Color Grading in Dolby Vision with Davinci Resolve

Color grading in Dolby Vision is similar to HDR10+ but requires a few additional steps to ensure that the metadata is correctly applied. The following steps will guide you through the process of color grading in Dolby Vision in Davinci Resolve:

Step 1: Set the Color Space and Gamma In Davinci Resolve, select the project settings and set the color space to Dolby Vision and the gamma to PQ (Perceptual Quantizer). This ensures that the colors and brightness levels are accurately displayed during the grading process.

Step 2: Adjust the White Balance Use the white balance tools in Davinci Resolve to adjust the temperature and tint to achieve the desired look. This step is crucial in ensuring that the color temperature of the footage is accurate.

Step 3: Adjust the Primary and Secondary Colors Use the primary color grading tools in Davinci Resolve to adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of the footage. You can also use the secondary color grading tools to isolate and adjust specific colors. Be careful not to overdo the grading as it can lead to color banding and other visual artifacts.

Step 4: Apply Dolby Vision Metadata Once the grading process is complete, you can apply the Dolby Vision metadata to your footage. This metadata contains information about the brightness and color levels on a frame-by-frame basis, allowing Dolby Vision displays to adjust the image with even greater precision. To apply the Dolby Vision metadata, navigate to the Delivery tab and select the Dolby Vision option in the Output Color Space dropdown menu. Then, select the relevant metadata settings based on your project’s specifications.

Step 5: Export the Footage Finally, export the footage with the Dolby Vision metadata applied. When exporting, make sure to select the appropriate export settings for your project, including resolution, bitrate, and file format.

When rendering in Dolby Vision HDR in Davinci Resolve, it’s important to ensure that your output settings are compatible with the Dolby Vision format. Here are the recommended specifications:

Open the Render Settings menu.
Select “IMF Netflix” from the “IMF” dropdown menu.
Choose a suitable file name and render location.
Set the preset type to “Dolby Vision UHD”.
Adjust the frame rate to the correct value.
Leave the data levels set to “Auto” for all format and codec options.
Keep the color space and gamma tag set to “Same as Project”.
Configure the composition settings according to the delivery specifications.
Add the project to the Render Queue.
Click on “Render All” to start the rendering process.

Once you have set these specifications, you can start the rendering process. It’s important to note that rendering in Dolby Vision HDR can be time-consuming due to the high-quality output, so make sure you have enough time and processing power to complete the task.

Codecs supporting Dolby Vision:

- ProRes 4444 (XQ)
- TIFF – RGB 16-bit uncompressed
- IMF Package (mxf)
  - Generic Apple Dolby Vision
  - Netflix HDR – Dolby Vision
  - Supplemental IMF – Dolby MXF

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