Questions | In After Effects, it is difficult to match colors using Exr source with OpencolorIO

[kaos03090404]

I am very sorry for my poor English skills.
We ask for your understanding.

This is my first time working with the .exr format.

As an After Effects user, it was very difficult for me.

This time I’ve been working with materials using a color space called ACES: Linear / AP0.

Filmed with an ARRI camera and with REC709 lookup applied on site.

However, even when REC709 was applied to CG work, the colors seen at the shooting site did not come out.

Here in the forum it said I should set ACES:Linear/AP0 to ACEScg and output to rec709.
It doesn’t fit at all.
The clip where DI applied the rec709 lookup without touching anything was different from the rec709 I applied.
Even though it’s the same rec709.
(I want to show the source and talk about it, but I can’t attach a picture because it’s a work that hasn’t been released yet.)

Another difficulty is that problems arise when using 16-bit and 8-bit plugins rather than 32-bit.
So far, I’ve seen error warnings from After Effects that the color space may be wrong, but I haven’t had any problems.
However, when using the 8-bit and 16-bit plugins, the highlights in .exr were gone.
Also, when working in Photoshop, some tools, including the patch tool, couldn’t use 32-bit .exr.
So I converted it to DPX and worked.

In a way, it may not be a problem in other programs other than After Effects, but it was shocking to me.
Highlights have always been an issue, even when working with DPX. Cuts like uncomposited scenes or neon signs were colored differently than I expected or expected, making compositing look awkward.
But we were busy and there was no problem because the director and other decision makers agreed and proceeded.

However, as our company grows, the number of EXR works will also increase.
But I have no knowledge about EXR. It is very inconvenient to get information because it is not my native language.

I watched a YouTube video telling me to change After Effects settings before working, but to no avail.
Of the exr source that was received from the DI room and did nothing
The highlights were heavily accentuated in After Effects and seemed to ruin the details.

My colleagues who do DI work around me didn’t know much about exr, so the original color of the source was not expressed until I set things up with Da Vinci.
But After Effects doesn’t know how to do this.

What’s more frustrating is that in other projects
It’s that I’ve never had an experience like this.

All these issues seem to be my lack of knowledge.
I am so upset and frustrated.

I’m looking for advice from seniors on how to solve it.

[Shebbe]

Hi Kaos,

I think there’s a lot to cover if all is new to you but perhaps a few pointers can get you in the right direction.

@kaos03090404

This time I’ve been working with materials using a color space called ACES: Linear / AP0.

If you want to composite in ACES in a linear workflow the working space should be ACEScg. (Linear / AP1)

@kaos03090404

Filmed with an ARRI camera and with REC709 lookup applied on site.

However, even when REC709 was applied to CG work, the colors seen at the shooting site did not come out.

In what way did you apply your color management in AE? And when you say REC709 lookup, do you mean ARRI’s Rec.709 LUT or the ACES Rec.709 ODT? Or conversion through AE? They are not the same.

@kaos03090404

However, when using the 8-bit and 16-bit plugins, the highlights in .exr were gone.
Also, when working in Photoshop, some tools, including the patch tool, couldn’t use 32-bit .exr.
So I converted it to DPX and worked.

That is unfortunately an issue that a lot of AE effects don’t support 32-bit. For some you may get away with applying them in a log space. Convert from ACEScg to ACEScct → apply fx → convert back to ACEScg. However depending on the data generated by the effect it may not make any sense when linearized afterwards so a bit of caution is needed. For 8bit fx I would be extra careful/avoid as it may be too low quality when processed further down the pipeline.

@kaos03090404

In a way, it may not be a problem in other programs other than After Effects, but it was shocking to me.
Highlights have always been an issue, even when working with DPX. Cuts like uncomposited scenes or neon signs were colored differently than I expected or expected, making compositing look awkward.
But we were busy and there was no problem because the director and other decision makers agreed and proceeded.

If you’re talking about a DPX file looking different than the camera original log encoded file that shouldn’t be the case. If you mean different as to how you view it on the display when converted to Rec.709, ACES renders differently than say an ARRI Rec.709 LUT. Especially with bright colored lights ACES tends to fall apart. In ACES 1.3 a gamut compressor was introduced which can be used to help.

@kaos03090404

However, as our company grows, the number of EXR works will also increase.
But I have no knowledge about EXR. It is very inconvenient to get information because it is not my native language.

The most important thing that should be tracked is in which color space the EXRs were saved. They should be converted from that to the working space ACEScg. There is no way of telling from reading the file itself so DI will have to communicate this to you.

Perhaps taking a look at the AE sections of this video also helps you get things set up properly.