How to Add Film Grain in DaVinci Resolve
In this valuable article, I will explain to you how to add film grain on DaVinci Resolve.
We all know by now how important film grain is in cinema because it adds texture and character to images.
Film grain is able to evoke a sense of nostalgia and a certain aesthetic associated with traditional film.
Colorists are able to add film grain during the color grading process, using dedicated video post-production software, such as DaVinci Resolve.
Colorists are very skilled in understanding how to use film grain to enhance images by carefully controlling the amount and visibility of the grain to create the desired atmosphere. They can also use it to match the grain of newly shot footage with older footage, helping to seamlessly integrate different elements of a film.
Additionally, colorists can use film grain to create a sense of depth and dimensionality in the image, which is essential for the viewer's engagement in the story being told.
In general, film grain is a very powerful tool that colorists can use to add visual interest and emotional impact to a film.
I have recently written an interesting article in which I explain in great detail what film grain is and how it affects the cinematic look. You can read the article HERE.
How to Add Film Grain in DaVinci Resolve
In fact, there are several ways to add film grain during color grading. In this article, I will explain how to add it for free, using the effects section of DaVinci Resolve.
Are you ready?
Good!
First, make sure you are in the "color" page (third page from the right).
Open the effects section of DaVinci Resolve by clicking on "Effects," on the right.
Scroll through the endless list of included effects or simply use the search function (magnifying glass icon).
The name of the effect you will need to search for is "Film Grain."
Drag the effect onto the node you prefer to use for the grain addition.
At this point, you will be presented with a series of controls that will allow you to modify various parameters in order to customize the film grain look to your liking.
For clarity, I will divide these parameters into: Main Controls and Grain Parameters.
Main Controls
These controls let you quickly choose and apply a film grain effect.
- Film Grain Presets: This pop-up lets you quickly choose from among different 8mm, 16mm, and 35mm film grain effects.
- Composite Type: Lets you choose a composite mode with which to combine the image with the grain simulated by this plug-in.
- Opacity: Lets you fade the Film Grain effect against the original image.
- Grain Only: This checkbox lets you see just the grain layer that you’re creating, so you can evaluate its look prior to it being composited into the image.
Grain Params
The Grain Params group lets you adjust the quality of the grain.
- Texture: Larger values create more separation between the grains generated by this plug-in, while smaller values bunch them up closer together to create denser grain patterns.
- Grain Size: Larger values zoom into the individual simulated grains generated by this plug-in, while smaller values zoom out. - Grain Strength: Adjusts the contrast of the simulated grain layer. Higher values produce more contrast, lower values less.
- Offset: Lightens or darkens the entire simulated grain layer. The practical effect is that lower values emphasize lighter grains, while higher values emphasize darker grains.
- Symmetry: An asymmetrical contrast adjustment. Lower values darken the lighter grains, while higher values brighten the darker grains.
- Softness: Lets you blur the grain layer to create even softer transitions from one grain to another.
- Saturation: Lets you make the grain more or less colorful. At a value of 0, grain is monochrome
Conclusion:
I hope the information contained in this valuable article was helpful in understanding how to best use and get the most out of this great effect in DaVinci Resolve.
See you soon,
Maurizio.
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