on set ensured that the CG elements matched the camera’s movements, while the HDRi lighting references helped blend the digital and practical elements seamlessly.

Through careful grading and the addition of subtle effects like dust and ambient shadows, the team enhanced the realism of the scene. The final shot not only replaced the broken practical bookshelf but also elevated the sequence by emphasizing the supernatural forces at play.

The decision to go fully CG with the bookshelf proved to be a blessing in disguise. The enhanced control over the object’s movement allowed the team to push the boundaries of what was physically possible, creating a more intense and visually striking moment. The bookshelf’s eerie, almost sentient behavior added a layer of terror that resonated with audiences, becoming one of the film’s most memorable sequences.

Watch more of the Behind the Scenes.

A Story of collaboration, A Detailed look at The Forge

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A Story of collaboration, A Detailed look at The Forge

the Forge poster

The Forge is the next film by Kendrick brothers, creators of War Room, Ovecomer and more. The forge is an inspiring story about a young man’s journey for purpose through faith and discipleship. The Film was set to release in theaters August 22, 2024 and Now on Netflix and others.

Directed by Alex Kendrick, Like many of the previous Kendrick brothers’ films such as War Room and Overcomer, Alex Kendrick wrote the screenplay alongside his brother Stephen Kendrick.

The film was shot on Alexa S35 with Anamorphic lenses in Albany, Georgia, by cinematographer Bob Scott, who has been a key collaborator with the Kendricks, having lensed many of their films over the years.

Color grading was led by Keith Roush in Atlanta at Roush Media’s facility for the HDR and SDR versions. Additional color was provided by Kevin Stratton for the HDR and theatrical releases.

Old Friends, New Journey

“The Forge” marks the 5th official collaboration between Keith and the Kendrick brothers. Keith, having graded many of their projects before, was intimately familiar with their style and the direction they like to go.

“After many films together, I know exactly what Alex likes, and we have a very close bond and collaborate well together to meet that vision. The trust and mutual respect we share for each other is genuine. My clients become my friends, and we share the vision for how the film will impact people and a love of the craft and process. I’m always invited to help kick off production at what the Kendricks call bootcamp. That includes a nice lunch, and then I spend the rest of the day meeting with all my counterparts on the team: DP, DIT, Editor, and some producers to ensure we are ready for the coming battle. My team fully supports the production over the shoot & post with dailies, on-set supervision of VFX and data, and workflow consulting.”

Vision and Look Development

“The film’s look was initially based on the Kendricks’ previous work, ‘War Room’. Since Roush Media had also handled the DI for ‘War Room,’ Keith was able to pull materials from the ‘War Room’ archive to re-familiarize himself with the material. Keith describes the look as follows:

“I would describe ‘The Forge’s’ look as slightly warm, rich, and colorful yet filmic. It features lots of soft highlights with a touch of grit and grain to evoke the urban feel of the story. The film print emulation is rich in contrast without crushing the shadows, allowing dark skin tones to resemble milk chocolate thus keeping the focus on the performances.”

Baselight 6 had recently become available to the in beta, so Keith used a lot of the new tools. From Look Development to subtle Halation, flair and grain texture control. The AI face tracking proved to be an invaluable tool in Keith’s toolbox, enabling quick and precise manipulation of the talent’s faces across the film.

Starting the Grade

Color grading for the film began long before the actual grading process commenced. Keith created a show LUT and then transferred the look into Arri’s ALF4 file format for loading into the camera.

“We discussed the film’s vision early in pre-production, working with Bob Scott (DP) and Alex (Director) to craft the film’s look from a camera test. Developing a look for a project and then having the cinematographer actually use that in-camera during production helps to further refine the process and allows the DP to light the show based on the intended final look, rather than starting with a stock 709 LUT and figuring it out later. This approach ensures that the images maintain consistency across the film and gives us an advantage once color grading begins,” says Keith.

This approach also means that the director, editor & the studio are viewing something closer to the final grade throughout the entire editing process. Once the final grading began, Keith was able to apply the same look he had developed in Baselight to everything, providing a strong starting point for further refining the image.

Workflow

The grade was completed for three versions: HDR, SDR, and Theatrical (P3 48 nits). This presented an interesting technical challenge because Keith aimed for all versions to be virtually identical while maximizing the benefits of each.

“Due to the schedule and how busy Alex Kendrick is, at the start of the DI, we provide a calibrated monitor to the offices of the Kendricks to allow for onsite color grading / remote color review sessions. Sometimes we are in person, and sometimes we do this with remote color sessions. Alex and I like to spot various parts of the film together and set some looks to make sure we are on the same page. I get a feeling for any particular special concerns to look out for as I continue the grade. The foundation of the film was already established before the session, and adjustments were made based on Alex’s feedback.

From HDR to the Theater

While the initial grade was done in HDR in preparation for the film’s eventual release on streaming (svod), “The Forge” is also receiving a large traditional theatrical run. This posed a significant technical challenge for the grading process. The HDR grade was completed at 2000 nits on the new Flanders Scientific XMP650. The decision to master at 2000 nits was made to accommodate the increasing brightness and color accuracy of consumer televisions, enhancing the potential for the future.

Dolby Vision was employed to map the 2000 nit HDR grade down to 100 nits for SDR and 48 nits for theatrical release. Kevin Stratton, Keith’s assistant and an additional colorist on the film, commented, “Going from 2000 nits down to 48 nits, even with Dolby’s smart approach and often excellent image translation across different brightness levels, required more than just a traditional trim pass to maintain the original integrity of the grade.”

The Director Alex Kendrick says “ The team at Roush media truly did excellent work and collaborating with them is always fantastic. They always make our films look stunning and bring the images to life. We are excited to see how audiences around the globe respond to the hard work and care that has gone into the creation of this film.”

“Working with a Colorist” Interview with Roy H. Wagner, ASC DOP & Keith Roush, CSI Sr. Colorist

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"The image really does tell you what it wants to be."

This is a Transcript of the interview of Keith Roush Sr. Colorist & founder of ROUSH Media and Roy H. Wagner, ASC DOP.

Hi, my name is Roy Wagner. I’m a director of photography. I’m at Rosh Media today with my friend Keith. We’re talking about color timing. And Keith is a genius when it comes to color timing. And it certainly has changed since both of us got in this business. I’m sure you started with film just like I did. – Yes. – And I’d like for you to talk about that, talk about how it’s changed. – Sure, okay. So Rosh Media is a DI company, of course. So we are a picture finishing. I’m a senior colorist for future films, predominantly.(…) And what we do is conform and then color grade and deliver to all the different choices from theatrical to home video to HDR

(…)

that you would see on every platform that’s out there. – And you say you’re a DI facility, which means you’re a digital intermediate facility? – That’s correct. I kind of denote that, or I talk about that as a, the process in which we grade.

(…)

Data intermediate or digital intermediate,(…) it’s history and what that comes from is we used to scan film and then load the scan negatives into the grading system.

(…)

And then we would color time that on a theater screen and then ultimately print it back out the film. And it was a data intermediate or digital intermediate. – Now one of the most frightening things for a cinematographer, especially a young cinematographer to come into

(…)

was the lab.(…) Because the producers had already told us it costs a lot of money. And we didn’t understand any of the things that we were seeing in the old days when it was waveforms and vectorscopes.

(…)

It would take five minutes to 20 minutes for you to conform to the next step. And we weren’t sure if you wanted to know(…) what our next note was yet or whether you were still in the midst of the process. And certainly a lot of that has changed.

(…)

What I would like is for filmmakers to feel safe(…) when they come in here and know what’s expected of them and what the different terms mean so that they’re not afraid of them. Because even if you read them in the book,

(…)

it doesn’t make much sense. – So I work with a lot of variety of people with varied levels of experience. And it’s obviously a very special relationship between the colorist and the DP. And I’m here to ultimately serve the creative vision and help be that, that screen is my canvas, just like it’s your canvas, and it’s shared. And as being that, that’s our canvas,

(…)

there is, it’s a collaborative, creative process. And it needs to feel that there’s absolute trust and it needs to be between all the parties that are concerned. And I need to feel absolutely comfortable and the ability to explore options and ideas. And it’s collaborative so I can contribute to that so typically if the process typically looks like we would get the original camera negative,

(…)

we would then get the edit project from the editorial team. My team, it’s what we do, the DI process, is a team. Both, and it’s a collaborative process of art and science.(…) These conformed artists put the film together and get it ready for me as a colorist, a color.(…) And at that point then I like to ultimately try to figure out by talking to the DP and the director what their creative vision is. And that creative vision will help give me some ideas that I can put on the screen for them even before they come in. So I like– – Oftentimes you’re having to be the referee as well. – That’s true, that’s true. Sometimes there’s a little bit of politics in the room or so in that.(…) A lot of times the DP wants to push things darker and cooler and this and the director goes, I wanna see the emotion of the actor’s face and we’re kind of battling between the drama of the moment and the performance or something like that too obviously. But I like to give options and kind of get the vision and help translate that. And so for that safe, creative, collaborative environment, it’s not like, there’s no wrong thing you can say. In fact, I’d rather people tell me what they’re trying to do, what the emotion is of that scene, than try to tell me what button to push because largely those buttons have changed so much that that’s not the button to push at all. – One of the things I’d like this to be is an introduction to what this is and what the new technologies are and how they’ve improved or helped. – Sure. – Most of the new technologies have definitely helped and improved the expediency of the process. – What we’re doing is an extension of what you’re doing on set by when you are flagging that light or skimming this or throwing one of those scrims in a light or trying to get all those light ratios working just so with your light meters. And when you don’t have the time to do it as well as you’d like to, because those cameras, the ARRI or any of these cameras are shooting 14 stops of dynamic range with lots of contrast that’s available there, lots of stops of visible delineation between light, in the DI room then, you as a DP can say, you know what, knock that down a little bit. That’s a hotspot on its forehead, I didn’t see it, couldn’t get off or it was moving, it was impossible to get. I can do it faster and better than you could do it on set and it’s an extension of what you wanted to do. – This is critical. – Yes. – This is critical because a lot of the time, you know, if you have the whole package,

(…)

then if you use my theory or Ansel Adams theory about the images created in the dark room, if you have the whole capture there, it’s basically the zone system. – Absolutely. – On steroids. – Yes. – Whereas ProRes 422 or ProRes 444,

(…)

which are not even as much of a problem now as they used to be because of the compression issues,(…) it’s almost better to shoot everything in raw.(…) – Yeah, there are always exceptions to the rule,

(…)

but absolutely, generally, the payloads are bigger, more information that you can capture and the least processing that you can capture on set and be able to give more artistic control to the dark room so that you can really control that, how it’s gonna be for final fun on your canvas, the better you are. – What frightens cinematographers is that that gives more power to the studio, the producer, and the director.(…) This space is as political as the space between myself and the director on the set. – Sure.(…) – And what is incredibly critical is to develop a relationship with a colorist because oftentimes you won’t be there. And so that when the director or a producer or a post-production supervisor says, “I don’t want it that way, I want it this way,” that at least we get a call from our colorist who says, “This is what’s going on,” so that we at least have a chance to participate because oftentimes, once we’ve captured the image, they would prefer us just go away. And I’ve not had that experience personally, but generally people like for me to be a part of it, but there are those that don’t. And I find that if you have a friend in the colorist, then it’s a much safer environment and it’s even more of a reason to shoot raw because frankly, even if you balance the light perfectly,

(…)

there’s so much range now than there was with film that even putting a proper single in or a proper double in or proper shading, there’s always something that’s that green in the background is a little stronger than it should be. And you can do a power window on something that I could have never done. – Sure, absolutely. And I will say that ultimately, more information in raw is definitely good(…) and is preferable than in all raw sources, formats.(…) It doesn’t mean that you truly are any less creatively limited, generally when you’re shooting. And a good example is ARRI-RAW or ProRes Log C. And ARRI-RAW is more information and is generally only used on much larger budget films because the data payloads are much bigger.(…) And it’s really good for a visual effect sequences, but even on $10 million films, shooting Log C on ProRes 444, XQ or like that, yields you just as really good at results and as much latitude. – Yeah, in elementary we were using ProRes 422. – Yeah.

(…)

– Oftentimes I find it’s 422 or 444 and never raw. I always own features, I always do raw.(…) Just because I feel it’s safer.

(…)

We’re working so fast these days(…) that there’s things that you can definitely do that would take me much more time. But if you’re really a filmmaker, then you shouldn’t care. You should rather have as many options as possible. – Right, it gives more power to the director too, ultimately, and it’s not, I believe the image tells you what it wants to be based on really how you capture the light. Everything that’s in front of the sensor from the lens to the lighting, that’s never gonna change, truly. The image really does tell you what it wants to be. And I think good colorists respect that and have a healthy respect for that. And hopefully there’s a really good relationship between that DP and the colorist. So he’s helping to just realize that vision and helping to extend, and here’s a good example of that. You’re on set and you’re moving quickly. Time is always the other essence. You’ve got 100 people working around there and you would wish to have more time to tweak, to flag this light off of that. You know, the hot spot right here, or put a little more, another little light there and pop that up a little bit more. Because what you’re trying to do is take, in real life, this high dynamic range,

(…)

which is just a lot of light, and squeeze it down and fit it into something you can actually capture on some celluloid, or essentially on a file, okay, digitally. – Especially for a cinematographer like myself, is always shooting at dynamic contrast ratios. It’s critical to know how far you can go into that white, or the clipper as we used to call it. Or into the pedestal in the black.

(…)

– I like to say that part of my job is an extension of what the DP did on set and managing dynamic range. That’s a big part of it, of course. And helping get you what you want. And once you’ve approved that color, whatever device it is, whether it be in a theater or on a TV monitor, ultimately it’s been my job using technology as well as your eye to help make sure that translate across all delivery platforms. So I try not to, and I hope it doesn’t make it more complex for you at all, and it really shouldn’t. It’s basically, it’s your vision on the screen,

(…)

and all devices exactly the same, was within the realms of what that device is able to reproduce.

(…)

– So this is obviously something you know something about.

(…)

And what’s exciting about it is that it means that we can expand upon this. We can begin with simplistic observations so that a young filmmaker will understand what ACES is and how it’s different from the previous color space, technologies, and we can actually discuss how to paint a complicated or difficult shot.(…) And so I’m hoping that this is just the beginning of a beautiful relationship, to quote Humphrey Bogart.

(…)

And so until we meet again, thank you very much. – Absolutely, thank you.

Connor Thomas

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Visual Effects Supervisor

Connor Thomas is a renowned visual effects supervisor and played a pivotal role in establishing the visual effects department at ROUSH Media. With innovative workflow pipelines, he seamlessly integrates visual effects into numerous #1 Netflix Movies and HBO Max originals, captivating global audiences. His pioneering work in machine learning-based deaging techniques has revolutionized the industry, delivering astonishingly realistic effects in films like ‘Lifemark’ and the AppleTV series ‘Ted Lasso.’ Throughout his career, Connor Thomas has continually pushed the boundaries of visual effects, helping shape the future of visual effects and captivating viewers with awe-inspiring visual worlds.

Creating CGI shots for film A Christmas Mystery breakdown

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Creating CGI shots for film is an exciting and challenging process that requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of the technology and tools involved. In this article, we will explore the essential steps involved in creating this CGI shot for the film “a Christmas mystery”, from modeling and animation to the final composite.

Step 1: Concept and Pre-visualization

Before any modeling or animation work begins, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of the desired shot and the story it needs to tell. This involves developing a concept and pre-visualizing the shot. Pre-visualization is the process of creating a rough animation of the shot using basic geometry and motion. This helps to visualize the final product and identify any potential issues that may arise during production.

Step 2: Modeling

Once the concept is established, the next step is to create 3D models of the objects and characters that will be used in the shot. The modeling process can take a significant amount of time, depending on the complexity of the objects and characters involved.

Step 3: Texturing

After the models are created, the next step is to add textures and materials to them. Texturing involves applying digital images or patterns to the models to give them a realistic appearance. This can be done using Photoshop.

Step 4: Rigging

Rigging is the process of creating a digital skeleton for the characters in the shot. This skeleton allows animators to manipulate the characters’ movements in a way that looks natural and realistic. Rigging can be a complex process that requires a deep understanding of anatomy and motion.

Step 5: Animation

With the models, textures, and rigging in place, it is time to animate the characters and objects in the shot. This involves creating keyframe animations, which are a series of poses that define the motion of the characters and objects over time. To help speed up the process we used some motion capture and then clean up in Blender to create these animations.

Step 6: Lighting

Once the animation is complete, the next step is to add lighting to the scene. Lighting can have a significant impact on the overall look and feel of the shot, so it is essential to get it right. Lighting involves adding light sources to the scene and adjusting their intensity, color, and direction to create the desired effect.

Step 7: Rendering

After the lighting is in place, it is time to render the shot. Rendering involves using a specialized render engine called Arnold, to generate high-quality images of the scene. The rendering process can be time-consuming even on our render farm as it involves calculating the appearance of every pixel in the final image.

Step 8: Compositing

The final step in creating the CGI shot is compositing. Compositing involves combining the rendered images with any additional visual effects, such as volumetric fog, haze. This was done using Nuke.

In conclusion, creating a CGI shot for film involves a complex and time-consuming process that requires a deep understanding of modeling, animation, lighting, and compositing. By following these essential steps, we can create stunning visual effects that enhance the story and captivate audiences.

AI Visual Effects Deaging on Lifemark

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This previous year we had the opportunity to work on some de-age work for feature film “Lifemark” an incredible true story that takes place over 20 years. The producers talked with our Visual Effects Supervisor here, Connor Thomas, on the best ways to accomplish this feat within the compositing world. Traditionally, deage work requires a photo scan of the talent’s face, 3D modeling it to appear the age required, match-move motion capture of an actor on set, and compositing the 3D model face back on top of the footage to realize the creative vision of the character’s younger face. This process could take many months and even over a year of work (and often does on Hollywood blockbuster films that do this).

The art of filmmaking has evolved significantly over the past few decades, and with the help of technology, it continues to advance even further. One of the most exciting and innovative developments in the industry is the use of AI to de-age actors in movie shots.

With the help of AI and advanced compositing techniques, filmmakers can now de-age actors and create a seamless visual experience for the audience. One such technique involves creating a virtual 3D model of the actor and using it to create a copy of the original footage. The copy can then be manipulated to de-age the actor, and the final result can be blended with the original footage using advanced compositing techniques.

We knew that the task was to take roughly 20 minutes of footage and take the actors (who were already wrapped from the film) and make them look 20 years younger. We took the footage and analyzed using advanced AI algorithms that identify the various features of the actor’s face, such as wrinkles, skin texture, and facial expressions. Our AI creates a virtual 3D model of the actor’s face that is identical to the original footage. This virtual model can be manipulated to de-age the actor by smoothing out wrinkles, adding a youthful glow to the skin, and adjusting other facial features. Once the virtual model is complete, the original footage is matched to the virtual model in our compositing software. The result is a de-aged version of the actor’s performance that can be seamlessly blended with the original footage.

Once we trained the AI on the keyframes from a shot we were able to plug that AI model directly overtop our original shot. The AI would then process the additional frames that we didn’t train the model on the same way it would process the frames that we trained it on. This saved us the work of doing all 1000+ frames in a sequence and only focusing on 4 or 5 keyframes that would define the AI model and teach it how to treat different wrinkles and age spots.

We even were able to use the AI model to change hair color, hairlines, wrinkles, and much more beauty work while maintaining and preserving the performances of the original actors. Being a DI finishing facility, it was also really important to us that the quality of the image was not damaged during this process. We wanted to ensure that the VFX could be used in a proper HDR workflow and maintain the linear raw quality that came into the pipeline. This workflow ended up being a tremendous success and we were able to complete the film in just 7 weeks of work.

The use of AI and Nuke Compositing techniques has made it possible to de-age actors in a way that was once thought impossible. Filmmakers can now create visually stunning movies that are both timeless and cutting-edge.

Using this method for beauty workflow has opened the door in other areas of work where we were able to use the same tools. In another film we did this holiday season, we were able to take stock footage of two kids riding a bike and match the clothing color in the stock footage to match the wardrobe of the children on A Camera material. The possibilities of using this technology are endless and have made it much easier for filmmakers to tell their stories easier and to bring their creative vision to life.

Talk with us about what your project needs. Our helpful staff would love to chat with you and see how we can serve you.

Color Grading: Overcomer

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Originally posted on Post Magazine

Roush Media provided dailies, digital intermediate color grading and digital cinema mastering services for Overcomer, the live-action family film from brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick. The movie tells the story of a life-changing overnight for coach John Harrison, when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, the coach must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team.

“The producers wanted to create a stunningly beautiful film,” recalls Keith Roush, Roush Media founder. “They required expertise during pre-production and we created a workflow for supporting the vision of director Alex Kendrick throughout the production and post process.”

Supervising colorist Roush and DP Bob Scott sat down together at the facility before filming began.

“Keith Roush is a color genius,” says Scott. “I could not be happier with the final look of the film on the DI for Overcomer. Keith is a master technician and true artist who sees every detail. He even flew to Georgia to help create the look for our on-set color, which was invaluable during the shoot.”
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“After reviewing imagery of other films that Alex liked, we determined what he was looking for and how to achieve that,” Roush explains. A color suite was set up near-set in Columbus, GA, and Roush flew out from California to meet with Scott and Kendrick to finalize the look of the film just before production was to start shooting. A camera test with actors on-location was graded with Kendrick and Scott supervising.

In these look development sessions Roush, with Kendrick and Scott, carefully crafted the look that could work in HDR or SDR, with advanced color management that was monitored on-set right out of the camera. Editor Steve Hullfish, working near-set, sent over cuts of scenes that he thought for color reasons might require reshoots. Roush would then grade those scenes and send them back for review and approval, letting him know that reshoots were not required and any inconsistencies were easily fixable.
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Roush managed the color pipelines for the VFX plates so that they would come back in and look as Kendrick and his DP intended.

“An important part of the DI process is managing the color pipeline through the VFX process,” says Roush. “Only the DI company truly has the expertise and knows the ramifications for any modifications to the color of the VFX plates.”

The conform artist pulled the effects plates and provided the necessary lookup tables to the VFX vendors.

“With consistent color results and the ability to simultaneously keep grading, even though final VFX shots are not delivered, they will pop in and match the underlined material. This process is highly efficient.

A live, remote color grading system was set up with a monitor, recommended and calibrated by Roush Media, placed in the director’s home. One to two-hour sessions were schedule with him to allow for feedback on the grades in progress before he came to the Roush Media theater for final review.

“Alex really enjoyed being able to see his colored images and collaborate with our team in real time on the other side of the country,” says Roush.

From these session notes the grade was continually refined so when the director came in for his final review in the theater, the process went smoothly with only a few tweaks.

The film was shot with Arri’s Alexa camera with anamorphic lenses, creating ProRes XQ at 2944×2160 (5760×2160 with the 2:1 desqueeze). Dailies were rendered for the Avid on-set, with the feature’s LUTs created by Roush’s on-set color system. Roush created Arri look files from the development sessions, which were then preloaded into the three Alexa cameras. This allowed the crew to see the look of the film live, on-set, while they were shooting. The project was color graded on a FilmLight Baselight system in 4K. A Barco projector was used for the P3D65 profile, and a Sony X300 display for the Dolby Vision version.

“I would describe the look we created for Overcomer as a bronzy wash, warm, earthy film look,” says Roush. “We changed the electronic bright greens of Georgia to a more subdued organic yellow green. We created an overall more film-like contrast with earthy, warmer tones throughout the film that need to be beautiful and lush without anything that was going to pop out and hit us, while still allowing for a lot of rich color and light to fill the screen.

“All of our color work is very subtle and detailed,” he continues. “There are areas where we pushed it more than others, and those tend to be the aerials. We did a lot of work to shape the way those feel and look – much like an ideal postcard from anytown USA. Additionally, we changed the color of the lakes to make them blue instead of mud colored, and we worked with skies a lot, (and) worked with faces and skin. For dark skin we liked warm milk chocolate. We’re like the invisible VFX. No one knows they’re there, but the image doesn’t come out of the camera looking like that.”

Roush notes that all of this was achieved while using an ACES color workflow because the team liked the look of the ACES RRT (Reference Rendering Transform) and the archival master could be an ACES master.

Roush Media Delivers Stunningly Beautiful “Overcomer” Color Grading Employing Latest Technology

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Before
After

Roush Media, an award-winning post-production company providing finishing services for film and TV, delivered Dailies, Digital Intermediate Color Grading and Digital Cinema Mastering for “Overcomer,” a live-action family film from brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick.

The movie tells the story of a life-changing overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, Coach Harrison must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team.

“The producers wanted to create a stunningly beautiful film,” said Keith Roush, Roush Media founder. “They required expertise during pre-production and we created a workflow for supporting the vision of director Alex Kendrick throughout the production and post process.”

According to Supervising Colorist Roush, the studio’s services don’t just start once the edit is complete, but rather from the moment the camera rolls. Roush and DP Bob Scott sat down together at the facility in Burbank, Ca. before a single frame was shot.

“Keith Roush is a color genius,” said Scott. “I could not be happier with the final look of the film on the DI for ‘Overcomer’. Keith is a master technician and true artist who sees every detail. He even flew to Georgia to help create the look for our on-set color which was invaluable during the shoot.”

“After reviewing imagery of other films that Alex liked, we determined what he was looking for and how to achieve that,” said Roush.

A color suite was set up near set in Columbus, Georgia and Roush flew out from California to meet with Scott and Kendrick to finalize the look of the film just before production was to start shooting, A camera test with actors on location were graded with Kendrick and Scott supervising.

In these “look” development sessions Roush, with Kendrick and Scott, carefully crafted the look that could work in HDR or SDR, with advanced color management that was monitored on set right out of the camera.

Editor Steve Hullfish, working near-set sent over cuts of scenes that he thought, for color reasons, might require reshoots. Roush would then grade those scenes and send them back for review and approval, letting him know that reshoots were not required and any inconsistencies were easily fixable

Roush managed the color pipelines for the VFX plates so that they would come back in and look as Kendrick and his DP intended.

According to Roush, “An important part of the DI process is managing the color pipeline through the VFX process. Only the DI company truly has the expertise and knows the ramifications for any modifications to the color of the VFX plates.”

The Roush Media Conform Artist pulls the effects plates and provides these with the necessary lookup tables to the VFX vendors.

“The advantages are clear: With consistent color results and the ability to simultaneously keep grading, even though final VFX shots are not delivered, they will pop in and match the underlined material. This process is highly efficient.

“When you have clients that live on the other side of the country who are very busy, you may only have access to them for a few days for the entire color process. That is why we felt it was necessary to utilize our new ‘live color’ remote color grading system.”

A monitor recommended and calibrated by Roush Media was placed in the director’s home and one to two-hour sessions were schedule with him to allow for feedback on the grades in progress before he came to the Roush Media theater for final review.

“Alex really enjoyed being able to see his colored images and collaborate with our team in real time on the other side of the country.”

From these session notes the grade was continually refined over and over again with the Roush Media team perfecting the image to exactly what the director was looking for, so that when he came in for his final review in the theater it was a very smooth review process and only a few tweaks were necessary.

“It was an absolute joy to be able to collaborate with such a wonderful creative team. There was nothing more we felt could have been done for the image of ‘Overcome.’ It was exactly as planned and the audience will truly be able to experience its beauty,” concluded Roush.

About Roush Media
ROUSH Media is a high- quality award- winning boutique post-production company providing finishing services for Film & TV. Specializing in Dailies, Digital Intermediate Color grading, and Digital Cinema Mastering, its staff goes above and beyond client expectations to provide the best quality and creative work.

Every project is different and manages data and color workflows from acquisitions to delivery. To distinguish the company, it is decidedly not a corporate owned bottom-line focused facility. The studio boasts artists and engineers driven to employ the best art and science to provide a project impressive color– done right.

Keith Roush C.S.I.

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CEO – Senior Colorist

Keith Roush is a highly acclaimed and accomplished Senior DI Colorist, honored with a HPA nomination and multiple prestigious awards. With an impressive career spanning decades, Keith has made significant contributions to the world of film and television. As the visionary Founder and CEO of ROUSH Media, he has continuously pushed the limits of creative and technological possibilities in DI post-production.
Over the course of 20 years, Keith has led the industry with his unparalleled expertise in color grading, image science, computer technology, and workflow optimization. His innovative approach has revolutionized workflows, resulting in more efficient processes and superior quality outcomes. By constantly striving to enhance the viewer’s experience, Keith is currently engaged in a range of captivating projects for renowned theatrical releases and top-tier streaming services.
Through his extraordinary artistry, Keith Roush captivates audiences with his exceptional talent and unwavering dedication to his craft. His contributions to the world of filmmaking have left an indelible mark, cementing his position as a true pioneer in the field of DI post-production.

Post Production Packages: In Town Quality, Out of Town Pricing.

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ROUSH MEDIA 4k Barco Color Theater. MONKEYLAND Audio Dolby Atmos™ stage

We know you want to create the best quality film you can with the budget you have, and we all know there are “incentives” and “rebates” out there. The question to ask is… Why do your post production finishing out of town when you can receive the high quality you are looking for, and expect, with “incentive” pricing right here at home?

Monkeyland Audio and Roush Media strategic partnership offer complete picture and sound packages to the entertainment industry. Based in Burbank, California, these service-oriented companies are experts in their field and collaborate successfully on projects daily. Our staff have been trained to provide complete sound and picture services, including all forms of deliverables to studio and independent clients alike.

Michael Sajbel, Director, “Wraith” – “Working at Roush Media and Monkeyland Audio was a dream come true. We not only got a top notch professional look and mix for our film, but made friends as well. Keith & Schy at Roush and Trip & Michael at Monkeyland definitely went the extra mile for us. And I cannot say enough about all the technicians in the “back room.” All great. We couldn’t have been in better hands. If you are at all serious about how your film looks and sounds, make Roush and Monkeyland your destination for visual effects, color grading, audio mixing and deliverables.”

Monkeyland Audio is a multi-award winning facility, providing complete audio post-production services including Re-Recording Mixing, ADR and Foley Recording, as well as full in-house Sound Editorial, Design and Supervision. For over 20 years, the Monkeyland creative team has taken extreme pride in their collaborative approach with clients, striving to design rich, unique and detailed soundscapes for each and every project. “We are very excited to be partnering with Keith and his team at Roush,” said Monkeyland founder Trip Brock.“ It’s great to be working together with such a like-minded, artist-owned company, who are passionate about their work and will always put the client and the product first.”

Roush Media provides Conform, VFX, Color Management, Digital Intermediate and Deliverables services. Specializing in DI Color grading at 4K+ for Digital Cinema file-based projects, Roush Media’s talented staff goes above and beyond their client’s expectations to provide them with efficient quality workflows and creative work. “Partnering with Monkeyland just makes sense,” said Keith Roush. “This partnership allows our collective clients to leverage the best talent and technology of each company while streamlining the service and billing.”

Monkeyland Audio and Roush Media care about creating beautiful sound and stunning images by partnering with their clients to create the most efficient and cost effective workflow possible. They offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, ensuring their picture and sound package is delivered to perfection with an approved full QC.

Contact us for a Quote or Tour

818-559-8648 or PACKAGES@ROUSH-MEDIA.COM