Around here on the Tao, it goes without saying that BlackMagic DaVinci Resolve ‘dot’ updates are usually much bigger than they sound. Today DaVinci Resolve has been incrementally updated from 8.1 to 8.1.1. For most companies, this is the kind of update you might consider skipping.

And at first blush I thought the same about Resolve 8.1.1. Three new features are released but none seem critical. One is significant price drop. The second is something you might have seen coming. The third new feature? It’s a biggie but not ground-breaking.

Or is it? I’m about to argue that for a large part of the post-production industry – from hobbyists to indie filmmakers to those delivering for Broadcast – the third new feature is very VERY significant.

In fact, as a friend Tweeted to me today:

BlackMagic isn’t content with disrupting the Color Grading industry with a $999 ‘Hollywood Quality’ color grading package. They are now intent on disrupting themselves.

But first, the (first) significant price drop…

The $500 ‘Avid Tax’ Is Gone

Starting with DaVinci Resolve 8.1.1, DNxHD is now included with every install of DaVinci Resolve and DaVinci Resolve Lite.

Yesterday – if you wanted Resolve to play DNxHD files or render out to DNxHD – you had to buy a $500 add-on that enabled this feature. If you talked to the BlackMagic team about this ‘Avid tax’, they said they were passing on the cost of the licensing – but only to those people who wanted DNxHD rather than imposing that $500 ‘tax’ on all the other people who didn’t need it.

Here's the Avid DNxHD product listing from B&H Photo's website

No longer. DNxHD is now a part of every install of DaVinci Resolve – paid and free.

Normally a $500 price drop would be huge news amongst those of us who value integration with Avid products but here’s that innocuous little feature that has big-time implications:

Resolve Lite: Two Nodes, and BEYOND

DaVinci Resolve Lite has added by subtracting - the two color correction node limit has been lifted. DaVinci Resolve Lite now supports unlimited nodes.

If you’re not familiar with Resolve, they’ve just lifted a major restriction. Previously, the  two nodes limitation prevented Lite users from adding three powerful ‘specialty’ nodes. One of the things these Specialty Nodes share in common: They require a minimum of 3 nodes in the node tree.

For example, here’s a node tree from one of the new ‘Looks’ that ship with Resolve 8.1.1 (if you’re keeping track, pre-built Looks is the third new feature):

'Technicolor' Power Grade: This 5-Node Grade would have been impossible with DaVinci Resolve Lite 8.1

Do you see that Node labelled ‘Parallel’?

In Resolve Lite 8.1 this specialty node (and two others like it) were off-limits. And the above 5-node color grading tree would have been impossible.

Resolve Lite 8.1.1 now not only makes possible this node tree – it now ships with Resolve and Resolve Lite as a pre-built Look.

This is really big news.

For existing Resolve user let me repeat: Not only is there no restriction on the number of nodes that Lite users can use, all the Specialty Nodes are enabled – resulting in a color-grading software package that is virtually identical to the paid version of the software.

Lite No More

Lest I put too fine a point on it:

For a large number of post-production professional there’s almost no reason to rush out and buy the fully paid version of DaVinci Resolve.

BlackMagic has disrupted itself.

Here’s my case why the free version of DaVinci Resolve should not be called ‘Lite’.

What Are DaVinci Resolve Lite’s Remaining Limitations?

• Render to SD – and HD- Only – Resolve Lite limits the frame size of your renders to 1080p or smaller. You can grade 2K and 4K material. You just can’t have either a project size at or render out to 2K or 4K. Nor is image processing hobbled in any way, so feel free to do a Premium De-Bayer for your RED HD deliverable. But if you want Cinema sized renders – this limitation means you need to buy the full version.

• Single GPU Card – Lite is still limited to using a single GPU card. If you’re going to buy an expansion chassis to run 2 or 3 instances of a graphics card (for more Real-Time functionality) – you need to buy the full version.

• Single Red Rocket Card – Same limitation as above. For RED stereoscopic projects where you’d want two Red Rocket cards – you need to buy the full version.

• No Stereo 3D features – If you need to grade a stereo project – you need to buy the full version

• No Noise Reduction – Resolve Lite won’t enable this CUDA-only feature – even if you have a CUDA card.

• No Multi-Resolve Features – Lite doesn’t support grading from a remote location or sharing a database on a server between multiple Resolves.

Lite? Says Who?

Looking at that list of limitations it strikes me that Resolve Lite isn’t Lite at all.

In fact – there isn’t a single restriction on Resolve Lite that would have kept me from working on a single job over the past two years. Let’s take another look, with commentary:

• SD- and HD- Only- SD jobs have pretty much disappeared for me. It’s 100% HD… even for jobs that shoot at 2K or 4K! Right off the bat that tells you something about me – I don’t do Hollywood features. For the rest of you who are in my boat, HDCamSR at 1080p is about as ‘big’ a frame size we need… even if the client shot RED at 4K – which, as I said, Resolve Lite fully supports as a source.
  Here’s the kicker: If you DO need  2K / 4K deliverables you can grade at 1080p on DaVinci Resolve Lite, take that project to your local post house and have them render out the 4K deliverables – since DaVinci Resolve Lite projects and DaVinci Resolve Paid projects are fully interchangeable.

• Single GPU Card – Multiple GPUs are essential for 2K and larger frame sizes. Especially if you need real-time playout at those frame sizes. But 1080p is well within the processing power of a single GPU. And if you’re working with RED material, grading with Proxies to overcome GPU deficiencies and maintain the frame rate is a well-worn workflow.

• Single RED Rocket Card – See above. Even among RED users, I’d bet only a small percentage are running two Rockets.

• Noise Reduction – At first blush you’d think this would be a necessary feature that you’d be willing to upgrade to the paid version. Except… most HD jobs have a much bigger problem than excessive noise – they need to eliminate macroblocking artifacts from compressed codecs. Noise Reduction doesn’t solve that problem at all (in fact, it often exaggerates macro-blocking). It turns out that those mostly likely to benefit from Resolve’s Noise Reduction are those who are working at 2k frames sizes with multiple GPUs running dual RED Rockets for Stereo workflows!

Do I need to take this any further?

DaVinci Resolve Lite Free

Are you’re starting to feel a tingle running up your leg? Do you see what I’m saying?

There is nothing Lite about DaVinci Resolve Lite 8.1.1.

It has the full color grading power of the paid version and it’s limitations are remarkably targeted and consistent as being important to a very specific subset of post-production professionals.

In fact (get ready for my completely self-serving plug) – if you were to download DaVinci Resolve Lite tonight and then sign up for the Tao of Color MasterClass training… there isn’t a single thing I’m doing in the training with paid version of DaVinci Resolve that you won’t be able to do with the DaVinci Resolve Free! And I’ve already recorded 15 hours of training on the Paid version having no idea this Free version was just around the corner.

One More Thing…

Apple Color’ists: No Excuses

I know a lot of my Apple Color brethren have been holding off on making the move to DaVinci Resolve. Now is the time to explore and Resolve Lite is the perfect vehicle. It’ll cost you nothing. And unless you need to render out beyond 1080p – you can use Resolve Free for paid gigs. No watermarks. No limitations. Just pick up a Decklink card and away you go… (conspiracy theorists: this just might explain why BlackMagic has released such a powerful tool at no cost)

Aspiring Colorists: No Excuses

Here it is. A nearly feature parity version of DaVinci Resolve that’s costs NOTHING to get started for HD projects. What are you waiting for? Start grading!

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Earlier this week I got an email with the subject line: “The Personal Business of Being A Colorist”

I immediately knew this email was about career advice. It’s a email from a 20-year veteran. He expresses the concern of many working professionals in our field of post-production.

My reply is the only about the only career advice I have. And I decided to share the exchange with all of you – in the hopes that someone else can learn from it as well:

Hi Patrick

When I started as an editor after graduating from NYU  in 1991 I was making $100 per hour and in the last few years I have seen that decline to zero.–and no jobs on top of that.

Entry level systems in 1992 were about $45k and because of fcp and cheap macs- and dramatically increasing processing power- entry level went down to ..$6,000. Simple economics.

Davinci systems were what, $200,000 eight  years ago and are now $10,000 for a basic set up and this brings up a serious question of hireability and hourly rate. I only see one maybe two colorist positions posted on Mandy.com-

Where do you think the jobs are?

I love being an artist and would learn and grow for that pleasure – however there is a larger world that’s pressing.  I need  to earn.

Thoughts?

The Color Correction MasterClass Has Re-Opened!

It’s here!

I’ve re-opened the MasterClass training with new pricing, new packages, and new training! In addition to what I call the “Final Cut Studio Ecosystem” training (Colorista II / Apple Color / Final Cut Pro) – I’ve launched Resolve 8 training.

A New Approach

Over the past few weeks I’ve interviewed Members of the MasterClass, probing for areas where I could improve on future training. One of more common comments was that since all the content is made immediately available – it was a bit overwhelming. Almost intimidating.

In designing the Resolve 8 MasterClass I knew I’d have much more training than I had for Apple Color – simply because I’d have to spend way more time explaining the interface and digging deep into the ‘Resolve Way’ of doing things. The intimidation factor could be even worse.

This time around, the training will be released in Weeks. Every 5 days, counting down from the first day you Register, a new Week becomes available to you. And hopefully, you’ll find the concepts build upon each other.

Behind the Pay Wall

To help you get a sense of what I’m doing with the training, a behind-the-scenes of what the website looks like, and some of the things you’ll be doing in Week 1… here’s the 17-minute Resolve 8 MasterClass Orientation Video. Check it out! If you dig what you see – visit the full-blown MasterClass Sales Page where I explain who this training is for and what you’ll get with it (as well as pricing).

Enjoy!

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Resolve 8.0.1 just introduced this new mouse-driven 3-Way interface

If the lack of a 3-Way Color Correction interface has been holding you back from adopting DaVinci Resolve for Mac – BlackMagic has listened and given you what you’ve been asking for. Behold the new 3-Way Color Tab – released on July 22, 2011 for both Resolve and the free Resolve Lite (see my accompanying blog post about Resolve Lite).

This tab was designed specifically to free Resolve from needing a hardware colorist control surface (which cost between $1500US to $30,000US – depending on the model and manufacturer). It also frees BlackMagic from herding the hundreds of support calls they otherwise would have gotten if they released DaVinci Lite without this interface.

Frankly, I never recommended Resolve for mouse-based colorists – the enhancements offered by Resolve wouldn’t make up for being limited to RGB-only tweaks. And while the Curves interface could certainly fill the gap missing from the 3-Way Color Corrector – it’s a bit too ‘twitchy’ and not as refined as on the Avid Symphony to make curves your primary color balance control.

The Curves Interface in Resolve 8

Refined Controls for 3-Way Color Correction

Also added with this new interface are a bunch of modifier keys to make mouse-based grading more productive.

[UPDATE: Pages 247-248 of the Resolve User Guide that gets downloaded with the software explains all the modifier controls. As well as what the various controls actually do.]

New 3-way Primary tab

• Hold the Shift key and move the balance to the cursor position immediately

• Hold the Alt/Option key and drag horizontally to adjust the luminance while in the color wheel area

• Hold the Cmd key and drag horizontally to adjust the master control

• Double click on the color wheel area to reset the RGB balance

• Use the wheel to control the master levels

• Hold the option key and move the wheel to control the lum levels

• You can also use the mouse scroll wheel (or two finger gestures on the trackpad) to control the master control wheel

Updated sliders for better mouse operation

• Adjust using the middle mouse scroll for precision control

• Click and type a number to set a specific value

• Double click on the label to reset to default value

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FTC Disclosure
Tao of Color is part of the DaVinci Resolve Beta team but purchased Resolve at full retail price and has not received compensation, goods, or services from any 3rd Party mentioned in this post. We hope, one day, this might change. Affiliate links are used throughout this website, sometimes resulting in a commission on sales (which helps support TaoOfColor.com) but without raising the price you pay by one cent.

Resolve's Node-Based Interface

BlackMagic has posted a Public Beta of DaVinci Resolve Lite: a free version of BlackMagic’s $999 DaVinci Resolvw for Mac. Here are the details from the Read Me:

DaVinci Resolve Lite includes all the same high quality processing of the full DaVinci Resolve. However it limits projects to HD resolutions or less, only two color correction nodes, a single processing GPU and a single RED rocket card. Stereoscopic 3D features, noise reduction, Power Mastering, remote grading, and sharing projects using an external database server are features only offered in the full DaVinci Resolve and so are not included in this free DaVinci Resolve Lite edition. Customers who want to eliminate these restrictions can purchase the full DaVinci Resolve Software for only US$995.

The removed features seem pretty reasonable. The 2-node restriction doesn’t allow for the more complicated Parallel, Key, and Mix nodes – which are ‘power user’ features. Yet it still supports a GPU + Red Rocket card.

BlackMagic has struck a nice balance between giving away a very powerful color grading solution but holding back enough key features that owners of the paid versions won’t complain too much.

The download can be found here. Select MacOS > DaVinci Resolve > DaVinci Resolve Lite then fill in your details to download this free app.

3-Way Color Subtab

Resolve 8.0.1 just introduced this new mouse-driven 3-Way interface

This Lite version is pretty big news but don’t lose sight of a brand new interface that makes this Lite version much more accessible to the people most likely to use it… mouse-only desktop colorists. That’s right, this new version of both Resolve for Mac and Resolve Lite now include a new 3-Way Color Panel. See my accompanying blog post about the new 3Way interface and the modifiers you can use with it to enhance your experience grading with a mouse on Resolve.

iMac and MacBookPro Support

One of the big features of version 8 is Open-GL support, allowing Resolve to run on non-Nvidia cards (except for the new Noise Reduction feature which is CUDA – only and requires one of the supported NVidia cards). This opens up DaVinci from being a tower-only app to also running on iMacs and MacBookPros. Due to the limited architectures of these machines, DaVinci describes the ideal workflows for these two particular configurations:

MacBook Pro

Ideal for ‘SD Grading and SD / HD Shot Preview’ suited for:

• On-set, pre-grade, previewing and training
• Real-time processing of SD DPX files
• Apply shot by shot ‘look’ grades to HD images (for later grading in a MacPro or Linux workstation)
• Supports internal SATA or SSD storage options (BlackMagic recommends the biggest internal SSD you can afford for the best performance)

iMac

Best for ‘SD or HD 720p Grading’ suited for:

• Pre-grade, Previewing and Training
• Realtime processing of 720p images
• Preview, grade, render HD images
• Internal SATA or SSD storage options (again, they recommend a big internal SSD for performance with FireWire, USB, or Internal SATA only for low resolution images if realtime performance is required)

Resolve & Lite: Supported Configurations

Lite may be free but it’s still powerful and requires a very modern Graphics Processing board in iMacs and MacBook Pros for it to work properly. Version 8 was re-written to support Open-GL – the programming language that Apple has embraced for it’s graphics cards. For MacBook Pros, here’s the relevant  requirements for optimal performance of Resolve and Resolve Lite:

The MacBook Pro contains two GPUs; one for high performance graphics and the other for better battery life. It is essential to enter the Energy Saver preferences, in the System Preferences of Mac OS X, and select the high performance graphics option. Failing to do so will render Resolve unusable. On the mid 2009 model, set the Graphics radio button to “Higher Performance”. On the mid 2010 and early 2011 models, disable the “Automatic graphics switching” checkbox.

At the time of its release (Late July 2011) here are the specific MacBook Pro Specs:

• 17-inch, Mid 2009, 2.8GHz Core 2 Duo

• 17-inch, Mid 2009, 3.06GHz Core 2 Duo

• 17-inch, Mid 2010, 2.53GHz Intel Core i5

• 17-inch, Mid 2010, 2.66GHz Intel Core i7

• 17-inch, Early 2011, 2.2GHz Intel Core i7

• 17-inch, Early 2011, 2.3GHz Intel Core i7

• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6.7

• RAM: 8 GB

Also as of late July 2011, here are the specific iMac Specs:

• 21.5-inch, Mid 2011, 2.5GHz Intel Core i5

• 21.5-inch, Mid 2011, 2.7GHz Intel Core i5

• 21.5-inch, Mid 2011, 2.8GHz Intel Core i7

• 27-inch, Mid 2011, 2.7GHz Intel Core i5

• 27-inch, Mid 2011, 3.1GHz Intel Core i5

• 27-inch, Mid 2011, 3.4GHz Intel Core i7

• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6.7

• RAM: 8 GB

What About Mac OS Lion?

According to an email I received from BlackMagic – Resolve 8.0.1 and Resolve Lite 8.0.1 Public Beta are both Lion-ready. Decklink users should update to the latest drivers, which are also Lion-ready. I myself haven’t had time to test it. I suggest running these configurations on a separate boot drive or partition to make sure everything is working properly before putting it into a production situation.

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FTC Disclosure
Tao of Color is part of the DaVinci Resolve Beta team but purchased Resolve at full retail price and has not received compensation, goods, or services from any 3rd Party mentioned in this post. We hope, one day, this might change. Affiliate links are used throughout this website, sometimes resulting in a commission on sales (which helps support TaoOfColor.com) but without raising the price you pay by one cent.

DaVinci Resolve 8 for Mac was released just a two short weeks ago. And Tao Of Color is deep into development on our MasterClass training! At the end of this post I’ve included the Course Outline for you to check out and comment upon.

If you’re not familiar with my MasterClass training… a reading of the Outline should show how Tao’s training is different than any other training you’ve taken! It’s not quite training… much more like a Mentorship (details to follow as we get closer to launching).

About DaVinci Resolve 8

DaVinci Resolve 8 - The Color Tab (click to enlarge)

Here’s a quick overview of the new features in Resolve 8 (with the Apple Color’ist in mind):

• Multi- video track support… with keying operations and external mattes (yes, we’re talking in-context grading of composited elements)

• Support for Transfer modes

• FCP Legacy round-trip support

• Avid Round-trip support (I’m working on getting Adobe on board)

• More advanced versions of Apple Color’s Hue Curves

• Stabilization

• New color science

• Plus quite a few productivity enhancements for Resolve 7 users

• And I’m not even including the new Stereoscopic features of this full-featured grading tool. Or the additional 2 pages of new features documented in Resolve’s “What’s New” section of the manual.

What about Apple Color?

As if those new features weren’t enough – Apple has helped push many desktop colorists in the direction of Resolve 8 now that Color has been End Of Life’d.

I’m not suggesting you abandon Color. It still has it’s place:

• Color is 100% viable for the next few years (which is why I’ll continue to offer the MasterClass training on Final Cut Studio Legacy).

• Anyone serious about freelancing as a Colorist will want to be conversant on Color – since it’s included with a large chunk of those 2 million copies of Final Cut Studio Legacy installs.

• Color is also a GREAT gateway into Resolve 8. Especially since all the major features of Apple Color are now in Resolve (minus the Advanced Tab). Everything you learn while working in Color can be transported when you begin to learn Resolve 8.

MasterClass Series: DaVinci Resolve 8

Training & Tutorials

Below is a JPEG pulled from my MindMap of the training. The thing to keep in mind about this training:

• I’m not reading aloud from the manual – but I go way deeper into the Interface than I did on Color, FCP or Colorista II, since there isn’t (at the time of this posting) any other training out there that teaches you the buttons. And also because the interface is very intimidating and we need to get you un-intimidated.

• The training is designed as a 6-week course. Why? When talking to students in my Final Cut Studio training – many of them felt overwhelmed since they had total and complete access to everything the moment they joined up – as if an entire 5-course meal was presented to them before they even had their first cocktail.I’m going to reduce the overwhelm factor by breaking this out over 6 weeks. But… for the impatient among you, my weeks are 5 days long… once all the training has been recorded, those 6 weeks get released to you in 30 days.

• I don’t just teach interface. I share: Best practices, client management, interacting with the Director, balancing images, matching shots, finding emotion, giving your clients choices, taking notes during client review sessions, online delivery, and more!In other words: Weeks 4, 5, and 6 have almost nothing to do with interface and everything to do with… color grading!

• Take a look at the Jpeg. Click on it to see it full size. Leave comments below.

• If you’re interested in this training… sign up to be alerted via email as we get closer to Launch day.

Are you concerned I’m missing something? Is there something in particular you’d like to see? Now’s the time to tell me! I’ve started recording this past weekend and will continue for the next few weeks. If I think it fits within the scope of this training, I WILL incorporate your suggestions.

Follow @patInhofer

On the left are individual classes (Orientation, Quick Start, Grade Prep, etc)... moving right are the topics covered in each class. On the far right are the Weeks each class will be released. (Click for Full Size, Leave Comments & Requests Below)

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FTC Disclosure
Tao of Color has not received compensation, goods, or services from anything 3rd Party mentioned in this post. We hope, one day, this might change. Affiliate links are used throughout this website, sometimes resulting in a commission on sales (which helps support TaoOfColor.com) but without raising the price you pay by one cent.

FCP XML v5 is the key to the Resolve 8 kingdom

For the past few days I’ve been hunting down problems when attempting to do a roundtrip between Premiere Pro 5 & 5.5 and Resolve 8.

On the surface, it looks completely do-able.

Premiere has an “Export to FCP XML” command. Resolve 8 is specifically designed for a FCP to Resolve roundtrip. You’d think it works, right?

Think again.

Here’s the problem: Resolve is designed for FCP XML Version 5. Premiere can only import and export FCP XML Version 4 (or earlier).

This Resolve 8 dialog box alerts you to the XML version mis-match

Here’s the work-around: It *is* possible to move between Resolve and Premiere… but only if you own FCP which can translate up and down between FCP XML Versions 4 & 5!

That’s the short of it.

If you really want to dig into specifically what works, what doesn’t, and get a sense of the power when the XML Roundtrip does work – watch this 18 minute video where I bounce between all 3 apps to figure out what exactly is going on and what’s getting broken when.

And if you’re Adobe – I’d love to help you guys fix this problem and open up the world of XML integration between Resolve and CS5 users. I can be reached from here.  ;-)

UPDATE: If you’re a CS5 or CS5.5 user and would like to see Resolve 8 and Adobe integration – here’s the link to Adobe’s feedback page. Enter a feature request for ‘Export to Final Cut Pro XML v.5′ to enable Resolve 8 & Adobe CS5 / CS5.5 integration. Hat Tip: Tom Daigon

Special thanks to all the Tao Colorists who responded to my call for help: with a specific thanks to Clay Asbury and Pepo Klijs for working through the Premiere 5.5 XMLs!

If you liked this post – then sign up for our Weekly Color Grading Newsletter… people LOVE it!

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FTC Disclosure
Tao of Color has not received compensation, goods, or services from anything mentioned in this post. We hope, one day, this might change. Affiliate links are used throughout this website, sometimes resulting in a commission on sales (which helps support TaoOfColor.com) but without raising the price you pay by one cent.

Terence Curren: Founder, Alpha Dogs... from the Way Back Machine!

Terence Curren is the Founder and President of AlphaDogs, a post production facility and design studio located in the heart of Burbank’s Media District, mere blocks from the Walt Disney Company and NBC Studios.

His future in the film and television business was prefigured by an early fascination with cinema; shooting his own films at the tender age of twelve. Terry went on to produce and direct, and then shifted full-time to post production as an editor. He was an early adopter of the Avid Symphony and quickly gained a reputation amongst his peers as an expert on that platform.

Terry’s early focus was on the ‘skilled operator’ as the differentiating factor in post-production, led to the founding of his own post house, as well as the creation of the Editors’ Lounge series and the Digital Service Station media-transfer bureaus, now located across the US and Canada

You can find Terry at:

• His post-production facility: Alpha Dogs
• The Editor’s Lounge – A monthly gathering of broadcast post-production professionals
• The Digital Service Station – A unique ‘one-stop’ post-production resource for editors, directors, and producers.

Part 1 |  Part 2

Tweet, Like, and Leave a comment! (bottom of the page, no registration required)

Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe to the Tao Colorist Sunday Morning Newsletter

Listen Now

Learn Color Correction In An Online Mentorship Program! | Follow @patInhofer

More Interviews

Show Notes

• Post Production: Top 10 Dying Industry – Wall Street Journal
• Hi, My Name is Rich But You Can Call Me Jack – Is Jack winning the race?
• How Good Is Good Enough? – Terence and Philip Podcast
• Steve Hullfish on Amazon.com
• Stefan Soddenfeld IMdB Profile – Who is this colorist that Terry keeps referring to? Read it and be amazed.

This interview is part of an on-going interview series with the movers, shaker, and thinkers involved in the field of professional color grading for moving images. When I have new episodes to release, they are released on Tuesdays. To be notified you may follow me on Twitter (@patInhofer), via our RSS feed, and on iTunes.

Terence Curren: Founder, Alpha Dogs

[NOTE: This conversation was recorded on April 7, prior to Apple announcing FCPx - and the DaVinci Resolve discussion does not refer to Resolve 8 - which eliminates many of the workflow 'show stoppers' that we reference.]

Terence Curren is the Founder and President of AlphaDogs, a post production facility and design studio located in the heart of Burbank’s Media District, mere blocks from the Walt Disney Company and NBC Studios.

His future in the film and television business was prefigured by an early fascination with cinema; shooting his own films at the tender age of twelve. Terry went on to produce and direct, and then shifted full-time to post production as an editor. He was an early adopter of the Avid Symphony and quickly gained a reputation amongst his peers as an expert on that platform.

Terry’s early focus was on the ‘skilled operator’ as the differentiating factor in post-production, led to the founding of his own post house, as well as the creation of the Editors’ Lounge series and the Digital Service Station media-transfer bureaus, now located across the US and Canada

You can find Terry at:

• His post-production facility: Alpha Dogs
• The Editor’s Lounge – A monthly gathering of broadcast post-production professionals
• The Digital Service Station – A unique ‘one-stop’ post-production resource for editors, directors, and producers.

Tweet, Like, or Leave a comment! (bottom of the page, no registration required)

Listen Now 

Listen to Part 2

Subscribe in iTunes | Subscribe to the Tao Colorist Sunday Morning Newsletter

Learn Color Correction In An Online Mentorship Program!

More Interviews

Show Notes

• George Lucas’ Near Death Experience
• Example of a 3/4″ ENG-style camera – not shown here: the nearly equally large shoulder-slung video-tape recorder that attached to this camera via an umbilical cord. Crazy dayz, eh?
• Avid Symphony Product Page
• Demo: Avid’s Fluid Motion – A nice YouTube test showing the results of Fluid Motion at a variety of frame rates.
• An especially prescient discussion of the future of FCPx (recorded April 7, 2011… 1 week before the NAB 2011 reveal).

This interview is part of an on-going interview series with the movers, shaker, and thinkers involved in the field of professional color grading for moving images. When I have new episodes to release, they are released on Tuesdays. To be notified you may follow me on Twitter (@patInhofer), via our RSS feed, and on iTunes.