Overexposed glow on faces/hair - Is there a fix in Post?

Just one last question -Do you mean abandoning trying to repair the blown out/clipping and simply creating a layer node and desaturating? If so, will the overexposed shots still standout from the rest of the more balanced shots, or will it be so extreme that every shot/clip is disguised with this "gritty bleach" look as you call it? Cheers.

Don't take me too literally about the "gritty bleach". It could be a option, from a purely stylistic perspective, especially if you still plan to go B&W. Really though the suggestion came more from a feeling of dismay, after all of the speculation, that the highlights in the samples you posted are indeed clipped. I had rather hoped there was some extra headroom for recovery of the highlight detail.

If I were in your shoes, I would (as has been suggested) take the time to experiment with the different 'salvage' methods that have been put forth, which is a useful learning exercise in itself (I've certainly learned some things from it) and see what works best. Likely you'll have to reach some kind of compromise though. Depends on how the 'treated' scenes look when inter-cut with 'more balanced' shots from the same camera and/or other cameras you used. If they stand out too much, you might have consider applying the same treatment to all, or just living with the over-exposed shots as they are, for the sake of consistency and continuity. If the story line is gripping and the audio quality is good I doub't that the audience will be distracted by some exposure inconsistencies.

No, I don't think applying a 'one-size-fits-all' Bleach Bypass grade or slapping on a third-party LUT purely to disguise inconsistencies is really the best way to go. But that's your call as Artistic Director.

I also tried the other shot. In this case I made a node path for just the luminance of the image and used a stairstep-looking curve to try to fake detail in her hair and try to make it blow out a bit more gracefully. Then I used a separate combiner path per I tried to do some highlight recovery. Lastly I combined the two paths and added the slightest of glows. The skin is still a little weird but nothing that can't be fixed.

In which case:

If they stand out too much, you might have consider applying the same treatment to all

As it's getting more into 'look' than subtle correction.

Just one last question -Do you mean abandoning trying to repair the blown out/clipping and simply creating a layer node and desaturating? If so, will the overexposed shots still standout from the rest of the more balanced shots, or will it be so extreme that every shot/clip is disguised with this "gritty bleach" look as you call it? Cheers.

Don't take me too literally about the "gritty bleach". It could be a option, from a purely stylistic perspective, especially if you still plan to go B&W. Really though the suggestion came more from a feeling of dismay, after all of the speculation, that the highlights in the samples you posted are indeed clipped. I had rather hoped there was some extra headroom for recovery of the highlight detail.

If I were in your shoes, I would (as has been suggested) take the time to experiment with the different 'salvage' methods that have been put forth, which is a useful learning exercise in itself (I've certainly learned some things from it) and see what works best. Likely you'll have to reach some kind of compromise though. Depends on how the 'treated' scenes look when inter-cut with 'more balanced' shots from the same camera and/or other cameras you used. If they stand out too much, you might have consider applying the same treatment to all, or just living with the over-exposed shots as they are, for the sake of consistency and continuity. If the story line is gripping and the audio quality is good I doub't that the audience will be distracted by some exposure inconsistencies.

No, I don't think applying a 'one-size-fits-all' Bleach Bypass grade or slapping on a third-party LUT purely to disguise inconsistencies is really the best way to go. But that's your call as Artistic Director.

I thought so, and though I have long intended to display the "4th wall" elements of the film in B&W, with only the characters' "flashback/story" sequences in colour, I know I have a lot of homework to do in terms of adjusting the clipped footage. Again, thank you for taking the time to help me and I'm relieved that your efforts were a little helpful to yourself, as well as me!

By the way, the reason I made the decision to go B&W was because, though I liked the slightly disoriented, raw feel of the Olympus (which did feel appropriate for an amateurish sleuth/internet vlogger/documentarian), I was disatisfied with the colour representation, which though luckily not clipping on the majority of the footage, had a dull look. But after yourself and Cary pointed out that the color primaries and matrix were Bt.601, it explains a lot. I was under the impression because it was Full HD, that the color properties would be compatible, but obviously not.

I also tried the other shot. In this case I made a node path for just the luminance of the image and used a stairstep-looking curve to try to fake detail in her hair and try to make it blow out a bit more gracefully. Then I used a separate combiner path per I tried to do some highlight recovery. Lastly I combined the two paths and added the slightest of glows. The skin is still a little weird but nothing that can't be fixed.

Thank you Mark. What you have done looks pleasing to my eye, in terms of still achieving a fairly natural balance. And thanks for breaking down your method. I appreciate it.