Hi again, everyone! In this one I go over a “by the book” ACES workflow where all color textures and HDRI images are converted to ACES before rendering with Redshift. Then we’ll composite our render into live action footage using our color managed ACES workflow for After Effects.

00:00 Intro
00:50 Converting an HDRI into an ACEScg HDRI
05:58 Converting a Photo into ACEScg
12:20 Adding a ColorChecker to the scene
14:25 A Note About Color Section in C4D with ACES
16:12 Redshift Render Settings for ACES EXRs
17:50 Review of Image/Texture Prep for ACES
19:00 Don’t Do This
20:17 Changing Log Footage to ACES in After Effects
31:36 Bringing our ACES Back Plates into C4D
43:30 Matching Our Camera Angles and Cuts in C4D
45:44 Viewport Render Animatic
48:36 Setting Up a Shadow Matte & Shadow Pass
50:40 Alpha Settings
52:00 Bringing the EXRs into After Effects
54:35 Comping Shadow AOV in After Effects
58:05 Adjusting our CG Against the Back Plate
59:55 Beware the Lumetri Color Effect with ACES
1:01:01 Easily Add Color Critical Client Logos
1:02:53 Trying to Add a Logo The Old Way with AE Color Management Off
1:06:15 OSL ACES Futures
1:08:05 Multipass EXRs are Just as Easy
1:08:37 Love Letter to ACES / Outro

Part 1:    • Better Redshift Renders using ACES wi...  


SIMPLIFIED WORKFLOW: ACES in After Effect with Color Management On

1. Under “Project Settings” “Color” tab “Depth: 32 bits”; Working Space: sRGB (or Rec.709); “Linearize Working Space” checked ON
2. Drag your .EXR footage into a new 32bit comp; “View” “Use Display Color Management” should be ON
3. Add a new adjustment layer above your .EXR; Add the “OpenColorIO” effect. For “Configuration” browse to your “config.ocio” under the latest Aces folder in the OpenColorIO configs you downloaded.
4. In the OpenColorIO Effects Panel under “Input Space” select “ACES - ACEScg”; In the “Output Space” select “Output - sRGB” or “Output -Rec.709” or whatever your output space is going to be.
5. Add a new adjustment layer on top; Add the “Color Profile Converter” effect. Set both the input and output space to your output color space chosen in the previous step (i.e. sRGB, Rec.709); Check ON “Linearize Output” checkbox. (This negates the double gamma curve applied by After Effects and OCIO plugin)
6. Any color correction should be applied to an adjustment layer or layers above the .EXR/footage layer but below the OpenColorIO layer; color corrections are the meat of the sandwich. .EXR layer and OpenColorIO are the bread.


OLD WORKFLOW: ACES in After Effects with all Color Management Off (thumbs down emoji)

1. Under “Project Settings” “Color” tab “Depth: 32 bits”; “Working Space: ACEScg”; “Linearize Working Space” checked ON
2. Import your rendered .EXR and/or footage, Right click and select “Interpret Footage - Main”; Under “Color Management” tab check ON “Preserve RGB”
3. Drag your .EXR or footage into a new 32bit comp. Under “View” menu UNcheck “Use Display Color Management”
4. Add a new adjustment layer above your .EXR; Add the “OpenColorIO” effect. For “Configuration” browse to your “config.ocio” under the latest Aces folder in the OpenColorIO configs you downloaded.
5. In the OpenColorIO Effects Panel under “Input Space” select “ACES - ACEScg”; In the “Output Space” select “Output - sRGB” or “Output -Rec.709” or whatever your output space is going to be.
6. Any color correction should be applied to an adjustment layer or layers above the .EXR/footage layer but below the OpenColorIO layer; color corrections are the meat of the sandwich. .EXR layer and OpenColorIO are the bread.
7. When ready to export; “Add to Render Queue”; Under “Render Queue” tab, click “Output Module - Lossless”, under “Color Management” tab check ON “Preserve RGB”


DOWNLOADS

OpenColorIO Download
https://github.com/colour-science/Ope...
OpenColorIO for After Effects
http://fnordware.blogspot.com/2012/05...

Liam Collod’s PYCO Image Colorspace Converter
https://www.artstation.com/artwork/18...

ACEScg Color Checker Image Download:
https://github.com/colour-science/col...



RESOURCES

Chris Brejon’s ACES Blog
https://chrisbrejon.com/cg-cinematogr...

Aces Central Online Community
https://community.acescentral.com/

Why we shouldn’t use sRGB Output Display Transform as an Input Device Transform
https://community.acescentral.com/t/u...


RECOMMENDED TUTORIALS

InLightVFX’s Add VFX into Cinematic RAW+LOG Footage (the right way) | ACES Part 1
   • Add VFX into Cinematic RAW+LOG Footag...  

Youtube Video explaining gamma encoding:
   • Color Management “Lost Tapes” Part 11...  

Jacob Danell’s ACES Linear Workflow Tutorial
   • ACES linear workflow using OCIO in Af...