Color Correct TEXT?

Rich Parry wrote on 3/28/2019, 4:08 PM

I color correct (16-235) all my video clips, but what about TEXT. Take the following use case …

You start with a blank project, from the “Media Generators” tab you select “Titles & Text” and put a “SAMPLE TEXT” event on the timeline. This single event is your entire project. You now have a video that has pure white (255,255,255) and pure blank (0,0,0) which is a broadcast illegal video. The video doesn’t adhere to the 16-235 guideline.

Question: Do you color correct the TEXT?

Comments

Kinvermark wrote on 3/28/2019, 6:24 PM

Is this for TV station broadcast? If so, then someone else should comment :)

Otherwise...

If text is black/white then it doesn't matter - will just clip to black / white. If coloured or gradient, etc then you might get a visible shift so you could apply a levels (computer to Studio) if it's critical . In practice I don't bother.

john_dennis wrote on 3/28/2019, 6:35 PM

I always do.

I'll confess that every time I add the Color Curve to make the titles "legal", I muse that 016, 016, 016 will be shifted to 000,000,000 when it's played and 235, 235, 235 will be expanded to 255, 255,255 when it's played. I console myself by thinking that when NBC wants me to supply background video for my soon-to-be Olympic swimmer, I won't have to go back and make any of it "legal" for my submittal to pass their scrutiny.

Rich Parry wrote on 3/28/2019, 6:37 PM

Kinvermark,

Thanks for response. My videos are for my personal use (YouTube and Vimeo). Strictly amateur stuff, but I'd like my work to be the best it can be and meet standards. Maybe I'm getting too picky.

Rich

Rich Parry wrote on 3/28/2019, 6:52 PM

John Dennis,

I see you use Color Curves to make your WHITE TEXT 235, 235,235 and place a SOLID COLOR under the video to make the BLACK 16,16,16. That is pretty much what I do. I just wanted a sanity check that I'm doing the right thing.

Good good to your Olympic hopeful.

Rich

NickHope wrote on 3/28/2019, 10:54 PM

I also keep "legal black" (16, 16, 16) and "legal white" (235, 235, 235) custom presets in my favorite font.

john_dennis wrote on 3/29/2019, 10:53 AM

"I also keep "legal black" (16, 16, 16) and "legal white" (235, 235, 235) custom presets in my favorite font."

A fine idea, since I have ProType Titler starter presets that I use repeatedly.

klt wrote on 3/30/2019, 1:02 PM

I always add levels set to "Computer RGB to studio RGB" to video out effect of the project.

That puts everything to the "legal" levels.

I keep this effect turned off while editing, and turn it on right before rendering. I used to adjust colors to the 0-255 range everywhere within the project.

Then when I go to render, switch the levels effect on.

Be aware that an empty track is transparent, not black, and levels effect transposes a black part to (16,16,16) but where you have nothing in your project, that would render to (0,0,0) illegal level.

For example, you have a clip faded, and nothing below it: this is then transparent instead of black, and would render to (0,0,0) instead of (16,16,16).

That's why I put a solid color black into the lowest track.