Configure color pipeline

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

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.

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.

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.

Set your default color profile

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

   • This is typically the one used for the final output

   • Camera Rec.709 is our default

Rule of thumb: use the same color profile on input and output

For any display referred source — which includes the standard Rec.709 broadcast cameras most productions use — there is no fully reliable way to reconstruct the original scene light. The practical solution is the "inverse trick":

1. Decide which color profile your output needs to be

2. Use the same profile on your inputs, even if it is not an exact description of how the camera encoded the image

Because the input decode and the output encode are exact inverses of each other, the video plate passes through completely untouched, while the graphics are rendered through the same transform — so video and graphics stay matched, and behave identically through any downstream grading.

Recommended color profiles

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:

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

All internal compositing is done in scene referred linear color space

Update your working color space

For HDR workflows this is mandatory, but even for SDR workflows we recommend to update your Working color space to use ACEScg. This improves effects like reflections, bloom or when working with highly saturated colors.

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).

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).

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.

Camera shading during production

Everything in the color pipeline is built around matching the graphics to what the camera captures. Be aware that if a camera shader/painter adjusts camera parameters (gain, gamma, white balance, exposure) live during the production, the graphics will no longer match the video, the carefully matched black levels and colors will drift apart, even if the changes are small.

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.

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.

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.

Using XR?

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

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.