Celtx Review to Come

2009-10-22T10:51:00.001-07:00

www.celtx.com

2009-05-08T15:02:00.000-07:00

Gamma and Density's 3cP (Cinematographer's Color Correction Program)
www.gammadensity.com

When it comes to RED, we all know that finding a common way to talk about exposure can be quite challanging, especially when talking to cinematographers used to working with film. Even more challanging is trying to wade through the plethora of applications surrounding the Red SDK that work with arbitrarily created non-standard "look" files called RSX. Even RED RAW itself has been the issue of much confusion. What about the ".look" , ".lut" , or ASC "CDL" files that today's digital cinematgrapher has grown acustomed to working with as a standardize way of communicating visual information? - Out the window.

Enter Gamma and Density's 3cP. This nice little tool allows the cinematographer to effectively communicate a visual style without compromising standards that he has grown to know and trust. It's an on set tool for the cinematographer, putting the tools of a colorist in the hands of his trusted DIT only a walk away, rather than phone call.

The interface is very well thought out giving you many options for how to view and work with footage. It also offers support for many other formats, not just RED!

Project Setup

3cP's Layout

The top half of the screen offers you view options for the selected clip. You have the option to look at the original on one side and the grade on the other, Split screen on one box or split it with a reference video in (by way of 3cP's support of the AJA Kona 3 Card).

Top Portion

The bottom half consists of your control panels and monitoring tools.

Bottom Portion

3cP offers the operator a multitude of tools for creating a look; Printing lights, Video RGB sliders, Curves, basic masks and even Kodak and Fuji Film Stock Profiles.

Curves

As well as plenty of monitoring tools such as Waveforms, RGB waveforms, YRGB waveforms, Overlay Waveforms, Vectorscopes, Histograms, and Tonal Curves.

Combo

RGB Waveform

The program also gives you the ability to batch render out dailies, either for DVD or rushes for editorial in many different formats, including Apple ProRes and Avid DNX.

Generation Menu

The most intreging feature is the ability for the DP to communicate with his colorist with standardized look formats such as ASC CDL, Lustre 3D LUTs, Scratch 3D LUTs, Technicolor Digital Printer Lights, and many others. The DIT can even generate a look and communicate with a CINETAL monitor within the application, calling up different looks to be applied in real time over the video village SDI feed.

LUT Menu

Last and most importantly, is the ability to generate a full report to send to the lab, displaying an A/B of the image as well as the scopes and waveforms and written R3D Metadata (in the case of a RED show). Automation tasks are also available that can auto-email reports to the lab at the increment of your choosing.

Report

The downside? The pricetag. the 3cP software comes in at a whopping $3000.00 USD. But from where this guy is sitting, if it delivers on every promise it makes- this one may be the wave of the future.

Tim Fassnacht
Workflow Specialist
Sim Video Los Angeles

Footage provided by DJV Films

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Celtx Review to Come