Will Cox, Founder and Senior Colorist at Final Frame in New York, brings a seasoned perspective to his work on a variety of projects, including recent Oscar winning films The Cove and Inside Job. Final Frame provides a host of post production services to the Independent, Motion Picture and Television content creation industries. Here, he takes a look at the art, science and career of post production and color.
Createasphere:
What prompted you to become a colorist?
Will:
Because I find the moment that the creative elements of film making meet the most advanced technologies to be exciting and intriguing, I like to use technology to execute artistic intent.
Createasphere:
In today’s world of technology, artistry, and demand, what are the skills and talents that a colorist should possess?
Will:
I think that there are a lot of tools that a colorist should possess, but color correction is a lot about temperament. Putting the DP, the director and the producer in a room often for the first time since the shooting can be tricky. You need to be able to listen and then pick out the important ideas that can be addressed in terms of color and process that look quickly.
Createasphere:
What are the big trends influencing your work?
Will:
We work on a lot of documentaries, and the development of new cameras is having a disproportional benefit for docs. Films shot on 35mm have always had a lot of data to work with, and in the past, docs were relegated to bad video and worse post. That is no longer the case. We are seeing films like “To Hell and Back” and “The Cove” with scenes that look like they are right out of big budget narratives. That is pretty exciting.
Createasphere:
Would you counsel a young person to become a colorist?
Will:
I would tell anyone looking into color work to recognize both the benefits and the limitations. Color correction is a nuts and bolts operation where some pretty concrete things need to get finished and the deadlines can be very tough. The upside is that you get to work on a lot of different projects and pretty much every single thing you do makes the movie better.
On September 27, 2012, at the Post Production Master Class in New York, join Will and his esteemed colleagues in A Colorful Conversation.
