Colorist Chat: Nice Shoes' Maria Carretero on Super Bowl ads, more

This New York-based colorist, who worked on four Super Bowl spots this year, talks workflow, inspiration and more.

Name: Maria Carretero

What kind of services does Nice Shoes offer?
Nice Shoes is a creative studio with color, editorial, animation, VFX, AR and VR services. It’s a full-service studio with offices in NYC, Chicago, Boston, Minneapolis and Toronto, as well as remote locations throughout North America.

Michelob Ultra’s Jimmy Works It Out

As a colorist, what would surprise people the most about what falls under that title?
I think people are surprised when they discover that there is a visual language in every single visual story that connects your emotions through all the imagery that we’ve collected in our brains. This work gives us the ability to nudge the audience emotionally over the course of a piece. Color grading is rooted in a very artistic base — core, emotional aspects that have been studied in art and color theory that make you explore cinematography in such an interesting way.

What system do you work on?
We use FilmLight Baselight as our primary system, but the team is also versed in Blackmagic Resolve.

Are you sometimes asked to do more than just color on projects?
Sometimes. If you have a solid relationship with the DP or the director, they end up consulting you about palettes, optics and references, so you become an active part of the creativity in the film, which is very cool. I love when I can get involved in projects from the beginning.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
My favorite moment is when you land on the final look and you see that the whole film is making visual sense and you feel that the story, the look and the client are all aligned — that’s magic!

Any least favorites?
No, I love coloring. Sometimes the situation becomes difficult because there are technical issues or disagreements, but it’s part of the work to push through those moments and make things work

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
I would probably be a visual artist… always struggling to keep the lights on. I’m kidding! I have so much respect for visual artists, I think they should be treated better by our society because without art there is no progress.

How early did you know this would be your path?
I was a visual artist for seven years. I was part of Nives Fernandez’s roster, and all that I wanted at that time was to try to tell my stories as an artist. I was freelancing in VFX to get some money that helped me survive, and I landed on the VFX side, and from there to color was a very easy switch. When I landed in Deluxe Spain 16 years ago and started to explore color, I quickly fell in love.

It’s why I like to say that color chose me.

Avocados From Mexico: Shopping Network

You recently worked on a number of Super Bowl spots. Can you talk a bit about your work on them, and any challenges relating to deadlines?
This year I worked on four Super Bowl spots Michelob Ultra PureGold: 6 for 6 Pack, Michelob Ultra: Jimmy Works It Out, Walmart: United Towns and Avocados From Mexico: Shopping Network.

Working on these kinds of projects is definitely a really interesting experience. The deadlines are tight, the pressure is enormous, but at the same time, the amount of talent and creativity involved is gigantic, so if you survive (laughs) you always will be a better professional. As a colorist I love to be challenged. I love dealing with difficult situations where all your resources and your energy is being put to the test.

Any suggestions for getting the most out of a project from a color perspective?
Thousands! Technical understanding, artistic involvement, there are so many… But definitely trying to create something new, special, different; embracing the challenges and pushing beyond the boundaries are the keys to delivering good work.

How do you prefer to work with the DP or director?
I like working with both. Debating with any kind of artist is the best. It’s really great to be surrounded by someone that uses a common “language.” As I mentioned earlier, I love when there’s the opportunity to get the conversation going at the beginning of a project so that there’s more opportunity for collaboration, debate and creativity.

How do you like getting feedback in terms of the look? Photos, films, etc.?
Every single bit of information is useful. I love when they verbalize what they’re going for using stories, feelings — when you can really feel they’re expressing personality with the film.

Where do you find inspiration? Art? Photography?
I find inspiration in living! There are so many things that surround us that can be a source of inspiration. Art, landscapes, the light that you remember from your childhood, a painting, watching someone that grabs your attention on a train. New York is teeming with more than enough life and creativity to keep any artist going.

Name three pieces of technology you can’t live without.
The Tracker, Spotify and FaceTime.

This industry comes with tight deadlines. How do you de-stress from it all?
I have a sense of humor and lots of red wine (smiles).