Blackmagic Forum

Colorist Pros know that after looking at a picture for more than 40 seconds, the brain starts to subconsciously alter perception and normalize the look.
What about a dedicated shortcut button that displays a sequence of pictures that will "reset" the brain. Could be something synthetic and for a period of time that is scientifically proven to disturb the brain adaption function. So when it switches back to the footage to be graded I will be able to see the unwanted color casts etc.
I'm not sure what that would entail... just an idea for discussion.

I use a "neutral image" to flip to when i want to reset

Is it true that the best is black and white image?

George Deierling wrote:Colorist Pros know that after looking at a picture for more than 40 seconds, the brain starts to subconsciously alter perception and normalize the look.

Noted Resolve trainer and colorist Warren Eagles has a tip that I've used for years: store one frame of 50% gray somewhere on your timeline and pop to that frame every so often if you feel you're tired or you've lost track of what a "completely normal" level would be. I think this is a good tip and it's easy to drop in and then delete once you're done. I don't use it more than a couple of times a day, but it's a useful reference to have.

Marc Wielage wrote:

George Deierling wrote:Colorist Pros know that after looking at a picture for more than 40 seconds, the brain starts to subconsciously alter perception and normalize the look.

Noted Resolve trainer and colorist Warren Eagles has a tip that I've used for years: store one frame of 50% gray somewhere on your timeline and pop to that frame every so often if you feel you're tired or you've lost track of what a "completely normal" level would be. I think this is a good tip and it's easy to drop in and then delete once you're done. I don't use it more than a couple of times a day, but it's a useful reference to have.

you could just have it stored as a gallery still

on another note, what do you think about having a thin strip of colour bars and greyscale 10-step ramp top and bottom of the screen at all times (i.e. one on top the other bottom)? Or would you just get used to that too?

I'm trying to make a case for something more scientific, since visual perception is so complex. It would play a sequence of images and not always the same, that are designed to erase visual perception history and bias. Let's say I watch this for 10 seconds and then its as if I was coming in the next morning with a fresh eye. Here are some points why it would help to have that built into the software:
- educational: many editors new to color grading, as well as clients, are more or less unaware of visual bias and adaption. Having that feature in the software brings it to the forefront.
- standardized: the "visual reset sequence" is that same on different systems and always available.
- client acceptance: Its just as important for clients to reset visual bias. If it becomes common practice by being part of the software, it might become a standard practice to do a visual reset before reviewing.
- different viewing environments. Viewing experience going from a small screen to a projector room, to a phone. A standardized visual reset could help smooth out differences.
- but maybe I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill.

Marc Wielage wrote:

George Deierling wrote:Colorist Pros know that after looking at a picture for more than 40 seconds, the brain starts to subconsciously alter perception and normalize the look.

Noted Resolve trainer and colorist Warren Eagles has a tip that I've used for years: store one frame of 50% gray somewhere on your timeline and pop to that frame every so often if you feel you're tired or you've lost track of what a "completely normal" level would be. I think this is a good tip and it's easy to drop in and then delete once you're done. I don't use it more than a couple of times a day, but it's a useful reference to have.

That is useful.

An anti-HDR reset would be good to, I don't know if it is just me but grading SDR right after grading HDR gives me "What was I thinking" responses after getting back to it later.

Tom Early wrote:thin strip of colour bars

For roughly the same reason that I don't really like having any other colour displays and not happy with the colour UI display at all, (and configure it for 50% grey) simultaneous dynamic contrast is going to poison your colour neutrality no matter what. It is a good idea to do a brain reset as a matter of routine. Other colorists keep a "white" or other relevant reference at hand as a navigation point -- but the trick is to confirm that your "neutral" reference really is what it is supposed to be, and not a false friend taking you somewhere else on the Planckian locus. Not everything is D65.

jPo, CSI

Stare at grey scale video noise for 30 seconds. If you look closely, you might start to see various moving objects. Video EVP.