Color Grading

Color grading is the creative process of adjusting and enhancing the colors in video footage to establish mood, style, and visual consistency. It goes beyond basic color correction (fixing technical issues like white balance) to artistic manipulation of colors, contrast, and tones that support storytelling. Color grading can make footage feel warm and nostalgic, cold and clinical, or apply distinctive looks like the teal-and-orange blockbuster aesthetic.

In DaVinci Resolve, a colorist works through a commercial project. First, they normalize all shots using color correction tools, matching exposure and white balance so everything looks consistent. Then they apply the creative grade: lifting shadows to add teal, pushing highlights toward orange for skin tones, adding a subtle film grain overlay, and creating a soft vignette to draw focus. They use Power Windows to isolate and enhance the product without affecting the rest of the frame.