aka: colorist, grader, post digital imaging technician
The colorist designs the film’s visual style by adjusting the mood and look with color grading software. This is a highly creative job that requires teamwork skills and a keen eye for detail.
But what exactly does a day in the life of a film colorist look like and how do you become one? Below, we detail the colorist’s responsibilities, essential skills, typical career path, salary expectations, and more.
What Is a Film Colorist?
The colorist designs and improves the film’s color palette. They’re also referred to as the grader or post-digital imaging technician (DIT).
In filmmaking, color theory dictates how the audience interacts with the film. By changing the film’s color, you can evoke emotions in the audience. In addition, color adds to the story by representing characters. For example, the hero might wear white while the villain dresses in black.
In post-production, once the editor has locked the film, they hand the edit to the colorist. The colorist then uses color grading software to change the colors and look of the film. On some sets, the colorist also works on visual effect shots.
Then, the colorist works with the director and director of photography (DOP) who guide their vision. They make several drafts of the edit before locking the final image. These drafts typically involve two processes.
Color correction is the technical process of fixing the color. The colorist adjusts things like exposure, contrast, and white balance. The goal is to maintain continuity between different cameras and light sources.
Color grading is where they change the hue, saturation, shadows, highlights, midtones, gamma, and luminescence of the footage. They can even change the color of a scene or prop entirely by using grading and effects to get the desired look.
The amount of time a colorist works on a project will vary, with VFX films taking longer. However, as a general guide, you can expect to work on a project for at least two months.
What Does a Film Colorist Do?
Pre-production | N/A |
Production | N/A |
Post-production | – Color correction – Color grading – Work on VFX – Collaborate with director and DOP – Provide locked version of film to sound designer |
How to Become a Film Colorist
Essential film colorist skills:
- Knowledge of post-production
- Color theory
- Color grading
- Color correction
- Film editing software
- Attention to detail
- Team player
The film colorist position doesn’t require any formal education. However, it would be beneficial to attend film school or to complete some courses to learn about filmmaking.
Online or in-person education are a good option for acquiring the technical skills associated with the job. For instance, there are tons of courses that teach the concept of color theory and how different colors elicit emotions. There are also courses that will teach you how to use color grading software, including programs like DaVinci Resolve and Lightworks.
It might also be a good idea to familiarize yourself with film editing and VFX in general. One way to do this is to download free video editing software and play with footage to learn basic editing skills.
Film colorists need other skills besides the technical ones that allow them to do color grading and correction.
For instance, they need to be able to work as part of a team. They work alongside many people during the post-production process and so must understand everyone’s position. Working in entry-level positions like post-runner or assistant editor would be a good way to hone these skills.
For many people, becoming a film colorist is the end goal. However, you can move into other roles, such as post-production supervisor or editor. In addition, you can also explore related career paths in VFX.
Finding Colorist Jobs
Film colorists can either work as freelancers or as employees for a company. Before you can find work, though, you’ll need to create a color demo reel to showcase your skills.
The reel is a mix of different scenes showcasing color styles and skills. You can send this reel directly to post-houses and editors or use it as a promotion for finding work online.
While you build your resume, demo reel, and contact list, it’s common to apply to and work in other roles first. For instance, you’ll find entry-level jobs like post-runner and assistant editor on film industry job boards. Those jobs are a good place to start.
Other ways to find work are to look on the career pages of post-houses, join Facebook groups, and assist with low-budget films, short films, or online videos.
Many directors and editors hire and work with the same people on multiple projects. So, networking early on in your film industry career will also be useful in finding work.
How Much Money Do Colorists Make?
Minimum pay rate for film colorists: $43.86/hour
Your type of employment is the first factor that will determine how much you get paid. For instance, if you work for a studio, you’ll receive an annual salary. Freelancers, on the other hand, will receive a daily rate. Freelancers also have to negotiate with the producer for extras like overtime pay.
Another factor that affects your earnings is whether or not you’re in a film union. In America, being part of a union is integral to getting paid fairly. They can either help you negotiate a rate or you can set your own based on their recommendations.