Color Correcting the Dragon Box - 3 Part Spectacular

[ect5150]

yes, I was planning to do the same. My idea was to use a square selector type tool instead of guides and then have it do the calculations on the pixels within the selection.

If you wanted to get really fancy you could have several options for the selector type tool, square, circle, and something like the Polygonal lasso tool. This would allow you to include more pixels into the averaging, since you wouldn't be constrained by the square shape.

If I get consistent results after trying this I will be very happy. If not I will probably look into different methods of removing the color cast.
You are more than welcome to take a crack at making the Photoshop plugin first, because I actually have a lot of projects going on for quite a while. (don't have the time to setup the work environment and familiarize myself with their API)

that sounds like a plan... Work is tying me up for the time being, but lets focus on results first with auto it, then we'll perfect it into the plugin (assuming that isn't too big of a task). If you make any changes to the current code, just start adding comments. It'll make the conversion easier later on.

Maybe we should setup some type of google shared doc for this or something.

[xekon]

latest script: http://www.mediafire.com/?t178xr2jopbe6oy
youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjEjxamglS4

The script now selects the pixel closest to the average values for the group of pixels within the guides.

So far the results look good, I have compared the old script to the new script, comparing the histograms between the two.

It is on average more accurate now than it was before, sometimes I got the same result as the old script, but those were the ones where the old script got lucky is all.

so it is without a doubt an improvement from the previous script.

please let me know if you find any issues.

For anyone new reading about this script, all this script helps with is the removal of the colorcast, I am not sure that I am interested in doing anything more than that. I have noticed that on Funi's bluray level sets (the ones they put out before it got canceled) That the blue levels are higher and skies have more blue in them compared the DragonBox.

The problem is I am a very methodical type of person. I would only be interested in further correcting it past the color cast removal if I could get consistent results from episode to episode, so I am just not sure if I want to go any farther.

Also to adjust the colors beyond removing the initial colorcast you would need to use a reference, so I would need to dig up a list of whatever references exist that are close to what is believed to be the most accurate colors.

If anyone has any feedback/ideas on any of this let me know I may just think up good way to script those further color adjustments to be reliable from episode to episode as well, but for now I will just stick to the basic color cast removal.

I was looking at Adobe Speedgrade CS6 and it looks very impressive, downside is you have to encode to an intermediate format to use it, either AVI or QT. I was thinking I would start experimenting with using it next. I got a couple ideas I would like to try.

[xekon]

Been playing around with speedgrade the last couple days, there seems to be a ton of control for color correction, but so far I feel completely lost when it comes to using this tool. I have been watching a lot of guides.

here is how I got my dvd into it:

Index your dvd with dgindex.

next create a .avs file, trunks.avs:

Code: Select all

LoadPlugin("F:\AviSynth\plugins\DGDecode.dll")
MPEG2Source("F:\trunks\trunks.d2v")

and then convert to qtrle(Animation codec-lossless)

Code: Select all

ffmpeg -i trunks.avs -vcodec qtrle trunks.mov

the qtrle .mov file will have no problem being loaded into speedgrade

Now I just have to find some tutorials showing how to use it for color correcting.

I have found tutorials that show how to modify the colors, but no tutorials that show how to modify the colors when trying to match a reference.

[ect5150]

Been playing around with speedgrade the last couple days...

To be fair, if we start including programs like SpeedGrade into the guide, it becomes cost prohibitive for most uses to do this for themselves. SpeedGrade retails at $999.

At least with the current guide, a user can get the AVISynth script from another user for the color correction is they don't have access to Photoshop. Everything else is free (except the DVDs).

[xekon]

Well I did finish the script so that it picks the pixel that most closely matches the average colors and posted the link. I don't think there is much else to share?

Also SpeedGrade can be installed as a trial, so you could definitely use it some without paying for it, but I totally know what you mean. I am just checking it out because its one more tool that does color correction, and from everything I have read, it is supposed to be amazing and totally blow photoshop/premiere out of the water when it comes to color correction. No opinion from me yet though, as I am just getting started and could not compare the two myself just yet.

So far I have not managed to get a lot done in SpeedGrade, but there is a small bit of a learning curve. I have been watching all of the video tutorials on the web showing how to use the different features.

[ect5150]

Well I did finish the script so that it picks the pixel that most closely matches the average colors and posted the link. I don't think there is much else to share?

Also SpeedGrade can be installed as a trial, so you could definitely use it some without paying for it, but I totally know what you mean. I am just checking it out because its one more tool that does color correction, and from everything I have read, it is supposed to be amazing and totally blow photoshop/premiere out of the water when it comes to color correction. No opinion from me yet though, as I am just getting started and could not compare the two myself just yet.

So far I have not managed to get a lot done in SpeedGrade, but there is a small bit of a learning curve. I have been watching all of the video tutorials on the web showing how to use the different features.

Either way, post some before and after screenshots, just to show off the results.

[xekon]

For anyone curious how to get the string value to use the curves directly in Avisynth WITHOUT using GiCoCu, the way Ashura did when they linked the example DBE06.avs (http://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtop ... 20#p530742)

This is how to get that string value:
http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p ... ost1018607

EDIT:

I have been PMed on how to use my script. I am posting this here as a reference.

first, when the colorpicker pops up, make sure its not sitting on top of your guidelines or you will probably get an error.

Second, if your photoshop is in another language then my script wont work unless you edit the text for the title of the color picker window. (in the source file cc.au3)

third, my script does not make the sky change from the green color to the pretty blue color, it only helps with the colorcast removal, restoring the white balance of places that should be white/gray such as the eyes. It does not help with the overall loss of color like the blue skies.

Making the skies more blue is the step you take AFTER removing the color cast. it is outlined in the third step of Ashuras guide: http://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtop ... 48#p530432

It involves using Virtual Dub Mod and Donald Graft's 'Hue/Saturation/Intensity' filter: http://neuron2.net/hue.html

You MUST use virtualdub to load the "Donald Graft's 'Hue/Saturation/Intensity' filter" and you MUST make the corrections in virtualdub.

once you have done those corrections in virtual dub there is a number of different ways you can apply those corrections to your final product.

once you have the corrections in virtual dub you can do an export to .amp and use GiCoCu http://avisynth.org.ru/docs/english/ext ... gicocu.htm

or you can follow this method: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p ... ost1018607

to do it the way ashura did in DBE06.avs: http://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtop ... 20#p530742

I believe you can even export directly from virtual dub instead of avisynth, but I have never tried this myself.

[superrayman3]

Bump time, I was looking at some of my original color correction vs DBOX comparison pics earlier today, and as I compared the colors of my first attempt to the DBOX I realized that I wasn't completely satisfied with my original color correction job, so I decided to go back and rework my settings some more, and after a few hours of tweaking I think I've managed to do a much better job color correcting this time around the bend, I've included a couple of pics below to show how much of an improvement my newest color correction is, the top image's are from my first color correction attempt back in October 2012, while the bottom pics are my newest color correction attempt from today.

[OracleofSeasons]

Bump time, I was looking at some of my original color correction vs DBOX comparison pics earlier today, and as I compared the colors of my first attempt to the DBOX I realized that I wasn't completely satisfied with my original color correction job, so I decided to go back and rework my settings some more, and after a few hours of tweaking I think I've managed to do a much better job color correcting this time around the bend, I've included a couple of pics below to show how much of an improvement my newest color correction is, the top image's are from my first color correction attempt back in October 2012, while the bottom pics are my newest color correction attempt from today.

I can definitely see the improvement in your second attempt. Roshi's skin tone and clothes make it obvious. Great job.

[superrayman3]

I can definitely see the improvement in your second attempt. Roshi's skin tone and clothes make it obvious. Great job.

Thanks, it took me forever to get the color tones to the right balance but I think it paid off in the end.

[IIMaxII]

You're missing the point. There's supposed to be a higher amount of red than blue in RGB color correcting.

Since you converted from 16-235 (YUV) to 0-255 (RGB) you've introduced more black crush which will ruin the look on a television if you wanted to watch it the way it's intended to be watched.


http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/04 ... r-the-web/
http://nfggames.com/games/ntsc/visual.shtm

[superrayman3]

You're missing the point. There's supposed to be a higher amount of red than blue in RGB color correcting.

Since you converted from 16-235 (YUV) to 0-255 (RGB) you've introduced more black crush which will ruin the look on a television if you wanted to watch it the way it's intended to be watched.


http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010/04 ... r-the-web/
http://nfggames.com/games/ntsc/visual.shtm

One thing I should point out is when I removed the color cast for DB Movie 3 I broke away from Ashura's guide and instead of bringing all RGB values to the same number like Ashura did, instead I took the color info from the trailer to movie 3 and changed the RGB values in the DBOX movie to correspond to the color info the trailer had (blue had a lower value than red) saved the changes and worked from there, so after removing the color cast, no matter what I did to the hue/saturation the blue will always be lower than the red.

[IIMaxII]

That's how it's supposed to be...mvoies, tv shows etc...all colors should be at approximately 6500k for true colors.

[Fennekin]

I'm not an expert on color correction, but these are great!

[ect5150]

You're missing the point. There's supposed to be a higher amount of red than blue in RGB color correcting.

Since you converted from 16-235 (YUV) to 0-255 (RGB) you've introduced more black crush which will ruin the look on a television if you wanted to watch it the way it's intended to be watched.

This is a fair point...

Shouldn't we be doing something like CovertToRGB32(matrix="rec709") for those of us using an AVISynth script?

Also, why is there supposed to be more red than blue in the color correcting?

[ect5150]

On a semi-side note, I've found a great new little plugin for AviSynth that helps with the DragonBoxes a bit - specifically the blocking in the video.

This only applies if you like the "grain" look.

The MPEG encoding in the DragonBoxes (I'm using the R2 releases) has always retained the grain, but not in all areas. Many times in darker areas the video becomes "blocky." This is often occurs in a lot of videos, but if you look at a lot of the I frames and compared them to the P & B frames in the video stream, you'll see grain is supposed to be there, but has been "compressed away" in the encoding. This leaves some blocky areas in the picture (in Goku's & Vegeta's hair, or in Cells shoulders as in my example below).

I've always thought this was a bit distracting as my eyes like consistency. By that I mean if I see grain in one area of the picture, I expect to see it in all areas of the picture. Or if I see a lack of grain in one part of the picture, I would expect to see a lack of grain in the rest of the picture as well.

The plugin I found basically deblocks the picture by identifying the blocky areas and adds grain/noise to those areas. Many deblocking algorithms tend to smooth the image over. This one seems to do the opposite. It's called BlockBuster for those that might be interested.

Here are the results (I've doubled the resolution on these guys to see things easier)--

Original


"Fixed" Blocks


Blocks Identified


I think the results are pretty nice if you fall in the camp that claims "grain is good." I'll also say my monitor tends to have a bit too much brightness and I can see the blocks in the picture a bit too easily. Perception of the images is half the problem here as well - leading me to find a solution.

I know it's odd to add grain to the DBoxes, but what do you guys think?

[IIMaxII]

You're missing the point. There's supposed to be a higher amount of red than blue in RGB color correcting.

Since you converted from 16-235 (YUV) to 0-255 (RGB) you've introduced more black crush which will ruin the look on a television if you wanted to watch it the way it's intended to be watched.

This is a fair point...

Shouldn't we be doing something like CovertToRGB32(matrix="rec709") for those of us using an AVISynth script?

Also, why is there supposed to be more red than blue in the color correcting?

http://lifehacker.com/5858625/how-to-ca ... es-or-less

If you set the TV settings to the default like we suggested, your TV's "color temperature" should be set to its default, or "normal" setting. If not, make sure you do this when you're tweaking the brightness and the contrast—it will make sure that your whites are pure white and don't take on some a blueish tone (if your color temperature is set to "cool") or a reddish hue (if your color temperature is set to "warm"). If you're set to normal and your whites are still too blue, go ahead and switch to the warm color temperature. Ideally, you want your color temperature as close as possible to 6500 Kelvin (6500K), or the reference temperature used by directors and producers when they shoot and edit video. Often this is accomplished by switching to the "warm" setting, but only do so if it looks realistic—don't do it because you feel like you "have to."

It's mostly in the case of white point... you want it properly calibrated for a white point of 6500k...most of the time people who buy their tvs have it set on a cool temperature so they're use to excessive blues.

[IIMaxII]

I see the blocks too, I think you shouldn't alter the picture, but turn down your monitors brightness.

[ect5150]

http://lifehacker.com/5858625/how-to-ca ... es-or-less

If you set the TV settings to the default like we suggested, your TV's "color temperature" should be set to its default, or "normal" setting. If not, make sure you do this when you're tweaking the brightness and the contrast—it will make sure that your whites are pure white and don't take on some a blueish tone (if your color temperature is set to "cool") or a reddish hue (if your color temperature is set to "warm"). If you're set to normal and your whites are still too blue, go ahead and switch to the warm color temperature. Ideally, you want your color temperature as close as possible to 6500 Kelvin (6500K), or the reference temperature used by directors and producers when they shoot and edit video. Often this is accomplished by switching to the "warm" setting, but only do so if it looks realistic—don't do it because you feel like you "have to."

It's mostly in the case of white point... you want it properly calibrated for a white point of 6500k...most of the time people who buy their tvs have it set on a cool temperature so they're use to excessive blues.

You're linking to a TV calibration guide which doesn't really address why you should have more red than other colors.

Encoding the video differently because many people "have it set on a cool temperature so they're use to excessive blues" isn't a good reason to alter the colors further (it's a good reason to adjust the TV settings).

I see the blocks too, I think you shouldn't alter the picture, but turn down your monitors brightness.

I generally agree with you as well, but we're not talking about altering what the director has intended as much as addressing the issue of compression artifacts.

But to be fair, as I mentioned before, the brightness on my monitor is too high. It's not something I can adjust with the settings by the way (as I've used a similar to disc to what your linked guide mentions). It may just bother me more than most because of this particular monitor.

[IIMaxII]

Encoding the video differently because many people "have it set on a cool temperature so they're use to excessive blues" isn't a good reason to alter the colors further (it's a good reason to adjust the TV settings).

Exactly which is why no one should alter their footage if they want it most accurate because it can all be done through a modern tv set.

Noise reduction set to whatever...lowering reds if it's too red...lowering blues if too blue...messing with tint...etc I'll try and find some more info I had a really good article that went into more depth but can't seem to find it.

http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2012 ... orrection/ this is a good guide, but I still can't seem to find the one I'm looking for....