Color & Coffee

What if the secrets of a 1968 masterpiece were hiding in plain sight—just waiting for modern color tools to reveal them? We dive into 2001: A Space Odyssey with a forensic eye, exploring how a carefully mastered HDR release lets subtle artifacts surface: matte lines stepping in eight-frame rhythms, hand-painted star fields, and reflections that whisper clues about the set. Instead of diminishing Kubrick’s vision, these discoveries ...

Your image deserves honesty, not “enhancements,” when viewed on a professional display. We sit down with Bram Desmet, CEO of Flanders Scientific, to explore how true reference monitors are built and why that difference matters every time a client asks, “Is this correct?” From ditching mass-market chipsets in favor of custom FPGAs to calibrating each unit individually, Bram lifts the hood on a process designed for one goal: confiden...

Ever see a trailer and wonder how the look holds together when the film isn’t even finished? We sit down with senior colorist Lynette Duensing to unpack the craft of grading trailers before the final DI is locked, where creative intent, marketing needs, and incomplete VFX all collide under intense timelines. From Spider-Verse to Anaconda, Lynette walks us through the on-the-ground decisions that turn chaos into a cohesive, sellable...

Join us for a conversation with Luke Cahill, a Los Angeles-based colorist whose credits include Icarus, With Love, Meghan, Tangerine, American Murder: The Laci Peterson Story, and the newly released Left-Handed Girl — now streaming on Netflix and selected as Taiwan’s official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

Luke shares how he discovered color grading and the moment the craft truly made sense for...

We’re trying something new this week — a solo episode! Instead of interviewing a guest, I’m diving into my favorite Black Friday deals for 2025 and sharing the tools, plug-ins, hardware, and subscriptions I think every colorist and post-production artist should know about.

From reference-grade monitors and color-science training to noise reduction, scopes, motion graphics, and workflow tools, this episode breaks down 11 deals worth ...

We’re back for Season 3!

Kicking things off with Greg Cotten and Andrew Finch, the creative duo behind Video Village and tools like Filmbox, Lattice, Screen, and Scatter. From their Chapman University days to building groundbreaking color and post tools, Greg and Andrew share how curiosity and innovation shaped their journey from DPs to software developers.

We explore the evolution of Filmbox, from a Hackintosh prototype to a fully f...

Join us on an engaging journey into the colorful world of filmmaking with John Daro, the lead DI colorist at Warner Post Production Creative Services. John shares his fascinating insights into the art of color grading, drawing parallels between the meticulous craft of filmmaking and the simple pleasure of brewing coffee and tea. 

Together, we unravel the unconventional path of an editor whose passion was sparked by early t...

In our first episode of the new year, I sit down with Matt Tomlinson, Head of Color Science at Harbor Picture Company, for one of the most engaging discussions I’ve had in quite some time.

In this episode, Matt shares fascinating insights from his work developing image color pipelines for films such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Irishman. We delve into what it means to be a color (or image) scientist and explore...

Programming Note: Color & Coffee is taking a break for the holidays. We’ll return in late-January 2025 with new episodes and return to our regular release schedule. A very sincere thanks to all our listeners for an amazing 2024 and for helping us spread the word about the show!
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In the final episode of 2024, we sit down with Matt Wallach, Senior Colorist at Company3, to dive i...

In this episode, I sit down with Daria Fissoun—Colorist, Compositor, and Certified Blackmagic Trainer. We dive into her captivating journey from creating video tutorials on YouTube to collaborating with Blackmagic Design on the official DaVinci Resolve manual.

We cover a range of fascinating topics, including:
•The evolution of her YouTube channel.
•The challenge of “scope creep” and how it manifests in creative pr...

In this episode, I sit down with Nico Fink, colorist and founder of DeMystify Color and Unwind Film Lab. With a Club Mate in hand, Nico shares how an internship at Red Bull Media House ignited his fascination with color, eventually leading to the creation of his own training platform and film lab.

We nerd out about the nuances of film emulation and the challenges faced during its evolution. From the early days of DaVinci R...

In our second episode of the season, I sit down for a fascinating chat with fellow podcast host and lead colorist of DC Color, Joey D’Anna.

Our conversation begins with Joey’s strong opinions on coffee preparation, followed by a quick overview of his journey to becoming a colorist. We then dive into the power of HDR and how new display technology can completely changed the creative approach to grading - or not. 

Finally, we delve int...

In our first episode of season 2, I sit down with the talented colorist and finishing artist, Tashi Trieu.

Our conversation explores Tashi’s career, from his early interest in visual effects to his collaborative work on award-winning, VFX-heavy projects like Avatar and its sequel. We share stories about the early challenges of managing creative expectations, emphasizing the importance of communication and the iterative nature of the...

In our final episode of the season, we chat with senior colorist Evan Anthony, CSI from Goldcrest Post, who recently finished up work on the AppleTV documentary "The Super Models".

We dive into his career highlights, discussing his early days at Showtime Networks, the transition from freelance to his current position, and his work on several acclaimed documentaries, music videos, and commercials.

Evan s...

On the eleventh episode of Color & Coffee, we chat with veteran colorist and fellow podcast host Vincent Taylor.  We discuss his audacious moves around the world to work at a large post production facility, his transition back to freelance work, and how he navigates the challenges and opportunities that come with each.  We then discuss the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone, embracing diverse perspectives, and welc...

On the tenth episode of Color & Coffee, we're sipping coffee and talking all things post-production with the dynamic duo, Ryan and Becky McNeal from RKM Studios. 

From Ryan's journey from being an assistant colorist at Company 3 to running his own business, to Becky's invaluable management expertise that ensures smooth operations and client satisfaction, this episode is a must-listen for anyone curious ...

On the ninth episode of Color & Coffee, we chat with Rob Bessette, Senior Colorist from Color Refinery.  He shares his humble beginnings in post-production, his foray into color grading, and how dabbling with dailies color changed the way he looked at the craft. Next, Rob shares with us what led him to leave his comfortable position as a staff colorist to start his own facility, Color Refinery, along with some of the challenges...

On our latest episode, we chat with colorist and color scientist, Dado Valentic!  He shares his journey from DJ to colorist, his experience grading on BetaSP tape,  and especially - the evolving landscape of the film industry with the introduction of AI technology and how to prepare yourself for the coming wave. Get yourself a extra large mug, as its the longest episode of the season !

Links:
ColourLab.AI
Colour.Tr...

Join us for a vibrant chat with colorist veteran, Warren Eagles. Broadcasting from a nice diner in Burbank, California, we get into the nitty-gritty of color grading and its evolution from film to digital. Warren paints a picture of his career progression, highlighting his move from London to Australia, how he  got started with his role as an online professor at FXPHD. Grab a good cup of coffee (or tea), sit back, and enjoy this in...