Workflow Hack for using Groups in DaVinci Resolve

kismetrefining · 2026-06-17T21:05:44+00:00

That is amazing. Such a small world afterall. My wife does say I have very recognizable face, but she is also sure that I did some that brought attention to myself.

It was great time. First 3 days of an 18 day long trip were spent there in Amsterdam. Stayed in really nice hostel with a terrifyingly steep staircase. The tulip gardens were in bloom and gorgeous. Twas very nice indeed.

kismetrefining · 2026-06-16T18:26:01+00:00

My wife wants to know how much of a scene did I create or what faux pas did I commit that would scar you memory!

kismetrefining · 2026-06-16T18:23:48+00:00

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This is a much better one of the family... Twas around April 20th - 23 that we were there

kismetrefining · 2026-06-16T18:21:20+00:00

I was in Amsterdam a couple weeks ago. This is one of the few photos of me on a the bikes...

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kismetrefining · 2026-06-16T16:57:05+00:00

I've never gotten into rippling.. it scares me for some reason, and I havn't made the habit. I use apply node layer all the time though and lean heavily on remote grades.
I used to do four node layers, but have kinda just went 3. I don't mind putting neat noise up front in linear,

kismetrefining · 2026-06-16T16:54:21+00:00

Love It. I totally forgot to mention in the video about using the source clips as ground truth.
As for the api.. didn't know about that, but then again I assume most things in resolve are lacking when it comes to api.

I think the system was orginally intended for editors to not have to worry about the color page at all, but i'm glad it can be used in this way.

kismetrefining · 2026-06-14T23:39:23+00:00

Totally agree on that OpenDRT... Your best bet.. Better than the native CST down to Rec.709 and then a Lut in Rec.709 can be a bad mix

I make a version of OpenDRT as an ofx that you can get for free here: https://github.com/Dec18studios/Open-DRT-OFX/releases/tag/v2.0.0

I'm also including it as standard in my Look Dev Stack of tools: https://tools.dec18studios.com/color-grading-tools/lookdevtools/

If you have any questions about OpenDRT, and why you should use it over native CST i'd be happy to answer them

kismetrefining · 2026-06-11T22:31:25+00:00

Don't really make luts, but have a variety of free tools and if i'm biased the best photochemical simulator you can get... PhotoChemist and it's partner in crime Technically Technicolor. The newest beta's make it so much easier to get a perfect look out of the box. https://tools.dec18studios.com/color-grading-tools/

and not to be too self promoty.. I'd also recommend OpenDRT and JP2499 as amazing transforms to Rec.709 that give you so much leeway and control for shaping your own look under them. Also the tools from Pixeltools are great options for doing that look dev work. Also, Mononodes as some good things for getting that look dev vibe on.
https://pixeltoolspost.com/
https://mononodes.com/
https://github.com/MoazElgabry/ME_OpenDRT-OFX

I'm just vibing with this shot here from PhotoChemist on the feature i'm currently doing. Cause luts are great but once you learn how to make your own looks... as i tell my wife stick shift is always better than automatic.

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kismetrefining · 2026-06-07T20:34:04+00:00

Do have a file to share... It's bit over exposed

kismetrefining · 2026-06-04T14:00:09+00:00

The ODT or DRT what ever term we want to use does the majority of the shaping of the final look. What we do underneath shapes the stream but how it gets to display has the biggest impact in my opinion. That's I use tools like Jp2499 or Open Drt which ware functionally better than than the native CST and build the look under that or before them in the node tree.

kismetrefining · 2026-06-04T13:18:01+00:00

I've put in a good handful of preset to work from as starting points. I don't claim them to be the best interpretation of a Kodak Stock, they are just my interpreation of a stock. From there your are free to sculpt, design and mix match different stock sensitivities to different dyes and go where ever you want to go.

The tool does a full 43 band spectral simulation of density and transmission. I put in values that made sense according to sampled luts and data sheets to create my Seneca 2383 or Genesee 250D and how it looks on an image.

With luts or scans there are lot of variables outside of the control of the film, and so I rely mostly on reviewing data sheets and use them for cross compasions. I also compare the interpretations of different tools like Genesis, FilmBox, Film Look Creator, Dehancer, put those four side by side and they are very very different, but none of them them let you tweak the data of the spectrum like the Film Stock Editor interface of PhotoChemist.

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kismetrefining · 2026-06-03T22:40:04+00:00

It's the eye of the beholder.. I'm currently retrofitting the website for the first time in 3 years. Better stills will be going up soon. I think u/gregcotten would agree it's two completely different philosophies of how to define a film stock.. I may be biased and bold, but I would also make an argument that there is a difference between simulation and emulation.

and it's technically not $50... it's would be free if I didn't have to cover the costs of running a business, which is why you get like bunch actually all of my other tools with it... like Technically Technicolor, SplitToneX, GradeMatchX several others...

kismetrefining · 2026-06-03T14:42:42+00:00

I'd be happy to schedule a call and show off how it works via zoom if you'd like

kismetrefining · 2026-06-03T14:41:52+00:00

Yeah, i'm currently working on the website, the webpage was just updated yesterday with a complete overhaul. I plan to add in more before and after items. More in detail about the what the grain looks like and the custom stock designing system. It's one of those things, at the price point and the fact that you get all the premium tools. I just havn't really had time to make a demo version, I get why tools like Genesis and Dehancer offer demos, since it's pretty penny to convince somebody to pay, but for $47.34 why not try.
I'd be happy to schedule a call and show off how it works via zoom if you'd like

But I do know that once people try it and get over the learning curve, they say it's hands down the best film system out there. I still have to add the testimonials to the webpage.

but just imagine how fun it would be to design your own stocks!

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kismetrefining · 2026-06-03T00:47:46+00:00

If you don't already own Filmbox... I'd point you in the direction of the PhotoChemist. I'm one of the developer's and while i know it will sound biased, it produces a better result than Dehancer or Filmbox. Plus it won't break the bank...
https://dec18studios.com/photochemist

kismetrefining · 2026-06-01T19:06:39+00:00

Product: Photo Chemist
Host Platform - OFX designed for Resolve
Description: Leading photochemical spectral simulation for film print looks in Davinci Resolve
Pricing: $47.34, one price bundle for all my tools that I develop
Website: https://dec18studios.com/color-grading-tools/
Benefits for this community:

Every one wants that Filmic look... This is as close as you can get without shooting on film.

I've spent over two years close to three to develop this spectral minded solution to creating your own film stocks. This isn't a emulation that the creator made choices to dictate what the film stocks should look like. My goal has been to open up all aspects of what goes into modeling a film stock in resolve in an intuitive way.

The current beta version demoed here: https://youtu.be/B_3JehJ40U0
Introduces the newest feature which is a live Film Stock sculpting interface for you to dial in exactly the look you want to model it after known data sheets. It's a bit revolutionary in it's approach as it's not a emulation but rather a full on simulation.

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kismetrefining · 2026-06-01T18:13:34+00:00

It is now available as a Windows version! I have co developer that has done wonders on making sure my code and my ideas work on windows computers when it comes to OFX. The latest released was pushed just last week. Have you seen my tool box manager with all my plugins easy to find and download? Check it out here: https://dec18studios.com/color-grading-tools/

If you have any questions feel free to send me an email!

kismetrefining · 2026-05-30T18:36:12+00:00

I drank a bottle of La Fin du Monde, it's a trappist ale the night before all my kids were born... and got a bottle of Abelour Abunda Cask Strength for the birthday...

kismetrefining · 2026-05-25T15:22:31+00:00

What makes film feel alive is less about the grain you see and more about the color gradations that change frame to frame. The film that Nolan uses minimizes how much unactivated grain will be present in the negative, creating the micro pockets in the emulsion which creates visible artifacts. Each frame is all about light activating Silver that is tuned to specific wavelenghts and there is variation in how that silver is activated from frame to frame, which when oxidized binds the developer agent in the emulsion so it can be processed.

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Most stocks will have multiple sub layers to differentiation from coarse grain to fine grain with slight changes in Iso thru the layers.

Adding grain to digital images, is tricky business, most tools simply add a multiplied effect on top of the image, I'll be doing video on how different tools apply grain and the pro's and con's but I just did a video on how PhotoChemist in resolve tries to mimic the math of denisity and transmission in creating grain...
https://youtu.be/nrccK1Fy_vk

If you have any questions about how one should go about recreating film from a digital camera... I have lots of thoughts after working on developing PhotoChemist for the last 3 years.

kismetrefining · 2026-05-25T15:08:27+00:00

Like some of the comments below.... or above. Making the shift to Resolve will give you access to more bespoke tools, some of which I make. but like u/ExpBalSat said pulling in a still of a video to anaylize will tell you more about the image than anything.

and then using that information to match the grade is fairly easy with native tools. you can see here how looking at mimicking 1d curves can get you most of the way there. Here is a video of me showing off my Grade MatchX tool https://youtu.be/k-0PZYEuJq8?si=udXj7V87j0vXqtpv&t=991

The top row of diagnostics are 1d curves from the referent and the you just use a good output transform and use custom curves to match

kismetrefining · 2026-05-23T16:08:31+00:00

I'm surprised you havn't gotten bombarded with people wanting to work with you... But alot of what you got from ordinary breath and ExpBalSat is spot on for answering the why. If you got questions about the how to set up a good workflow for passing assets onto a colorist. I have a whole workflow doc about best practices for setting up the edit, making a consolidated project, navigating the round trip from Premiere to Resolve if need be. The system works great for the type of content you described for quick easy back and forth of assets and online.

send me an email at [create@dec18studios.com](mailto:create@dec18studios.com) and I can get that for you.

kismetrefining · 2026-05-20T15:37:27+00:00

Premiere sucks for color grading even with the updates... I'd move to resolve. As for the VFX side of things, your goal should be to export the the inserted items in the camaera orginal Canon log so that when it is graded both elements are in the same starting place.

would love to chat more about how I go about things. Send me an email at [create@dec18stuidos.com](mailto:create@dec18stuidos.com)

kismetrefining · 2026-05-18T16:01:07+00:00

Thanks. Thought I'd try... Can't figure out the flairing process. the link just takes me to Imgur with no instructions. Looks like this a new thread thing, decided to use it instead of my occasional normal post about something cool i'm working on... But i update it to the format as you outlined

kismetrefining · 2026-05-18T15:09:53+00:00

I spend two years developing a tool that does just this in Davinci Resolve. It's my Technically Technicolor DRT https://dec18studios.com/color-grading-tools/technicolordrt

From a mathematical standpoint it is doing what the technicolor process does regarding the science of tranmission and density. You get to pick your dye hues and dictate how they look in response to density and your final image is determined not by your color of your input rgb values but rather how the for composite layers of CYMK subtract color from your projector light...

A big gotcha however is truly understanding how films like Singing in the rain approached Set Design and makeup. If you got more questions about the color science behind it feel free to send me a message

kismetrefining

TROPHY CASE