After joining Lucky Post in Dallas in 2013 right out of film school, Neil Anderson was officially promoted to colorist in 2017. He has worked on a variety of projects during his time at the studio, including projects for Canada Dry, Costa, TGI Fridays, The Salvation Army and YETI. He also contributed to Augustine Frizzell’s feature comedy, Never Goin’ Back, which premiered at Sundance and was distributed by A24.
YETI
We checked in with Anderson to find out how he works, some favorite projects and what inspires him.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
That’s a really hard question because there are a lot of things I really enjoy about color grading. If I had to choose, I think it comes back to the fact that it’s rewarding to both left- and right-brained people. It truly is both an art and a science.
The satisfaction I get when I first watch a newly graded spot is also very special. A cohesive and mindful color grade absolutely transforms the piece into something greater, and it’s a great feeling to be able to make such a powerful impact.
What’s the most misunderstood aspect of color artistry?
I’m not sure many people stop and think about how amazing it is that we can fine tune our engineering to something as wild as our eye sight. Our vision is very fluid and organic, constantly changing under different constraints and environments, filled with optical illusions and imperfect guesses. There are immensely strange phenomena that drastically change our perception of what we see. Yet we need to make camera systems and displays work with this deeply non-uniform perception. It’s an absolutely massive area of study that we take for granted; I’m thankful for those color scientists out there.
Where do you find your creative inspiration?
I definitely like to glean new ideas and ways of approaching new projects from seeing other great colorists. Sometimes certain commercials come on TV that catch my eye and I’ll excitedly say to my partner Odelie, “That is damn good color!” Depending on the situation, I might get an eye-roll or two from her.
Tell us about some recent projects, and what made them stand out to you creatively?
Baylor Scott & White Health: I just loved how moody we took these in the end. They are very inspiring stories that we wanted to make feel even more impactful. I think the contrast and color really turned out beautiful.
Is This All There Is?
Is This All There Is? by Welcome Center: This is a recent music video that we filmed in a stunningly dilapidated house. The grit and grain we added in color really brings out the “worst” of it.
Hurdle: This was a documentary feature I worked on that I really enjoyed. The film was shot over a six-month window in the West Bank in Israel, so wrangling it in while also giving it a distinctly unique look was both difficult and fun.
Light From Light: Also a feature film that I finished a few months ago. I really enjoyed the process of developing the look with its wonderful DP Greta Zozula. We specifically wanted to capture the feeling of paintings by Andrew Wyeth, Thomas Eakins and Johannes Vermeer.
Current bingeable episodics and must see films?
Exhibit A, Mindhunter, Midsommar and The Cold Blue.
When you are not at Lucky Post, where do you like to spend time?
I’m an avid moviegoer so definitely a lot of my time (and money) is spent at the theater. I’m also a huge sports fan; you’ll find me anywhere that carries my team’s games! (Go Pack Go)
Favorite podcast?
The Daily (“The New York Times”)
Current Book?
“Parting the Waters: America in the King Years 1954-1963”
Dumbest thing you laughed at today?
https://bit.ly/2MYs0V1
Song you can’t stop listening to?
John Frusciante — 909 Day
