Tushar Desai is senior colorist at FutureWorks, an end-to-end media services company based in India that specializes in VFX, post production and camera rental services.

Post credits for the studio include The Family Man and War, and VFX such shows as Westworld, Stranger Things and Lost in Space. Clients Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO and Disney.

We recently reached out to Desai to find out more about his work and workflows…

Are you sometimes asked to do more than just color on projects? Has your job evolved at all beyond color?
It was actually the other way around for me! I evolved into color from VFX supervisor. As I worked on more and more projects, I taught myself color grading to improve my visual effects. I know that’s not necessarily common in the industry, but I like being in control of the look of my work and ensuring I am happy with the quality before it goes anywhere near the client.

What are some recent projects you’ve worked on?
I have worked on the award-winning Indian period drama series The Empire for Disney+ Hotstar, Rocket Boys for Sony LIV, the feature film Jugjugg Jeeyo and the series Mai for Netflix and the Hush Hush series for Amazon.

Can you describe a challenging scene from one of them?
There was an action scene in Mai where I composited smoke and dust layers on the FilmLight Baselight grading system itself. That was a challenge because the movement needed to be tracked and blended across 100 shots, but it worked out well. Both the clients and I were pleased with the final output and choosing that route over VFX.

How do you prefer to work with the director and DP?
What I really like is when clients bring me onboard very early on. That allows me to get a feel for the look and style they want up front because at the end of the day what you’ve shot is what you’re going to get.

I’ve been told I work quite fast, particularly in the second grade, which some clients appreciate. I can do this because I tell them I that need to work on my own to produce what they’re after, and most of the time they’re really understanding and let me do it. They know I’m effective at my job and produce good results, so they trust me to understand what they’re asking.

How do you prefer your clients to describe the look they want?
As I mentioned, I like getting involved early. When it’s possible to collaborate early (we have a studio they can work in), we can get the look right before they go out and shoot a single frame. We can even build some LUTs that the DP can use on-set.
We also have a full DIT services team that enables us to finely manage the color flow from capture through post, even allowing me to visit and collaborate on-set when needed. Otherwise, once we have the footage, we talk about the script and discuss and find references for what look would be best for the show. We then experiment on it and, after I create various options, they would select their preferred route.

How does your process change when working on a film versus episodics versus commercials?
No matter what the format or channel, everything produced currently has such a high standard that we’re providing the same high quality across the board.

The main difference is quantity. A TV show has multiple episodes at the 45-minute mark, whereas a feature will be a maximum of 2.5 hours. It’s just more shots and a longer timeframe in which we’re working. And everyone, of course, expects the best out of you! But we always make sure we adjust accordingly so we’re producing the best quality image in the most effective turnaround time.

What system do you work on?
Baselight and, earlier, Lustre really have been with me throughout my career. I taught myself how to use them for VFX, and they’ve helped enormously with color.

The ACES pipeline is almost standard for most studios.

What’s your favorite part of color grading?
Making the client happy. That’s the most important part of the job. The fact that I have a VFX background means I can understand them quickly and look for little blemishes that could be fixed — face cleanups or even clouds in the sky. It keeps the process moving swiftly and means that both they and I are achieving our best work.

Do you have a least favorite?
In all honesty, it’s sometimes the time it takes to do the job. We’re talking about sitting for 8 to 10 hours in a dark room. Sometimes you can listen to music, and it flies by, but other times it can feel quite painful.

How early on did you know this would be your path?
When I started out, visual effects in India weren’t such a big deal. Someone introduced me to a VFX studio, and my interest grew around the working environment, the opportunities that it could bring and the hands-on training it could provide. The fact I was with the company as it developed, grew and expanded into this landscape we’re currently in, alongside my own training, meant that I could forge my own path… first in VFX, and then in color.

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
Frankly, I have no clue what I would be, if not in this industry. After graduation, this is the first field I chose to experiment in, and I’ve enjoyed and found success in several fields.

What is the project that you are most proud of?
I am proud of many projects… but lately, The Empire. As a period drama, it features VFX, locations, costumes and sets that you don’t often see in other shows. It’s not often that you can experiment like that and bring out the best in yourself.

Where do you find inspiration? Art? Photography? Instagram?
I find it everywhere. I would say to just keep your eyes open. Every show or even photograph can teach you something or inspire you in a way that allows you to bring some element from it into your work.

Any tips or tricks you would like to offer up?
Learn your trade intimately — don’t be afraid to make mistakes, but make sure you learn from them. It’s good to know about all the other parts that make up the post process.

My background in VFX meant I could work more effectively at my job because I knew how all the components fit together, and I could communicate across the different departments. So know your own position, but be aware of others around you.

This is a high-stress job with deadlines and client expectations. What do you do to de-stress from it all?
Yes, sometimes it is stressful sitting in the dark room all by yourself trying to find solutions and work to deadlines. Generally, I try to take a break every hour, go out for a walk, see the natural colors and recalibrate my eyes. But my daily dose of de-stress would be my time with my family. Even half an hour with them is a good dose.