Are You There? : Color Spaces And Why They Are Important

Expanding My Understanding of Color Science – Working in ACES

One of the most valuable lessons I took away from this project was a deeper understanding of color management, particularly working in ACEScg. Prior to this film, I had used color spaces in my workflow, but my knowledge remained largely functional rather than deeply technical. While I knew how to implement them, I hadn’t fully grasped the fundamental principles behind them or why certain choices made such a difference in a VFX pipeline.

On this project, I took the opportunity to dive deeper into color science, refining my knowledge through both hands-on experience and collaboration with two highly skilled colorists. This was my first time working extensively in ACEScg, and the flexibility it offered throughout the VFX process was invaluable.

Why ACES Was Essential for the Doorway Shot

One of the biggest advantages of ACES came into play while grading the HDRi elements for the doorway shot. The shot was particularly challenging because it combined multiple high-dynamic-range sources, including:

• Bright fire elements that needed to maintain their intensity without clipping.

• The reflective black oil surface, which needed to retain its deep, glossy appearance while still catching highlights from the fire.

• The starry sky and galaxy backdrop, which introduced rich, saturated colors that had to remain vibrant and luminous.

ACES’s extended color gamut was particularly beneficial here, as it preserved bright highlights and deep shadows with greater fidelity than a standard sRGB or Rec.709 workflow would have allowed. This meant that when working with the fire elements, I could maintain fine details in the brightest flames without them blowing out to pure white. Likewise, the dark void of the scene could remain rich and nuanced, rather than crushing to black. The galaxy background, with its saturated purples and blues, retained its vibrancy without color distortions or unnatural shifts.

Ensuring Everyone Saw the Same Image – A Seamless Workflow

Another major advantage of working in ACES was that it standardized the viewing experience across multiple departments, ensuring that I, the editor, and the colorist were all looking at the same image. One of the most common challenges in post-production is color inconsistencies when moving footage between different software and screens. Without a unified color pipeline, an image can look one way in editing, another in compositing, and something else entirely in final grading.

By using ACES, we were able to establish a single reference color space that remained consistent across:

• Editing in Premiere Pro

• VFX in Nuke

• Final color grading in DaVinci Resolve

This meant that when I was compositing in Nuke, I could be confident that the colors I was seeing would match what the editor and the colorist were seeing. There were no unexpected shifts or surprises when plates were handed off between departments, which significantly streamlined the workflow and reduced unnecessary back-and-forth adjustments.

From RED Camera to ACES – A Smooth Transition

Another key benefit of ACES was how seamlessly it handled footage from the RED cameras used on set. RED footage is captured in RedWideGamutRGB and Log3G10, which, if not handled properly, can introduce inconsistencies when moving between software. However, ACES provided a precise and standardized method for transforming RED’s color space into one that was optimized for VFX and grading.

The process was straightforward:

1. Convert the RED footage into ACES using IDTs (Input Device Transforms)

   • This ensured that all RAW camera data was mapped accurately into a working color space designed for high-dynamic-range compositing.

2. Work in ACEScg for VFX

   • This allowed me to composite, relight, and color match elements with full color fidelity, ensuring that everything integrated seamlessly.

3. Deliver EXRs in ACES for grading

   • The final VFX shots were rendered in ACES EXR format, allowing the colorists to work with high-precision data without losing any color information.

Because ACES was used from start to finish, there was no need for last-minute color corrections or conversions before delivery. Everything remained predictable and reliable, making the final grading process much more efficient.

Takeaways on ACES and Color Science

This project solidified my understanding of why color management is critical in VFX. Working in ACES not only improved my renders and composites but also gave me a greater appreciation for how color workflows impact the entire post-production process.

By ensuring consistency across different programs, preserving the full range of color and detail, and simplifying the hand-off process between departments, ACES made the entire post pipeline smoother and more collaborative.

Ultimately, this deeper knowledge of color science didn’t just make my work technically stronger it also allowed for more creative freedom, enabling me to push the visual storytelling while knowing the final result would stay true to the intended look.