In module 6, we'll explore color correction in Final Cut Pro X. In this tutorial, we'll discuss automatic white balance and learn that what appears white to the eye may not be white to the camera. In case we didn't take the time to white balance our camera, we're going to analyze clips for color balance, apply an automatic correction, and then compare that with a manual correction. Before we open Final Cut, let's reference the Kelvin temperature chart. Different types of lighting conditions have colors associated with them. For example, sunrise and candle flames are associated with red and orange which are 2000-2200 degrees Kelvin. Note the colors associated with incandescent light bulbs, cool white fluorescence, daylight, and the sky. When our eyes move between various lighting conditions, they automatically adjust and everything appears as white regardless of the specific lighting. Your camera doesn't adjust as well. We need to reference white through the camera and under the current light source to determine what is white in a given situation. Some cameras have presets for various degrees of Kelvin based on the time of day. The common technique is to fill your camera with a white piece of paper and make sure the light source is reflecting off the paper to balance your camera. This can be difficult in mixed lighting conditions like when a subject is next to a window mixing indoor and outdoor lighting. Sometimes you might not have time to white balance your camera. In this case, Final Cut Pro X has some tools that you can use to balance your images. Open Final Cut and in the module 6, keyword collection, double-click this 601 automatic white balance Project to open it in the timeline. We're going to analyze these two clips to be sure they have an appropriate white balance. Let's begin with the second clip. To analyze for white balance, right or control-click it and choose Reveal in Browser. In the media event. Notice that clip is selected. Right-click the clip and choose analyze and fix. Then select Analyze for balanced color. Final Cut Pro will analyze the entire clip and save a file in the library detailing recommended changes for you to white balance the clip. I'll press Okay. To apply the recommended corrections to the clip selected in the timeline, click the magic wand icon on the lower left of the viewer and choose balanced color. You can immediately see that it's much improved. With the clips still selected, open the inspector and you'll see that the balanced color effect was applied. Click the box on and off to view before and after results. Let's color balance the other clip in the timeline. You can select a clip in the timeline by pressing C when your play head is on top of it. If you perform a color balance now, it would be based on the current frame rather than the entire clip. Right or control click the clip and choose Reveal in Browser. Notice it's selected. Repeat the analysis. Right-click and choose to analyze and fix. Make sure that analyze for balance color is selected. Click Okay to analyze the clip. The analysis happens in the background and the time it takes depends on your system and the clip length. With the eclipse still selected, click the magic wand icon on the lower left of the viewer and apply the balance color effect. In the Inspector, you can see the before and after results. New to Final Cut Pro 10.4, we can choose to manually white balance. In the viewer, you'll see a message with instructions to drag over an area that should be pure white. I'm thinking the astronauts in the foreground table are pure white, so I'll click one and apply the correction. If I'm not happy with that selection, I could sample other items in the shot that are white and apply various types of corrections to see the results I get. Compare the before and after in the Inspector to verify the result. Move to the next clip and press C to select it. In the video inspector, change from the automatic method to the manual White Balance Method and sample various portions of the white wall to see the type of correction you get. Then compare it to the automatic correction and choose the one you like best. We made both automatic and manual white balance corrections in Final Cut by analyzing clips. This is also available on import. In this tutorial, we learned that what appears white to our eyes isn't necessarily white to a camera. We analyzed clips for a color balance, and applied both an automatic and manual white balance correction.
