Beatrice Tremblay is a colorist at Montreal-based Outpost, a full-service post house offering color grading, online and offline editing and post supervision.

Tremblay has been working on-site at the Outpost offices doing live and remote sessions — she uses the company’s Outpost’s OPM.Live, which is a live streaming service for high-quality video. It enables real-time collaboration during post image sessions for television, film or spots.

Coming from a family of artists definitely played a role in her path to colorist. Let’s find out more…

La Somme de Nos Rêves

What would surprise people the most about what falls under the title of colorist?
Well, firstly, that I don’t work with hair (laughs). But I think it often suprises people how being a colorist involves as much technical knowledge as it does creativity.

Are you sometimes asked to do more than just color on projects?
Because I have some background in online editing, I’m sometimes asked to do some cleanup work — such as removing a logo or deeper beauty refinement that would usually be done in online editing.

What are some recent projects you’ve worked on?
Recently, I worked on a Volkswagen campaign that was conceptualized and created for social media only. I think the industry is adapting a lot to accommodate the marketing opportunities these apps provide. While it is limiting to work on a 9×16 ratio, the process is just as much fun, and the team was amazing.

Sheertex’s Of Resilience

I also worked on a four-part documentary series called Afro Canada that looks at the history of black people in Canada through their descendants to present-day events.

Can you describe a challenging scene from one of them?
Afro Canada had more than a year’s worth of footage from different cinematographers from different Canadian cities. It was challenging at first to manage, match and ensure consistency of the footage, but in the end, the challenge made the project even more fun, and I learned a lot as well.

How do you prefer to work with the DP/director?
Before I start, I like to see the project first and have a chat about the client’s intentions and visions for the look. I will often ask questions about the references and stills they sent to make sure I understand what they want and that we are on the same page.

I enjoy doing a first pass on my own to get a feel for the footage and how it responds with color management. Doing an in-person session is my favorite in order to continue the grade with the director and DP and to finalize the look and aesthetic. In the end, it is all about collaboration and teamwork, so being in touch with them from the beginning is always beneficial.

Alicia Moffet music video

How do you prefer them to describe the look they want?
By bringing visual references, videos, stills or even art. It gives me an idea of what they want, and I can ask questions about their project and see what they expect of me.

Any suggestions for getting the most out of a project from a color perspective?
Talking to the directors/DPs about their intentions and vision for the project is key, as it is a collaborative process. It is important to understand and communicate effectively. Also, having knowledge of the camera, lenses and any technical specifications can help a lot when grading a project.

How does your process change when working on a film versus episodics versus commercials?
It changes a lot, and every project is different. It is not the same working on a long-form project with more than 300 hundred shots versus a 30-second commercial. It is all about time management and understanding beforehand what needs to be done. What changes the most would be how I manage my groups and nodes and how much time I have.

What system do you work on?
Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve.

Microsoft Flip spot

How early on did you know this would be your path?
Both of my parents are artists, so I was exposed to visual arts early on in my life. We would always go to exhibitions and art installations on the weekends, and it definitely sparked my passion for visual aesthetics.

Also, my dad used to work on movie sets — in the art department, building and creating props — and would often bring me along. It kind of made sense to me that I would work in film production, but it really clicked that color grading was for me when I was an assistant editor. I got to learn and see more of this profession while preparing sessions for colorists. It is a great combination of creativity and technique, which is the perfect balance for me.

What’s your favorite part of color grading?
Besides look development and creations, I love to see the team happy and satisfied with the end result. Color is where all their hard work reveals itself, and it is highly rewarding to see how much they appreciate the final look.

I also love that this profession is constantly evolving; new technologies and methods arise every day. There is always something to learn, which for me, keeps the interest high for me.

Franky Fade music video

Do you have a least favorite?
I don’t really have a least favorite, but being in a dimly lit room can take its toll, especially in the winter. I just try to enjoy more sunlight and outdoor activities when I can.

What is the project that you are most proud of?
One of the first music videos I ever graded (The Lyonz’s What I Once Knew, I Know Now) was with a colleague of mine. I am proud of it because of the look I created, but also it confirmed how much I like what I do.

Where do you find inspiration? Art? Photography? Instagram?
Anywhere I can. It can be on my way to work or scrolling on Instagram or movies, music, architecture… I really like photography and realist art, so I glance through art books a lot. On Instagram I have collections of looks and aesthetics that I like, and I often look at those for inspiration.

Is there a film or show that sticks out to you as an example of great color?
I recently watched HBO’s Scenes from a Marriage by director Hagai Levi and starring Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac. The aesthetics of this series blew me away. Not only was the look visually pleasing, but it matched very well with the story and how the narrative unfolds. I was fascinated by how everything felt visually instinctual.

FitSpirit spot

Any tips or tricks you would like to offer up?
Cmd-S is your best friend. Taking the time to learn and organize your keyboard shortcuts can help you save time, especially in big sessions when there are many people in the room asking for and waiting for adjustments.

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
Probably something art-related. Maybe photography?

Can you name some technology you can’t live without?
Definitely my phone.

What do you do to de-stress from it all?
I’m still learning about the best way to unwind, as it can get pretty overwhelming at times. I think it is a question of balance and knowing your limits. Exercise and running help a lot. If I have a heavy week, I might sacrifice some social events to get more sleep.