Troy Smith is a colorist at FotoKem’s Margarita Mix Hollywood. He calls it “a unique facility because it has a boutique feel with the resources and support of a large facility.”

In 2011, Margarita Mix built out the video side of its business offering online editorial and color grading, in addition to audio mixing, recording and sound design. The company works on commercial, episodic television, streaming and documentaries.

Let’s find out more from Colorist Society International member Smith, whose background is in online editing…

As a colorist, what would surprise people the most about what falls under that title?
We sometimes do things that usually fall under VFX work.

Would you say your job evolved at all beyond color?
Our role is always evolving. My background is in online editing, and that is a huge advantage when working in Resolve. Sometimes we are asked to do VFX work, blurring or painting out unwanted objects. For some of my shows, I also do the online editing and final exports.

What are some recent projects you’ve worked on?
Life Below Zero: First Alaskans, Port Protection, The Shop: Uninterrupted and The Shop: Lineup.

Can you describe a challenging scene from one of them?
Images captured from GoPros and DJI drone cameras can be challenging. Sometimes they are set up properly in one location but then get moved to another location, where the setup is not optimal.

For example, a GoPro can be attached to a boat early in the morning, and as the day goes on, the lighting changes and the location of the boat changes. In one shot the camera could have the sun to its back, and in the next shot, the same camera could be facing the sun.

How do you prefer to work with the DP/director?
I prefer to work with the DP/director in person. When that is not feasible, we have a few remote options available.

How do you prefer the DP or director to describe the look they want? Physical examples? Film to emulate, etc.?
Stills work the best because we can import them and put the images side by side to get the same feel.

Any suggestions for getting the most out of a project from a color perspective?
We get the best results when we do a pre-color session before the episode or when the season starts. For example, when we first started First Alaskans, we discussed with the showrunner how they wanted the show to look, and they sent over a couple of scenes to establish that. Then they came in for an in-person review and finalized the look of the show.

For The Shop, the client sends over a couple minutes of the show, and I set the color for approval before working on the entire episode.

How does your process change when working on a film versus episodics versus commercials, etc.?
The biggest difference is time. We will spend more time per shot on the commercials, and there are usually more people who collaborate and approve the color.

What systems do you work on?
Nucoda Film Master, Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve and Avid Symphony.

What’s your favorite part of color grading?
My favorite part of color grading is coming up with a look or style. It can be challenging because I can set a look for one shot, but what about all the other shots? Can that look be easily carried over to the entire show or scene? When setting a look, I choose a couple of shots and audition several looks before settling down on one that can be applied through the whole show.

Do you have a least favorite? If so, what?
Time is my least favorite part of color grading. I get wrapped up in my work because I enjoy it so much, and the time goes by too quickly.

How early on did you know this would be your path?
I went to high school in Ohio, and knew I wanted to work in Hollywood. After college at  DePauw University, I moved to Los Angeles and worked as a runner for a post company. I would stay late after my shifts to learn from others. I kept walking through the doors that opened to me. I became an assistant editor, online editor and then colorist. The more I learned about color grading, the more I liked it.

If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
I would prefer to be a full-time dad. The rewards are amazing, but the pay is awful. In fact, it costs a lot of money to be a dad, so if I didn’t have my job as a colorist, I would probably be a Flame artist.

What is the project that you are most proud of?
I had a lot of fun working on Top Gear America. On every episode, we were coming up with a new look or style for the “action film” segment of the show. To this day, I still use some of those looks in other projects.

Where do you find inspiration?
I like watching movie trailers for inspiration.

Is there a film or show that sticks out to you as an example of great color?
I think a great color grade is one that you don’t notice. Even if the show has a heavily stylized look, if the look feels part of the world and doesn’t take away from the story, it’s great color.

Any tips or tricks you would like to offer up?
Never stop learning. Be willing to spend time and even money on color grading courses to get better.

Can you name some technology you can’t live without?
My Tektronix scope, specifically the Double Diamond display, which is my favorite tool for color grading. I’m also madly in love with my Sony X300 reference monitor.

What do you do to de-stress from it all?
I like to exercise early in the morning. It really gets my blood flowing, and I feel more energized. Reading my bible and journaling help calm my mind.