The great thing about Baselight is that I was able to create the intended look pretty quickly. This wasn't a straightforward grade, but I also didn't want to over-complicate things and make it fiddly and complex. There were some new tools like Midtone Saturation and Colour Cross Talk that helped me, and there was a moment fairly early on the first day where we all agreed that we had found the look of the show.

I approached Class without any preconceptions of what Dr Who looked like. Class is an interesting one, in that it is part of the Dr Who universe, but is very much its own show. This is reflected in the writing and themes, so we wanted to embrace doing something different, and create a unique feel. It has darker themes (and more blood!) than Dr Who, and we were mindful that the target audience would be familiar with the bolder look of some American dramas on Netflix, so we wanted to embrace that and avoid playing it safe.

Honestly, no. Whatever the project, it’s all about getting the most from the images put in front of you.

I’m not sure that I agree with the idea that some people naturally have an innate gift for grading. Like with anything, becoming a good colourist is all about practice and learning from mistakes and bad experiences. Certainly having an interest in film and visual art is pretty vital. Ideally, you would be creative, technical, and good with people.

I would pass on the same advice that wa given to me 15 years ago; if you know that it is what you want to do, then go for it because it’s the best job in the world. If you have any doubt at all though, don’t bother, as it can be a long and frustrating path before you finally get the opportunities you want.

To feel like you’ve really contributed something to the show or film, where everyone has been pulling in the same direction.

There are five grading suites at Molinare, and we move from suite to suite depending on the project. There is a variety of room configurations – some with OLED monitors and a larger screen for clients, and theatres set up for projection. Then there is of course our ‘Jack Cardiff’ theatre, which is quite an incredible space. It’s the largest and most opulent grading theatre I’ve ever seen. All the Baselight systems are networked, so projects can be picked up in any room. We have a DI team as well who handle a whole range of tasks like conforming, VFX updates and deliverables. It’s a very Baselight-centric facility, and becoming more so as we start to incorporate Baselight for NUKE with our VFX department who we work  with on a number of productions.

Well, I know it’s an old one, but I love the Film Grade. It feels like such a natural and organic tool, and surprisingly I’ve not really seen anything like it in other grading systems. I have a feeling that Base Grade might take top honours once we move to version 5.0 though.

Top of the list for me would have to be the developments around colour management with Truelight Colour Spaces. If used correctly, I find that it can get you better looking pictures with less effort. It almost feels like cheating, but it frees up more time to really finesse the grade. The Blackboard panel is incredibly well designed, and makes grading sessions more enjoyable and interactive for everyone as you spend less time looking at the GUI and more time looking at the image in front of you. I’m increasingly using Baselight to composite and carry out tasks that would’ve been considered VFX not that long ago.

If the target look for the grade hasn’t been considered from the point of shooting and lighting, then it will almost always be a struggle to make it work and feel natural. Problems with colour management on-set and in the edit can also pose a challenge. It’s not uncommon for a client to resist moving too far from what they’re used to, and if, for example, they’re used to LogC displayed directly on a monitor, then getting the contrast back in can be something they’re uncomfortable with.

Yes, it does vary hugely, but I like to be involved as early as possible. At Molinare, we’re keen to do camera and lens tests before anything is actually shot. It’s really useful for all involved to discuss the intended look, ideally discussing and developing it before the grade itself begins.

I like to move from one darkened room to the next. I love going to the cinema and watching films at home. I’ve got two young children who keep me busy and remind me that work isn’t everything.

I hate to pick, but if I have to, I’m going for Taxi Driver (completely blew me away when I first saw it) / XFM: Clip Clop / Windowlicker: Aphex Twin

Really hard to pick, but Bridge Of Spies is the best looking film I’ve seen in years. Would’ve loved to sink my teeth into that one.

You may have noticed that Chris Cunningham directed both my favourite music video and commercial.  He was an influence on me, and almost single-handedly made me want to work in post-production.

Just one day? I’d love to do some sound-design or record some Foley. That’s got to be fun right?

My favourite of all time has to be Robert DeNiro, but currently I’d have to go for Joaquin Phoenix.

I feel I should say I don’t have a favourite, and that I’m always looking for a good mix of colours. But the real answer is blue. Boring right?

I’m still very much in the thick of it with a few projects at the moment, but I’m looking forward to Crackanory which starts soon, as well as Waiting fore Andre for Sky. Comedy is great fun to work on. There are also some really interesting feature documentaries with some returning directors, but you know what it’s like – I’m not supposed to talk about these things ;-)