Frequently asked questions

What I get asked most often by directors, DPs, producers and agency creatives before we start a grade. If your question isn’t here, send a note.

What does a colour grade cost?

Cost depends on format, length, complexity and turnaround. Commercials and music videos are quoted as a flat day rate; long-form (documentary, narrative) is quoted per project. Send a brief and you’ll have a rate within one business day.

How do remote colour grading sessions work?

Same workflow as in-person. Sessions stream in real time through Streamwell. You direct from your room; I drive DaVinci Resolve from mine.

What deliverables do you provide?

Whatever the project needs: ProRes 4444 and 422 HQ masters, H.265 review files, broadcast masters with textless versions, DCP for cinema, and a graded Resolve project file (On request) for archive.

What’s your typical turnaround?

A standard 30-second commercial is one day in the suite plus a day for revisions. Music videos and short docs run 1–3 days. Long-form is quoted per project. Same-day turnaround is possible for tight broadcast windows — message first.

What cameras and codecs do you work with?

ARRI ALEXA (35, Mini LF, classic), RED (V-Raptor, KOMODO, Helium, Monstro), Sony Venice / FX9 / FX6, Canon C500 / C300, Blackmagic URSA and Pocket.

Do I need to attend the session in person?

No. Most sessions run async — directors, DPs, agency creatives and producers leave notes on Frame.io. In-person sessions are available at the Toronto suite if you’d rather be in the room.

What’s the difference between colour correction and colour grading?

Correction is technical: balancing exposure, white balance and matching shots so the footage reads as one piece. Grading is creative: building the look, shaping the story with colour and contrast, finishing the picture. Most projects get both — correction first, then grade.

How do I prepare my project for the grade?

Lock the picture edit. Export an XML, AAF and EDL plus a reference render (H.264 with burned-in timecode is fine) and send the camera originals — RAW, ProRes, or whatever the camera produced. If there’s a director’s LUT or look reference, send that too. I’ll handle the conform.