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MARCH 26, 2003 Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #18 What happens when you don’t white balance correctly and it comes time to edit? You use Final Cut Pro’s Color Correction Filter of course. What do you do when there is nothing in your shot that represents true black and white? You panic! Don’t panic too much, here is a freebie just for you… or rather your cinematographer. If you (or your videographer) were a goof and didn’t white balance your camera correctly when you were out in the field, you could end up with footage that looks blue, orange, green or worse. In the old days, you would have tried to run the video through a Proc Amp to try and fix the problem. Today you can do it in Final Cut Pro providing you have a reference for what black and white should be.[an error occurred while processing this directive]Some videographers carry a Chip Chart with them on location. A regular chart has an 11-step progression from absolute black to absolute white, with neutral gray in the center. With these three shades, you have all you need to do basic color correction in Final Cut Pro (or other application). How to use the chart on location When you are out shooting, make sure you record a couple of seconds of the Chip Chart to tape. Make sure that the Chip Chart is being illuminated by the Key light, and that no colored gels or light sources are shining on the Chart. If the Key light does have a gel on it, remove the gel to get the shot and then replace it before shooting your scene. If you shoot the chart with a colored gel in place, you will defeat the point of using a gel in the first place. How to use the chart in Final Cut Pro When you digitize the footage, make sure you also digitize the chip chart you shot on location. To color correct your footage, apply the Color Corrector Three Way filter to the Chip Chart clip. Then use the eyedroppers for the Black, Mid, and White to select the corresponding color on the chart.  This will correct the Chip Chart clip. To correct your footage, you can simply apply the effect to other clips in the Timeline by following the instructions outlined in Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #7. Your Freebie Since you have been so patient, here is your free DMN Chip Chart. This is a simplified chart that only has white, black and neutral gray. I suggest you print this out on heavy paper stock (like a matte photo paper) and make sure you have plenty of ink in your cartridge. If the black doesn’t come out pure black on your print out it will cause you problems later on.
Here is a current list of the Final Cut Pro Quick Tips to date: Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #1: Texture Treatments to Enhance Video Productions Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #2: Using Markers to Quickly Edit a Music Video Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #3: Import Your Music the Right Way Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #4: Nesting Helps Manage Longer Projects Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #5: Keying Explained Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #6: Configuring Your Scratch Disk Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #7: My Favorite Effects Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #8: De-Interlacing Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #9: Color Correction workflow tips Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #10: Locating files in the Timeline Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #11: Backing up at project end Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #12: Exporting to After Effects Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #13: When is title safe, not title safe? Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #14: Storyboard your edits and then edit in an instant Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #15: Join Through Edits Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #16: Exporting to Pinnacle Thunder XL Final Cut Pro Quick Tip #17: Marking Clips When not working deep in the labs of the DMN Central Division testing the latest and greatest software/hardware products Stephen Schleicher can be found at the local university teaching a few courses on video and web production. He can be reached at schleicher@mindspring.com. You can also visit him on the web at www.mindspring.com/~schleicher
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