Film Grading

Film / Colour grading is the process of altering the colours in a video to make a more conventional aesthetic. Colour correction can change the atmosphere and feel of a film in more ways than one. A 'gritty' feel can be used by making the film look darker and using colder colours. Film grading can also be used to make shot's colours look less washed out by increasing contrast or saturation.

Since the late 90s digital intermediate was used to achieve this process. The first hollywood feature film to use this technology was 'O Brother, Where Art Thou' in 2000 where Rodger Deakins could create a 'dustbowl-depression' aesthetic. The first European feature film to use DI was Chicken Run. Initially it was an expensive process when applying DI to film (around $200,000 for a feature film 10 years ago) but since digital technology used in filming has become more widespread in film, DI is more accessible.

There are some opposition to DI, though. Some people dislike the 'blue tint' that appears in many films, such as the newer Die Hards that look nothing like the first films.

The newer Die Hard Films achieved a 'blue tint' look because of DI. It contrasts with the warmer looking colours  that appear in the first Die Hards. 

Most notably, Christopher Nolan is also against DI, claiming that there is no reason to. He hasn't used it in any of his films. Janus Kiminski, Steven Spielberg's cinematographer didn't use DI on War Horse, claiming that he and Spielberg 'make the movie on set' and that they 'do not create the look of the movie in DI'