Linear Workflow in AE. Should I use my monitor RGB profile in color space?

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Linear Workflow in AE. Should I use my monitor RGB profile in color space?
by Amine Alameddine on Sep 4, 2012 at 11:01:04 pm

Ok, so here's my understanding (correct me if i'm wrong) for a linear workflow in After Effects.

1. Choose Project Settings
2. Set the working space to sRGB
3. Check the linearize color space checkbox.

My question is the following:
My monitor is calibrated with its own profile, let's call it profileX.
Should i set my working space to this profile? (since it's available from the drop list)
I know that it doesn't matter computationally which profile you choose since the pixel values will be the same in a gamma 1.0 workflow.
But it does matter for previewing on your monitor while working. Before working in linear workflow in AE, i relied on my monitor's profile to give me somehow accurate representation of colors, so i know to some extent that this red color i'm choosing will look the same as on a TV for example.

But now with an sRGB working space, the colors are different than if i chose my monitor's profile as working space profileX.

Any insights on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Amine

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Re: Linear Workflow in AE. Should I use my monitor RGB profile in color space?
by Walter Soyka on Sep 5, 2012 at 3:09:38 am

[Amine Alameddine] "But it does matter for previewing on your monitor while working. Before working in linear workflow in AE, i relied on my monitor's profile to give me somehow accurate representation of colors, so i know to some extent that this red color i'm choosing will look the same as on a TV for example."

You generally don't want to use your monitor's profile as the working space (especially if you are working below 32bpc -- see below). You can stick to sRGB or Rec. 709.

A brief explanation of color management: After Effects transforms all colors from the profile specified for footage in its interpretation to the working space, and does all calculations in the working space. It can optionally transform the results from the working space to the display profile for previews or to another profile specified in the output module at render.

In other words, the working space must match neither the display nor the output profiles. However, if you are working below 32bpc, your working profile should be at least large enough to contain the output profile. If it is not, your renders may be clipped to the smaller space.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog - What I'm thinking when my workstation's thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

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Re: Linear Workflow in AE. Should I use my monitor RGB profile in color space?
by Chris Wright on Sep 5, 2012 at 3:29:13 am

and remember, just because you can export to a bigger color profile doesn't mean you should. You can end up with posterization where there's not enough data to spread across the color transform and create banding even in 32bpc. It has to dither somewhere back into the real world on your monitor.

I also remember reading that Adobe specifically says, try to stay in the same workspace and export as your original footage and the largest original profile is your lowest common denominator less you crop data.

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Re: Linear Workflow in AE. Should I use my monitor RGB profile in color space?
by Walter Soyka on Sep 5, 2012 at 3:49:11 am

[Chris Wright] "I also remember reading that Adobe specifically says, try to stay in the same workspace and export as your original footage and the largest original profile is your lowest common denominator less you crop data."

Here's Adobe's Color Management white paper [link].

In it, Adobe recommends working in the same space as your footage if that is also your output; this will ensure consistency even if other parts of your workflow are unmanaged.

If you have multiple sources with multiple profiles, but only a single output deliverable, I generally recommend working in your output space.

If you have multiple different output deliberables, that's where it's important to work in space large enough to encompass both (or at least the larger).

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog - What I'm thinking when my workstation's thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

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