COLOUR SPECIAL
THE CRAFT OF THE COLOURIST CELEBRATING As the FilmLight Colour Awards return, we speak to this year’s judging panel to find out what makes the initiative so important – and what they’ll be looking for in entries N ow in its fifth year, the FilmLight Colour Awards – presented
SWATCHLIST The FilmLight awards celebrate colourist nominations in six different formats of filmmaking, recognising the very best
“Colour is such a powerful storytelling tool. Recognising it not only honours our profession, but also helps educate people about the importance of what we do.” “It means a lot to be recognised by your peers” adds Greg Fisher, another member of this year’s jury. “It’s such a specific job, even within the industry, that most people don’t really understand what we do. Your peers do.” His perspective raises a common challenge for colourists; their work is critical to the final result, yet too often is invisible. The awards are assessed by practitioners who understand exactly what goes on in the grading suite, and Fisher is clear about what catches his eye: “Sensitivity to the piece; a look born of it. It has to match, or not match, for a reason. I don’t care if you needed one layer or node, or 100, it’s the result that’s
important. We all work within a context (time and budget), so that will also be one of the considerations.” Douglas Dutton, last year’s winner in the emerging talent category, is also drawn to grading that feels truly integrated: “I’ll be looking for work where the grade feels essential; where the colour doesn’t just look good but feels right for the story. I’m interested in entries where the grading elevates the emotion and the project,” he sums up. Meanwhile, for Lavado Verdú, it’s all about emotional resonance. “What I really look for is work that has soul… beyond technical perfection, I’m looking for entries that move me – that use colour as a tool to further the narrative, and not just as a finishing touch.” Manuel Portschy, who picked up multiple nominations last year and took
annually at EnergaCAMERIMAGE – recognise the work of colourists across the filmmaking landscape. With six categories, spanning theatrical features, TV series/episodic, commercials, music videos, spotlight on lower-budget features and emerging talent, the awards aim to elevate a craft that can be overlooked and underappreciated, highlighting the creative and technical value colourists bring to the film industry. For Raúl Lavado Verdú, a previous award winner and member of this year’s judging panel, the awards provide essential recognition: “The work of colourists has been in the background for a long time, and these awards help us show how much we contribute to films, series and commercials,” he explains.
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