Welcome to my course, where I will guide you through reverse engineering a grade from scratch using behind-the-scenes images.

These images are captured with still cameras, while the films were shot on various cinema cameras, each with its own color science. The goal of this course isn’t to perfectly match a single frame. Instead, we will focus on analyzing the scopes and building a simple node tree to achieve a look similar to the original film.

We will explore the popular “orange and teal” techniques, and I will share my perspective on the most effective and visually pleasing ways to create a complementary color scheme. This includes developing a basic node tree that allows us to replicate the looks of different movies using a minimalist approach.

The objective is not just to imitate, but to examine scopes, deepen your understanding of color harmony, and adopt a straightforward, efficient method. This approach will enable you to work quickly and consistently.

Tenet (2020) / Directed by Christopher Nolan / © Warner Bros. Pictures
Skyfall / Photo Credit: © Skyfall2012 Danjaq, LLC, United Artists, Columbia Pictures
Skyfall (2012) / Directed by Sam Mendes / © Sony Pictures Releasing
Silence (2016) / Directed by Martin Scorsese / © Paramount Pictures
A Quiet Place / Photo Credit: Jonny Cournoyer – © 2018 Paramount Pictures
A Quiet Place (2018) / Directed by John Krasinski / © Paramount Pictures

Milk (2008) / Directed by Gus Van Sant / © Focus Features
King Richard (2021) / Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green / © Warner Bros
Jurassic World (2015) / Directed by Colin Trevorrow / © Universal Pictures
Iron Man 2 (2010) / Directed by Jon Favreau / © Sony Pictures Releasing
Children of Men (2006) / Directed by Alfonso Cuarón / © Universal Pictures / Blu-ray

PART 1

COLOR
THEORY

35min

– Vectorscope
– Color Harmony
– Analyzing the scopes
– Orange and Teal Look
– Method 1
– Method 2
– Method 3
– Method 4
– The node tree
– Look Development

PART 2

REVERSE ENGINEERED GRADES

1h 15min

– Tenet
– Jurassic World
– Children of Men
– Iron Men 2
– A Quiet Place
– King Richard
– Milk
– Silence
– Skyfall

PART 3

WORKING
WITH LOG

55min

– Balance
– Balance Skin
– Consistency
– Middle Gray
– Order of operation
– Recap – A
– Recap – B
– Recreating the look of “King Richard”
– Recreating the look of “Silence”

PART 1

In Part 1, I will explore Color Harmony, a foundational element of our course. We will examine various color palettes and how they work together in movie stills, including the popular orange and teal scheme. I will demonstrate four different methods for creating an orange and teal look and delve into why one of these methods stands out as the most effective and flexible. Furthermore, I will share how I design my node tree and provide insights into the look development process.

PART 2

In Part 2, I will focus on “Reverse Engineering the Grade.” Using behind-the-scenes images as the starting point, I will demonstrate the process of creating a grade from scratch. This hands-on demonstration will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the look development process. By applying the methods introduced in Part 1, you will gain practical skills essential for professional grading.

PART 3

In Part 3, I will discuss how to balance an image using various methods, with a particular emphasis on balancing skin tones to ensure they look natural and consistent. I will explore techniques for maintaining consistency throughout your project, ensuring a uniform appearance across different scenes. Additionally, I will explain the importance of setting the correct middle gray to achieve proper exposure and contrast. In the recap video, all these elements—balance, focus on skin tones, middle gray, and consistency—come together, demonstrating how to create a cohesive look by applying the knowledge from Parts 1 and 2. Furthermore, I will guide you through recreating the distinct cinematic styles of “King Richard” and “Silence,” demonstrating how to apply the techniques learned to achieve specific film looks. This section is designed to deepen your understanding of color harmony and look development, enabling you to produce visually striking and consistent results in your professional projects.

ORANGE & TEAL

A key element of the course is creating an orange and teal look. I will explore four different methods for achieving an Orange & Teal Look and share my insights on each. I will explain why one method stands out as the most effective and flexible, delivering the most pleasing results.

Additionally, you will learn how to modify these looks, which can lead to a variety of different looks, which I will explain further throughout the course.

In this course, every reverse-engineered grade is achieved using a fixed node tree of just six nodes, built around the Kodak 2383 LUT included with DaVinci Resolve. All color adjustments are made exclusively with Resolve’s native tools—no plugins or external tools like DCTLs are used. The course emphasizes minimalism by focusing on mastering the basics, understanding scopes, and working with a simplified and efficient node tree.

This minimalist approach ensures your workflow remains consistent, fast, and creative. All nine look replicas in the course are constructed with this six-node structure, showcasing its flexibility and effectiveness. By keeping the node tree clean and straightforward, you can efficiently create a variety of looks and easily develop new styles.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZfM3IyPywk
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/1038444549

• Access to “REVERSE ENGINEERING THE GRADE” video course
• PowerGrades for the 9 movies covered in the course
• Additional course material
• One-time payment
• No subscription
• Free updates
• Lifetime access