Configure color pipeline

Here is a checklist for you to go through about all things related color.

New to color management? Here you can learn the general concepts of color management

TLDR

Our recommended setup before you start lighting and color correcting your scenes:

General

These setting are off by default in Pixotope, but not necessarily in Unreal

• Disable Auto Exposure

• Set Exposure Compensation to 0

When outputting SDR & content was created using Unreal tone mapper being the desired look

• Keep the Unreal tone mapper turned on (Director > Show settings > Base settings > Filmic tone mapping)

• For preview, use an sRGB lookup without builtin tone mapping

• For inputs and outputs, use a Rec.709/Rec.2020 color space without tone mapping built in

When outputting any type of log based format (slog/clog/vlog…)

• Disable the Unreal tone mapper (Director > Show settings > Base settings > Filmic tone mapping), as these outputs have tone mapping built in

• If you are working on a PC monitor, set the viewport to use a sRGB with tone mapping or HDR with tone mapping lookup

• If you have a broadcast monitor that supports log input, output your log signal directly to this and convert it in the monitor

• Or if your broadcast monitor only supports Rec.709, use Pixotope to output Rec.709 for preview

When outputting HDR ensuring color consistency down stream

• Disable the Unreal tone mapper (Director > Show settings > Base settings > Filmic tone mapping)

• Set the color space in Unreal to ACEScg

• Depending on the capabilities of your preview monitor choose an appropriate preview lookup, sRGB/ Rec.709/Rec.2020/HLG, with built in tone mapping

• For output use an appropriate output lookup with built in tone mapping (HLG, PQ, Rec.709, Rec.2020, slog, etc)

Calibrate your monitor

To accurately replicate the artist’s intent on final output, it is assumed that the graphic content has been created on a color managed monitor, capable of displaying the full range and gamut as the desired final output.

Learn more about how to Calibrate your monitor

Convert non-color managed Unreal content

If you are bringing your content in from an Unreal project that has not been color managed your output might change when adding proper color management. It might be necessary to adjust exposure, color grading, tonemapping or lighting to achieve the desired results.

Learn more about how to Convert non-color managed Unreal content

Color manage your textures

Textures used in the project should be exported from your favorite painting DCC in the sRGB color space (which will be automatically converted to ACEScg), or if done in a different color space, properly configured in Unreal to convert from the known color space of a given texture to ACEScg.

Learn more about how to Color manage your textures

Set your default color profile

Color space or profile?

A color profile is used to convert between color spaces. However, depending on what type of software or OCIO config the difference the terms are often used interchangeably.

1. Set the default color profile for your production in Pixotope Director

   • This is typically the one used for the final output

   • Rec709 is our default

We recommend the following color profiles for most type of productions:

For images and videos encoded in sRGB

Various Log formats

Choose the combinations that matches your camera’s settings), some common settings:

Learn more about OCIO and ACES in Pixotope

By default, all inputs will be converted to linear space (ACEScg) and then converted back again for output.

Learn more about Linear light and compositing

All internal compositing is done in scene referred linear color space

Learn more about Compositing in Pixotope

Consider the "Working color space" of your Unreal project, we recommend using ACEScg, but Unreal Engine uses linear sRGB by default, so changing this can change the look of the project.

Learn more about how to Change Unreal Engines working color space

Check your inputs' color profile

If one of your inputs are encoded using a different color profile and/or you require an output with a different color profile, these can be overridden per channel (I/O).

Learn more about how to Configure routing

Set up your color managed preview in Editor

When working inside the Unreal Editor, the viewports color transform should be set to the type of monitor you are working on. This will ensure that the image will look the same (or as similar as possible) when comparing the output of for example a PC monitor (sRGB) and Broadcast monitor (Rec.709).

Learn more about how to set up your Color managed preview in Editor

Do color grading

All color grading, including changes to the filmic tone mapper, are done

• per level

• in a non destructive linear color space

This will allow you to make changes to the 3D Graphics, Video and the Final output independently, without losing any fidelity or clipping values.

Learn more about how to Adjust color grading

Using the Video Keyer?

If you are using the Video keyer, the system will automatically convert from any type of color input. It is therefore important that the input colors are set correctly.

Learn more about the Pixotope Keyer

Working with SDI?

When working with SDI, you have to inform the system in which video range your input signal is encoded in and in which video range your output should be encoded in. Available video ranges are

• Legal (64-940) - default

  • Almost all applications within broadcast production will use this limited range

• Full (0-1023)

  • Certain HDR signals might use this extended range

As a precaution, the system will default to clamp super bright values (as they are easy to make in Unreal, being an HDR system). We therefore adde a Super brights option on outputs which will let "super bright/white" values pass through.

Learn more about SDI signal range

Working in HDR?

Using the Unreal Filmic Tonemapper?

The Filmic Tonemapper, which is the default Unreal tool for converting a linear representation of light into something that simulates a film camera capturing the scene, is now always available as a creative tool for artists. It works in both SDR and HDR scenes and will behave as in a non color managed version of Unreal.

For HDR outputs and photorealistic compositing, it is recommended that the tonemapping of the graphics is processed downstream of the compositing. So we suggest to

• disable Filmic tone mapping in the Show settings panel

• use an output transfer curve that simulates the desired camera/film response

Outputting HDR?

When outputting HDR content (HLG, PQ, etc) special care should be taken to ensure that graphics are created on an HDR capable monitor and that the graphics values, especially for bright colors, look as intended on the final output. The color of white in a regular SDR broadcast graphic, will not necessarily be white when shown in an HDR output.

Learn more about working with HDR in Pixotope

Using XR?

When using Pixotope XR there are special tools and considerations for matching the colors of the set extension to the LED wall.

Learn more about how to Calibrate color matching for XR

Need to configure your own color pipeline?

However, the OCIO system is fully user configurable, so advanced users can replace the config file, if they have color management needs that go beyond what is offered out of the box.

Learn more about how to Make your own OCIO configuration