ACES 2.0
The latest Academy Color Encoding System release: a scene-referred, wide gamut pipeline that keeps color consistent across cameras, vendors, and time.
#Glossary of Fresh Terms.
64 color and finishing terms, defined plainly. Know the lingo before you turn over.
Start here
Color ScienceACES 2.0The latest Academy Color Encoding System release: a scene-referred, wide gamut pipeline that…Color ScienceLogA non-linear encoding that compresses highlights and lifts shadows, so more scene detail fits…Color ScienceLUT (Look-Up Table)A fixed table that remaps input values to output values. Handy, but less flexible than a full…Color SciencePQ (Perceptual Quantizer)ST 2084. An HDR EOTF modeled on human brightness perception. Used in HDR10 and Dolby…Color ScienceScene-ReferredWorking in real world light values before any display shaping. Maximum creative…Dailies & EditorialConformRebuilding the locked edit with the original high resolution media to prepare for…
Color Science & Image Theory24 terms
Bit Depth
The number of bits per channel (10-bit, 12-bit). It sets how many tonal steps are available and directly affects banding and smoothness.
#BT.2100
The HDR television baseline. Specifies Rec.2020 primaries plus either PQ or HLG transfer curves.
#Chroma Subsampling
A compression scheme (4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0) that reduces color resolution relative to luma to save bandwidth, at a cost to edge sharpness and color fidelity.
#Chromaticity Coordinates
The x,y values that locate a color on a 2D gamut diagram. They define primaries and white points.
#Color Gamut
The range of colors a standard or display can reproduce. Rec.709 is modest, P3 wider, BT.2020 very broad.
#Color Primaries
The red, green, and blue chromaticities that anchor a gamut. Change the primaries and every color in the set shifts.
#Contrast Curve
The function that maps input luminance to output, shaping image contrast. Often an S-curve that deepens shadows and lifts highlights.
#Display-Referred
Grading in the display color space. A preview of the final output, with less flexibility for further creative changes.
#Dynamic Range
The ratio between the darkest and brightest values a camera or display can reproduce. More range, more latitude.
#EOTF / OETF
Electro-Optical (display) and Opto-Electronic (camera) Transfer Functions: the math that links code values to light.
#Gamut Mapping
Translating colors from one gamut to another (BT.2020 to Rec.709) while keeping hue, saturation, and lightness as close as possible.
#HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma)
A broadcast friendly HDR curve that stays viewable on SDR sets. One of the two curves in BT.2100.
#IDT (Input Device Transform)
Maps camera native values into a shared working space. See also ODT.
#JPLog2
A high dynamic range, scene-referred log space created by Josh Pines. Holds 18+ stops and keeps mid gray at code value 400 in 10-bit.
#Log
A non-linear encoding that compresses highlights and lifts shadows, so more scene detail fits in limited code values and survives the grade.
#LUT (Look-Up Table)
A fixed table that remaps input values to output values. Handy, but less flexible than a full grade.
#Nit
A unit of luminance (1 nit = 1 cd/m²). HDR displays often target 1000+ nits, SDR around 100.
#ODT (Output Device Transform)
Converts the scene-referred image into the exact signal a display expects: SDR Rec.709, HDR PQ, and so on.
#PQ (Perceptual Quantizer)
ST 2084. An HDR EOTF modeled on human brightness perception. Used in HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
#Rec.709
The foundational SDR standard (ITU-R BT.709): Rec.709 primaries, D65 white point, and gamma 2.4 for HD broadcast and post.
#Scene-Referred
Working in real world light values before any display shaping. Maximum creative headroom.
#Tone Mapping
Fitting high dynamic range data into a display’s limited range while balancing highlight and shadow detail.
#White Point
The reference white (D65, D60) that tone mapping and display transforms pivot around.
#Psychophysical & Perceptual Effects7 terms
Ambient Surround Compensation
Adjusting image contrast for room brightness so the picture looks right in any environment.
#Bartleson-Breneman Effect
Images seen in bright surroundings appear higher in contrast than the same images seen in the dark.
#Bezold-Brücke Hue Shift
Hue appears to shift as luminance changes, most visible under monochromatic light.
#Chromatic Adaptation
Human vision balances to the light source. Color pipelines account for it to keep images neutral.
#Helmholtz-Kohlrausch Effect
Highly saturated colors look brighter than less saturated ones of equal luminance. A key factor in HDR grading.
#Stevens Effect
Apparent contrast rises with absolute brightness.
#Tonal Relationships
How light and dark elements interact to guide the eye and build mood.
#Dailies & Editorial Workflow15 terms
Balance
Matching exposure, color, and contrast across shots before creative work begins.
#Confidence Check
A frame accurate comparison between the reference cut and the conformed timeline, to make sure nothing drifted.
#Conform
Rebuilding the locked edit with the original high resolution media to prepare for grading.
#Dailies
Color managed viewing copies made during production, so editorial sees something close to the final look.
#DIT (Digital Imaging Technician)
The on-set specialist for exposure, color, media backups, and monitor setup. Protects the digital negative from set to post.
#First Pass
The first grade across the timeline: balance and broad creative strokes.
#Grade Timeline
An edit version prepared for color, with tracks condensed and effects simplified.
#Metadata
Timecode, clip names, lens data, and other embedded information essential for conform and finishing.
#Offline / Online
Offline: the low resolution proxy edit. Online: the full quality media used for finishing.
#Offline Eyes
When the team gets attached to the temp color in the offline cut, even when it’s technically wrong.
#One-Light / Best-Light
Quick balanced passes for dailies. Not final, but ready for editorial.
#Reel Name
A unique ID for each camera roll or media bin. Crucial for a clean conform.
#Remote Monitoring
Real-time, color-managed viewing of on-set or dailies footage from anywhere, so off-site collaborators can give notes immediately.
#Rushes
Untouched camera originals that dailies are made from.
#XML / AAF / EDL
Timeline interchange files that carry edit decisions between software.
#Creative & Cosmetic Work10 terms
Beauty Work
Subtle skin and feature cleanup the audience never notices.
#Bleach Bypass
A look that simulates skipping the bleach step in film processing: lower saturation, higher contrast, metallic highlights.
#Grain / Diffusion
Film grain, halation, or lens style diffusion added for an analog feel.
#Look Development
Building the overall visual style (palette, contrast, texture, mood) so the image supports the story and the director’s intent.
#RGB 3D Grain
Volumetric grain where each color channel moves independently, for a truly filmic texture.
#Selective Color
Isolating and shifting specific color ranges (making reds more magenta, for example) while leaving the rest alone.
#Sky Replacement / Object Removal
Paint-outs and cleanups done inside the grading toolset to avoid heavier VFX.
#Split Tone
Different hues in the shadows and highlights, often warm against cool, for mood and separation.
#Texture
Shaping the surface character of the image, from ultra clean to gritty, with grain, sharpening, and softening.
#Vignette
Darkening or lightening the frame edges to pull the eye inward.
#Finishing & Delivery8 terms
Archive
Secure long term storage of project assets beyond the standard 40-day window.
#Deliverables
The finished assets each outlet requires: ProRes files, DCPs, IMFs, subtitles, captions, thumbnails, and more.
#DCP (Digital Cinema Package)
The standard format for theatrical playback: JPEG 2000 picture, WAV audio, and XML metadata.
#Image Sequence
A stack of individual frames (DPX, EXR, TIFF) for maximum quality and resilience.
#IMF (Interoperable Master Format)
A studio grade packaging format for streaming and broadcast, built from tracks and metadata.
#Mastering
Preparing the final, spec compliant master files for each release.
#QC (Quality Check)
A technical and visual inspection for glitches, sync errors, color shifts, and spec violations before delivery.
#Reference Monitor
A calibrated display that meets strict accuracy specs. The final authority on color decisions.
#A3
ACES 2.0
The latest Academy Color Encoding System release: a scene-referred, wide gamut pipeline that keeps color consistent across cameras, vendors, and time.
#Ambient Surround Compensation
Adjusting image contrast for room brightness so the picture looks right in any environment.
#Archive
Secure long term storage of project assets beyond the standard 40-day window.
#B7
Balance
Matching exposure, color, and contrast across shots before creative work begins.
#Bartleson-Breneman Effect
Images seen in bright surroundings appear higher in contrast than the same images seen in the dark.
#Beauty Work
Subtle skin and feature cleanup the audience never notices.
#Bezold-Brücke Hue Shift
Hue appears to shift as luminance changes, most visible under monochromatic light.
#Bit Depth
The number of bits per channel (10-bit, 12-bit). It sets how many tonal steps are available and directly affects banding and smoothness.
#Bleach Bypass
A look that simulates skipping the bleach step in film processing: lower saturation, higher contrast, metallic highlights.
#BT.2100
The HDR television baseline. Specifies Rec.2020 primaries plus either PQ or HLG transfer curves.
#C8
Chroma Subsampling
A compression scheme (4:4:4, 4:2:2, 4:2:0) that reduces color resolution relative to luma to save bandwidth, at a cost to edge sharpness and color fidelity.
#Chromatic Adaptation
Human vision balances to the light source. Color pipelines account for it to keep images neutral.
#Chromaticity Coordinates
The x,y values that locate a color on a 2D gamut diagram. They define primaries and white points.
#Color Gamut
The range of colors a standard or display can reproduce. Rec.709 is modest, P3 wider, BT.2020 very broad.
#Color Primaries
The red, green, and blue chromaticities that anchor a gamut. Change the primaries and every color in the set shifts.
#Confidence Check
A frame accurate comparison between the reference cut and the conformed timeline, to make sure nothing drifted.
#Conform
Rebuilding the locked edit with the original high resolution media to prepare for grading.
#Contrast Curve
The function that maps input luminance to output, shaping image contrast. Often an S-curve that deepens shadows and lifts highlights.
#D6
Dailies
Color managed viewing copies made during production, so editorial sees something close to the final look.
#DCP (Digital Cinema Package)
The standard format for theatrical playback: JPEG 2000 picture, WAV audio, and XML metadata.
#Deliverables
The finished assets each outlet requires: ProRes files, DCPs, IMFs, subtitles, captions, thumbnails, and more.
#Display-Referred
Grading in the display color space. A preview of the final output, with less flexibility for further creative changes.
#DIT (Digital Imaging Technician)
The on-set specialist for exposure, color, media backups, and monitor setup. Protects the digital negative from set to post.
#Dynamic Range
The ratio between the darkest and brightest values a camera or display can reproduce. More range, more latitude.
#E1
EOTF / OETF
Electro-Optical (display) and Opto-Electronic (camera) Transfer Functions: the math that links code values to light.
#F1
First Pass
The first grade across the timeline: balance and broad creative strokes.
#G3
Gamut Mapping
Translating colors from one gamut to another (BT.2020 to Rec.709) while keeping hue, saturation, and lightness as close as possible.
#Grade Timeline
An edit version prepared for color, with tracks condensed and effects simplified.
#Grain / Diffusion
Film grain, halation, or lens style diffusion added for an analog feel.
#H2
I3
IDT (Input Device Transform)
Maps camera native values into a shared working space. See also ODT.
#Image Sequence
A stack of individual frames (DPX, EXR, TIFF) for maximum quality and resilience.
#IMF (Interoperable Master Format)
A studio grade packaging format for streaming and broadcast, built from tracks and metadata.
#J1
JPLog2
A high dynamic range, scene-referred log space created by Josh Pines. Holds 18+ stops and keeps mid gray at code value 400 in 10-bit.
#L3
Log
A non-linear encoding that compresses highlights and lifts shadows, so more scene detail fits in limited code values and survives the grade.
#Look Development
Building the overall visual style (palette, contrast, texture, mood) so the image supports the story and the director’s intent.
#LUT (Look-Up Table)
A fixed table that remaps input values to output values. Handy, but less flexible than a full grade.
#M2
N1
Nit
A unit of luminance (1 nit = 1 cd/m²). HDR displays often target 1000+ nits, SDR around 100.
#O4
ODT (Output Device Transform)
Converts the scene-referred image into the exact signal a display expects: SDR Rec.709, HDR PQ, and so on.
#Offline / Online
Offline: the low resolution proxy edit. Online: the full quality media used for finishing.
#Offline Eyes
When the team gets attached to the temp color in the offline cut, even when it’s technically wrong.
#One-Light / Best-Light
Quick balanced passes for dailies. Not final, but ready for editorial.
#P1
PQ (Perceptual Quantizer)
ST 2084. An HDR EOTF modeled on human brightness perception. Used in HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
#Q1
QC (Quality Check)
A technical and visual inspection for glitches, sync errors, color shifts, and spec violations before delivery.
#R6
Rec.709
The foundational SDR standard (ITU-R BT.709): Rec.709 primaries, D65 white point, and gamma 2.4 for HD broadcast and post.
#Reel Name
A unique ID for each camera roll or media bin. Crucial for a clean conform.
#Reference Monitor
A calibrated display that meets strict accuracy specs. The final authority on color decisions.
#Remote Monitoring
Real-time, color-managed viewing of on-set or dailies footage from anywhere, so off-site collaborators can give notes immediately.
#RGB 3D Grain
Volumetric grain where each color channel moves independently, for a truly filmic texture.
#Rushes
Untouched camera originals that dailies are made from.
#S5
Scene-Referred
Working in real world light values before any display shaping. Maximum creative headroom.
#Selective Color
Isolating and shifting specific color ranges (making reds more magenta, for example) while leaving the rest alone.
#Sky Replacement / Object Removal
Paint-outs and cleanups done inside the grading toolset to avoid heavier VFX.
#Split Tone
Different hues in the shadows and highlights, often warm against cool, for mood and separation.
#Stevens Effect
Apparent contrast rises with absolute brightness.
#T3
Texture
Shaping the surface character of the image, from ultra clean to gritty, with grain, sharpening, and softening.
#Tonal Relationships
How light and dark elements interact to guide the eye and build mood.
#Tone Mapping
Fitting high dynamic range data into a display’s limited range while balancing highlight and shadow detail.
#V1
Vignette
Darkening or lightening the frame edges to pull the eye inward.
#W1
White Point
The reference white (D65, D60) that tone mapping and display transforms pivot around.
#X1
XML / AAF / EDL
Timeline interchange files that carry edit decisions between software.
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