Ever noticed how some videos seem to have everything in place, but they still don’t look captivating like the movies? The wow factor they’re missing is color grading. With a few carefully done adjustments, color grading adds that much-needed pop to any video. However, it is also a fairly intensive task that demands both creativity and time. This is where AI-assisted color grading comes in.
AI has created quite a buzz in nearly every industry, but especially those that deal with content. It promises to revolutionize several aspects of video post-production, and color grading is one of them. But, questions have also been raised about the limits of AI and whether it can truly replicate human creativity.
So, is AI-assisted color grading worth incorporating into your video editing workflow? Let’s find out!
The Hype Around AI In Color Grading
AI has made its way into post-production with the promise of automating laborious or repetitive tasks. AI-powered tools are being adopted for editing, VFX, and even sound design. But the AI hype train doesn’t end there. Color grading is up next.
How is AI-assisted color grading different from traditional color grading?
Traditional color grading involves careful, manual adjustment of color, contrast, lighting, etc., to achieve a look that fits the creative vision. These tasks are performed by experienced professionals who have a deep understanding of the tools used, as well as the final output they’re aiming for.
In contrast, AI-assisted color grading tools automate most of the adjustments described above to significantly minimize the time and effort required.
What Exactly is AI-Assisted Color Grading?
AI-based color grading tools are trained on already graded footage using Machine Learning algorithms and are then used to color grade new footage. Based on their prior learning, AI color grading tools can auto-adjust parameters like brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue to enhance the look of the video.
How Does AI Color Grading Work Under the Hood?
AI tools are trained using vast datasets – in this case – large quantities of visual footage that have already been graded by a professional. By using machine learning techniques, these tools identify parameters and patterns that give these visuals their ‘look’ and are now ready to apply their learning to new videos that need to be color-graded.
Apart from making automatic adjustments to various color properties, AI-assisted color grading tools such as ColorLab AI and Davinci Resolve (via its Neural Engine) are also capable of identifying specific elements within the footage, which allows for targeted color adjustments.
How Effective is AI at Color Grading, Really?
Here’s the truth. Where AI truly shines is – speed. AI automates the repetitive and tedious aspects of color grading, such as color correction and shot matching. This frees up more time for video editors, which they can use for creative tasks such as storytelling and pacing.
But that isn’t all. Have you used multiple cameras? Have your lighting conditions changed between different shots? Fear not, as AI tools also help ensure color consistency so that your footage retains its color grading across different scenes and under different lighting setups.
The Benefits of AI-Assisted Color Grading
We’ve seen how AI color grading tools work and the kind of work they’re good at. But you may wonder, does it really add value to my post-production workflow? Here’s what AI-assisted color grading brings to the table:
- Faster Execution of High-Volume Projects: AI can wrap up manual tasks in a matter of minutes, helping you meet aggressive deadlines. This is particularly true of projects with loads of content to deal with – YouTube videos, large-scale commercial projects, regular content creation for social media, etc.
- Real-Time Feedback: AI color grading tools enable you to see instant previews of multiple color grading styles of your footage. You can leverage this to evaluate all the creative choices you have in mind before choosing what works best.
- Improved Shot Matching and Exposure Correction: AI helps maintain the same look across your footage, matching shots in the same sequence and fixing any lighting inconsistencies.
Where AI Falls Short in Color Grading – Know These Pitfalls
While AI has clear-cut strengths over the traditional methods of color grading, there remain areas of weaknesses, such as:
- AI Lacks Creativity and Intuition: AI is fantastic at the technical aspects of color grading. But where it still falls short is the creative vision of a colorist. AI color-graded footage may be visually stunning and consistent, but it may not express the emotions of a scene well.
- It Can Produce Generic and Derivative Looks: Since AI-based tools are trained on already existing datasets, they are prone to run-of-the-mill color grading. Therefore, projects that are expected to create unique and fresh looks will still need to rely on manual color grading.
- AI May Not Capture Moods Well: For high-end projects such as cinema and music videos, it is a must for the video to evoke a specific mood with the use of colors. This is a skill at which AI cannot match an experienced colorist.
Can AI Really Replace a Human Colorist?
Amidst the excitement around AI, there also exists fears of its impact on jobs. Will AI completely replace humans when it comes to video editing? Well, at least in the domain of color grading – no, it won’t! AI will continue to evolve and get better at its job, follow instructions with greater accuracy, and execute at higher speeds. But it CANNOT replace human instinct.
So, what does the future of AI in color grading look like? Well, experienced professionals such as John Daro think it will empower colorists to rapidly wrap up the nitty-gritty of color correction and get to the more stimulating, artistic aspects of color grading. Expect the color grading norm to be a blend of AI-driven automation and human creativity.
Do You Need AI-Assisted Color Grading?
When to go for AI: Are you looking for content in high volume – say, to post on social media? Do you need to churn out corporate videos regularly? Are you a video editor who is dealing with large, monotonous workloads and time-critical deliverables? If yes, then give AI-assisted color grading a shot. It will speed up your color-grading basics, such as color corrections, and boost your productivity.
When to leave it to the professionals: On the other hand, if you’re working on a film, a commercial, or creating brand content that requires a bit (or more) of creative spark, you’d be better off with a skilled colorist. On such projects, artistic vision and the know-how to achieve that vision are more valuable than speed and automation.
Conclusion: Is AI Color Grading Worth It?
AI-assisted color grading can automate much of your workflow and match the color grading of a classic look with the click of a button. It offers you speed and efficiency, which are of great value if you work with limited budgets and demanding deadlines.
But, it does not possess the instincts & creativity of a colorist whose expertise will be needed for creative color grading that sets the mood and emotion of the scene.
Moral of the story? Strike the right balance between AI-assisted color grading for time-consuming tasks and a professional touch for creatively demanding projects.
At Kween Media, our team of professional colorists pair their years of creative prowess with the latest AI tools to streamline post-production workflows & deliver high-quality visuals.
Get in touch with us today for professional video editing and color grading services!