Color Correction Keyframe help

Hi group, I'm working on a huge project and am exporting about 1-2k clips for client review. We shot on a helicopters, boats etc a lot of high contrast. I'm trying to add a few keyframes where the camera is in direct sun and then pans or goes into shadow.

The newer 10.2.2 threw me off a bit and I see how to add a keyframe to the color masks but I don't understand if there are more adjustments other than softness. Also, I don't quite understand how to manipulate the opacity of my mask. Thank you in advance, David

Keyframing color corrections is never a good idea because color corrections are not linear.

If you have a shot where the camera goes from sun to shadow you can blade the shot, apply two different corrections for the sun part and the shadow part (regular corrections or using masks), and dissolve between them. Much easier, and more natural.

- Ronny

Hi Ronny, have to say you must be the most active on this site. Do you mean blade add two corrections and then transition between the two clips? That could work, but I wish there was a way I could fade out the color adjustment with the keyframe. Seems like it would be easy to add.

Hi Dave,

Keyframing color corrections leads to color stepping, which is not a nice thing to see. Dissolving between corrections is easier than keyframing, and it looks much more natural. You never should keyframe color values, except when you work in a node-based color correction tool. Then you can keyframe between the nodes without making the color values jump. But that's exactly the same as dissolving two corrections on a bladed clip.

- Ronny

Thanks Ronny, looks good like you said, my boss wants me to learn resolve so I'll check out the node based method you mentioned but so far the mask/blade/transition blend is great for the 2k clips I need to get output for a web gallery!!!! :ohmy:


You're the best and most generous thank you...

I used to keyframe color corrections in FCP 7 all the time without issues. I have to STRONGLY disagree that keyframing color grading is a problem.

Hi David
Ripple Training has a free plug-in, "RT Color Balance," @ FX Factory that allows CC key framing. It is also part of the Ripple Tools set.
You might give that a try and see if you like it. Has some addition features.
Hope this helps, Greg

Back in the glory days of FCP we got very regular reports on Kenstone.net about strange color issues with color correction keyframing. So many that I did a short video explaining why these problems occurred and why it was better (and actually faster) to use a dissolve instead of keyframes. I have dug up that old video again and I have put it on YT just to show the nature of this problem:



The RT Color Balance effect (actually a title generator in FCP X) presents the same problem, although less prominent because the color values don't cycle all the way around like they do in classic FCP.

- Ronny

You have to keyframe proper colors in-between. Then outrageously huge color jumps aren't an issue. But I never keyframes outrageously huge color jumps when grading. I never had those issues. Poor excuse to not include keyframes for coloring.