I can’t think of a specific one, but there are times where you get to the end of the day and it feels like a week went by. But no matter how much correction I add, or changes I make, I know the system is always holding up. I have to say, the reliability and solidity of Baselight always helps me get through those stressful days.

I totally agree about Xavier. His talent is so visible in the colour room: he has a great eye, he knows exactly where he’s going, what he likes, or dislikes. I love working with him because he makes me so much better. 

We approach the grade from a scene point of view, never from a shot point of view. It’s never about making a single shot perfect, but rather finding the fitting tone for a scene. So his indications are often very broad as are my suggestions. I think this leads to a picture with a strong personality, without being overcooked.

I think he makes decisions based on what he feels rather that what it means in any specific doctrine. We work in a very intuitive way.

It’s not about a single tool – it’s about everything. The design is so good. The tools, the timeline, the colour management, the Blackboard panel, the Cutview… I could go on.
When I grade, I’m super focused on the thoughts or requests of the director or the DP. Sometimes the correction is done by the time they finish articulating the problem.  I want them to fully accomplish their vision through my work. For me, Baselight is essential in achieving this.

I love this film! It’s Monia Chokri’s first feature. It’s about a super-cynical woman trying to grow up despite a terribly lacking sense of responsibility. She’s overly dependent on her brother, both emotionally and financially. Monia’s direction is so funny and charming.  Art direction, costume, music – everything has such a strong personality. Monia’s touch is everywhere, and it looks like nothing else. 

Josée Deshaies shot the film in 16mm, mostly in winter. She is so precise and her work is so immaculate. She knows exactly what she is doing. The palette goes from blue to pink. It’s quite rich and saturated, but we didn’t want the 16mm to feel rough. I think it’s still soft and creamy, at least most of the time. The shadows are not too dense. I like the warm and natural skin tone we went for. I used the Colour Crosstalk to shift the hues of some colours – the pink, the green, the cyan – in an attempt to recall the palette of Douglas Sirk’s 1950s Hollywood melodramas.

Because of the weather, film and TV production is cyclical in Montreal. Shooting when it’s warm; post-production when it’s cold. In early June, I finished my last feature for the winter-spring cycle but I’m doing more commercials these days. A lot of projects are in production right now, so I did a lot of prep work with the crews setting up looks and LUTs for the set, and doing test grades with the material to make sure everything is on track. I like to stay near by when they shoot. The final grade is more accurate and straight-forward that way.

Peace of mind. But I know it’s a lot to ask…

At great risk of being cheesy, I would say that I like how the sun colours things when it’s low on the horizon. It always seems so surreal. The deep blue sky, a little past sunset, is also pretty awesome – literally.