Colour Grading for Cinematic Consistency and Visual Identity
I provide professional colour grading that enhances mood, ensures visual consistency and aligns your footage with a clear and intentional look. Whether for commercial content, online video or branded material, the goal is to create a cohesive visual experience that supports your message.
More Than Just Colour Correction
Colour grading defines the emotional tone, visual consistency and perceived quality of your video. It is the stage where footage becomes intentional, structured and aligned with the message you want to communicate — whether for commercial, social media or branded content.
What You Gain
From Colour Grading
Professional colour grading improves consistency, emotional tone and overall visual quality of your footage, ensuring a cohesive final result.
Consistent Visual Identity
Ensure every shot maintains consistent exposure, tone and colour balance, creating a unified and intentional visual flow across your entire project.
Cinematic Colour & Mood
Enhance the emotional tone of your footage through controlled colour decisions that support storytelling and strengthen visual impact.
Professional Delivery Standard
Receive fully graded footage prepared for commercial, online or broadcast use with technically accurate and consistent image quality.
Colour Grading Process
The grading process depends on your editing workflow. If your project is edited natively in DaVinci Resolve, it can be graded directly without additional conform steps. If you are using other editing software such as Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro or Avid, your project must be prepared using one of two conform workflows: Flat QuickTime Workflow or Source Media Workflow.
DaVinci Resolve (Native Workflow)
No conform required. The original timeline is used directly for grading, ensuring maximum accuracy and efficiency.
Flat QuickTime Workflow
A simplified workflow based on a flattened edit exported as a single video file. This method is lighter and faster, but does not preserve individual edits or transitions for reconform.
Creative Media Studio LTD
Colour Prep Instructions – Flat QuickTime Workflow
● Duplicate your locked sequence and give it a descriptive suffix such as “_forColor”.
● Ensure sequence resolution matches your desired final delivery resolution.
● Ensure all clips completely fill the frame and have no pillar boxing or letterboxing.
● Ensure your sequence has no dissolves or other transitions.
● Finalize any repos or zooms, as these will be “baked in” to your graded deliverable.
● Remove graphics and any other elements not requiring colour.
● Remove all filters and LUTs.
● Collapse clips and edit down into as few video tracks as possible – you should generally
only need 1-2. After you’ve completed this process, there should be no clips or clip
handles left in the sequence that are not seen on-screen when viewing the locked cut.
● Join any through edits, unless being used to divide speed changes or reframes.
● Replace any proxies or transcoded clips with original source clips.
● Delete all empty video tracks.
● Delete all audio clips and tracks.
● Export an EDL, XML or AAF of the sequence. Place into a root-level folder on the work drive
● labelled “XML”.
● Export a native resolution ProRes 4444 XQ QuickTime of the sequence and place in a
● root-level folder on the work drive labelled “SOURCE.”
● Please do not share media using Dropbox, as it doesn’t allow for one-click downloads of
large folders. A Google Drive folder can be provided upon request.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Following your session, you will receive a graded ProRes or DNX QuickTime matching the
resolution of the provided source QuickTime.
Please be aware of the following limitations to this workflow:
● Dissolves or other transitions in your timeline cannot be accommodated.
● Clip handles cannot be provided when using this workflow.
● Resolution of the final graded render will be limited to that of the provided flat
QuickTime, regardless of original source resolution.
● Any layered/composited elements will be graded as a single flat element.
● If any of the above conflicts with your edit or final delivery needs, please advise so that
alternate prep instructions can be provided.
Source Media Workflow
A full conform workflow using XML or AAF and original media. This method preserves the full edit structure, including cuts, transitions and timing, allowing complete timeline reconstruction.
Creative Media Studio LTD
Color Prep Instructions – Source Media Workflow
● Duplicate your locked sequence and give it a descriptive suffix such as “_forColor”.
● Remove graphics and any other elements not requiring colour.
● Collapse clips and edit down into as few video tracks as possible – you should generally
only need 1-2. After you’ve completed this process, there should be no clips or clip handles
left in the sequence that are not seen on-screen when viewing the locked cut.
● Join any through edits, unless being used to divide speed changes or reframes.
● Ensure all multi-cam clips are flattened, and any compound clips or nested sequences are
replaced with their source clips.
● Replace any proxies or transcoded clips with original source clips.
● Delete all empty video tracks.
● Delete all audio clips and tracks.
● Copy or manage all source media to a work drive. Place into a root-level folder labelled
“FOOTAGE”.
● Export an XML or AAF of the sequence. Place into a root-level folder on the work drive
labelled “XML”.
● Export a native resolution ProRes LT or DNxHD QuickTime of the sequence and place it in
a root-level folder on the work drive labelled “REF.” Please include burn-in for source
timecode, record timecode, and clip name in this QuickTime.
● Please do not share media using Dropbox, as it doesn’t allow for one-click downloads of
large folders. A Google Drive folder can be provided upon request.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Following your session, you will receive a new XML and graded renders of each source clip. You
will need to import the XML into your NLE to rebuild your edit. 24-frame handles will be
provided for each clip — please advise before delivery if you require larger handles.
Project Brief
The project goals, intended mood and visual direction are discussed before grading begins. Reference images can be provided if there is a specific look you would like to achieve.
Media Preparation
Footage and project files are prepared according to the editing workflow to ensure everything is ready for accurate colour grading.
Look Development
Initial grading looks are developed based on the footage and creative direction, establishing the visual style before the final grade begins.
Review & Refinement
The selected look is reviewed and refined through one or two revision rounds to ensure the final grade matches the intended creative direction.
Final Delivery
The selected look is reviewed and refined through one or two revision rounds to ensure the final grade matches the intended creative direction.
Work Examples
A selection of grading work showcasing different styles, moods and project types across commercial and narrative content.
Commercial Look
- Clean, polished colour grading for brand content and advertising
- Natural skin tones and balanced exposure
- Optimised for social media and commercial delivery
- High-end, modern visual consistency
Film / Narrative Look
- Cinematic colour grading focused on storytelling
- Controlled contrast and tonal depth
- Mood-driven colour palettes
- Designed for narrative films and cinematic projects
Stylised & Experimental Looks
- Vintage and retro-inspired colour treatments
- VHS, analog and degraded film aesthetics
- Bleach bypass and stylised cinematic looks
- Creative non-standard grading approaches
Experience & Workflow Expertise
- Professional colour grading across commercial and narrative projects
- Experience with DaVinci Resolve native workflows and external conform pipelines
- Structured workflow approach ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery
- Focus on efficient collaboration with editors and production teams
Ready to start your project?
Get in touch to discuss your project, workflow requirements and creative direction. I’ll help you choose the right setup and ensure the grading process runs smoothly from start to finish.