Grading Interior Chinatown Series with DaVinci Resolve Studio

If you’re a fan of Hulu’s streaming series, “Interior Chinatown,” you’ll be interested to know that it was given a vibrant and complex grade by Supervising Colorist Aidan Stanford using DaVinci Resolve Studio software from Blackmagic Design. This project, led by series creator Charles Yu and executive producer Taika Waititi, follows the story of Willis Wu, a character caught in a police procedural who witnesses a crime.

Stanford shared that this was one of the most intricate grades he has ever worked on, with multiple storylines demanding different grading approaches in terms of color palette and texture. Cinematographers Mike Berlucchi and Tari Segal collaborated closely with Stanford, bringing their expertise to create distinct looks for each element of the series.

The color palette ranged from vibrant, alive tones for Chinatown to the cool, blue, crispy look of a cop show, transitioning into a more traditional film style as the series progressed. Stanford explained the intricate process of creating specific looks, using custom curves and saturation controls, as well as embedding different commercial styles and nightmare scenes within the narrative.

The creative process behind the grading involved meticulous attention to detail, with Stanford utilizing a range of techniques like color space transform and various visual effects to achieve the desired outcome. Despite the challenges, Stanford found the project incredibly rewarding, especially when seeing the culmination of his work on screen.

For anyone curious about the behind-the-scenes magic of color grading in the entertainment industry, Stanford’s experience on “Interior Chinatown” provides a rich insight into the complex and fascinating world of post-production. You can learn more about Blackmagic Design and its innovative products that continue to shape the film and television industry on their website.