Chapter 2. Choosing a Color Space
"If you want to be a lighter or compositor, having that eye that is color sensitive is extremely important. That's what we look for. It's all about the color aesthetic."
A firm understanding of color theory, color space, and color calibration is critical for a successful compositor. Knowledge of color theory will help you choose attractive palettes and shades. An understanding of color space will ensure that your work will not be degraded when output to television or film. A firm grasp of calibration will guarantee that your compositing decisions are based on an accurate display. It's not unusual for professional compositors to be handed pieces of footage that come in various bit depths, color spaces, and image formats. Thus it's necessary to convert the various files. The After Effects and Nuke tutorials at the end of this chapter will present you with just such a scenario.
Color Theory Overview
Color is not contained within the materials of objects. Instead, color is the result of particular wavelengths of light reaching the viewer through reflection or transmission. Different materials (wood, stone, metal, and so on) have different atomic compositions and thereby absorb, reflect, ...
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