Tahirah Foy is a colorist at Santa Monica’s ArsenalFX Color, a post studio providing full-spectrum services to the television industry, including color, VFX, conform and dailies.
Formerly with HBO, Foy joined ArsenalFX Color earlier this year, bringing with her experience in color grading for television, film and broadcast media as well as in film restoration. Foy, who has a Master of Fine Arts media arts degree from Emerson College, began her career as a post coordinator working on the AMC series Fear the Walking Dead. She later joined the post house Mad Old Nut Productions in Hollywood as an online editor. She became a colorist at the entertainment marketing agency Lussier, and in 2019 she joined HBO as a colorist, where, among other things, she was part of a team that remastered nearly 100 episodes of the hit series Sex and the City.
In her first project for ArsenalFX Color, she performed final color grading for the feature documentary Big Boss, directed by Keke Palmer.
We reached out to Foy to find out more about her job and how she works.
As a colorist, what would surprise people the most about what falls under that title?
I think a lot of people are surprised that color science and color theory actually involve a lot of math.
Are you sometimes asked to do more than just color on projects? Has your job evolved at all beyond color?
I have worked as a colorist and online editor on a few projects. I enjoy it, though I love all aspects of post production and finishing.
What are some recent projects you’ve worked on?
Recently, I worked as one of the colorists on the team that remastered HBO’s Sex and the City.
Can you describe a challenging scene from one of them?
The biggest challenge with Sex and the City was remaining true to the look and tone of the original series while amplifying the visuals for the new display technologies of today. It was an exciting process.
How do you prefer the DP or director to describe the look they want? Physical examples? Film to emulate?
Physical examples and mood boards are great, but every project is different. I try to take it project by project. Every director and/or DP has their own way of articulating their creative vision, so I just try to listen and maintain a sense of openness. I think that is the best way to develop a good collaborative shorthand.
Any suggestions for getting the most out of a project from a color perspective?
As a colorist I strive first to understand the creative vision and create a safe space for visual exploration. Then I use my tools and skillsets to help make the creative vision as clear, captivating and engaging as possible.
How does your process change when working on a film versus episodics versus commercials, etc.?
Ultimately, I feel the color fundamentals are very similar across all three. The change is fine-tuning the process for the difference in pace and the way audiences experience each of the three.
What system do you work on?
I work primarily in Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve.
What’s your favorite part of color grading?
My favorite part of color grading is that it nurtures my creativity, curiosity and love of visual art. Every day I get to stretch my creative muscles in new ways. I am constantly exposed to different visual perspectives, which is exciting.
Do you have a least favorite?
I don’t really have a least favorite part. I love the whole process. Every project is unique. That’s what makes the job so exciting.
How early on did you know this would be your path?
From a very early age, I was always painting and drawing. My parents would hang my artwork all around the house. I always had an interest in color and light and how they could be used to emote. When I started to study film theory and media art in undergraduate and graduate school, I gained a broader toolset and language to articulate and interact with the visual mediums I had always loved.
In my MFA program at Emerson College, I was exposed to the ins and outs of post production, and that’s when I realized that I wanted to work in television post production as a colorist.
If you didn’t have this job, what would you be doing instead?
I think I would be a painter or a photographer. I would be doing something very similar to what I am doing now, just with a different medium.
What is the project that you are most proud of?
I am proud of them all. Each piece is a part of my journey. They all pushed me to learn and refine my craft. I would not be the colorist I am today without each project, so I am proud of them all.
Where do you find inspiration? Art? Photography? Instagram?
I find a lot of inspiration in still photography, street art and traditional fine art. I enjoy going to museums or flipping through a good photobook.
Is there a film or show that sticks out to you as an example of great color?
I absolutely loved the look of The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
Any tips you would like to offer up?
I think is it important to remember that perceptive color is relative. Striking visuals are about context, and that context is built from our emotions and experiences, both individual and collective. I think it’s important we trust this visual language just as much as we trust the color science.
Can you name some technology you can’t live without?
I cannot live without a camera, whether it’s a medium-format film camera, a 35mm film camera, a DSLR or a small point-and-shoot. I absolutely love carrying a camera. I prefer taking pictures with a camera over a phone.
What do you do to de-stress from it all?
I enjoy the high-paced energy of post production, but when I need to de-stress, I listen to music and play the piano.
