[MacDV] Re: iMovie/FCE Colour Correction

[Colin McDonald]

On Sunday, Jan 11, 2004, at 17:49 Europe/London, Erica Sadun wrote:

>> I have been given some DV footage to work with which has a consistent 
>> colour problem. The inexperienced camera operator has accidentally 
>> hit the 'back light' button while setting up the camera and failed to 
>> notice.  As a result, the footage (tripod mounted, camera static, 
>> subject fairly immobile) is rather washed out and the background 
>> (light coloured wall) is totally white.  In fact, it all looks as if 
>> it has been shot in heaven.
>
> The DV standard only provides so much resolution and color information.
> I suspect you're not going to be happy with the results, no matter
> what software you use. As a rule, it's generally easier to restore
> underlit scenes than to retrieve a good picture from washed out
> overlit ones--there's less information in the pixels to work with.
>
> Any chance you can reshoot?

I was afraid that you might say that!

The footage is of music examinations - we can't do this batch again, 
although I dare say some of the students would be quite happy if we 
did. :-)

Heavenly lighting it is then.  I'll put this down to experience, like 
the time some idiot (me) recorded on to the Memory Stick of another 
Sony camera instead of the tape, resulting in a tiny web movie with 
ghastly sound.

Thanks for the prompt reply!

Colin