How color correction affects the audience and the original movie

This paper answers the main research question  How does color correction affect the original movie and the audience In addition, it also answers analytical questions that arose from studying these articles. The discussion section also includes the reflection on how these articles affected my project on color correction. Color correction cannot be seen as detached from its context, but as a process and the outcome that engages in a dialectical process with the environment and its actors. The articles reviewed also gave me a clearer insight into diverse color correction software and approaches as well as provided certain information concerning rich technical knowhow.

    Color correction refers to the various techniques used to clean badly-damaged films (Carroll, 2005, p.18) or colorize black-and-white films or both (Salgia, 2005, p.132). In the age of digital cinema, color correction has also been embedded in the process of DVD restoration or digital restoration in general (Carroll, 2005 Turci, 2006). Digital restoration, however, is not yet a widespread practice because of the costs and marketing involved (Carroll, 2005 Turci, 2006).

Turci (2006) complained, however, that there is a lack of comparative information about the practical experiments and ethical standards in Europe regarding DVD restoration and this makes it difficult to understand the process of DVD restoration and managing the intended effects (p.111). Carroll (2005), on the other hand, examined the conceptual function of digital restoration, and argued that artificialization is its ultimate impact on the original film, while also affecting the cultural memory of the audience with the renewed film (p.19). Salgia (2005), unlike Carroll (2005), held a more positive outlook on color correction, even aligning the results to the needs of the audience and film production crew. This paper answers the main research question  How does color correction affect the original movie and the audience In addition, it also answers analytical questions that arose from analyzing these articles. The discussion section also includes reflection on how these articles affected my project on color correction.

    Summary of findings
    This section discusses the summary of findings that directly answer the main research question. The references used for this paper identified positive and negative effects of color correction on the original film and the audience. They are chosen because they come from scholarly databases, such as EBSCOhost and Project Muse. They are all case studies on color-corrected films, coming from different countries. The authors of the chosen articles are considered as scholars of their fields because of their technical knowhow revealed in color correction practices and technology, and related technology, which increases the usefulness and validity of the results and conclusions of their studies.
Turci (2006) considered the European film restoration from the perspective of eight companies that perform digital restoration. Salgia (2005) examined an Indian film, the all-time Indian classic and famous blockbuster film Mughal-e-Azam. Carroll (2005) investigated the impact of digital restoration on American films, particularly The Eternal Frame, La Dolce Vita, and The Passion of Joan of Arc. It must be noted that none of these articles specifically focused on color correction, although they all discussed the impact of color correction on the original film, while Salgia (2005) and Carroll (2005) also examined the impact of color correction on the audience.

Based on these articles, color correction affects the original film by 1) improving the color and quality of the film, in ways that traditional approaches cannot, 2) aligning with stakeholder interests, and 3) protecting the films from further decay and possible complete loss (Carroll, 2005 Turci, 2006 Sagia, 2005). On the other hand, color correction can also threaten the integrity of the film and compromise the cultural values it represents through subjective changes in the correction decisions (Carroll, 2005 Turci, 2006).

Color correction affects the audience by inserting new modes of interpretation that can either be seen in a positive note or as a commercialist endeavor (Carroll, 2005 Turci, 2006 Sagia, 2005).  This paper will discuss each point one by one.

Color correction affects the original film by improving the color and quality of the film, in ways that traditional approaches cannot. Turci (2006) examined the digital restoration practices of eight European film archives, in order to compare and understand these practices. He asked them about the advantages and disadvantages of digital restoration. Many of them agreed that they used digital restoration because numerous problems in preserving films cannot be solved by traditional photochemical restoration (Turci, 2006, p.121). Digital restoration can help them correct color, which can improve even the films original color properties, such as hues and pixels.

The effects of color correction on the film, according to Salgia, were to restore hue colors, to remain true to the wishes of diverse stakeholders, and to improve the historical accuracy of the colors in each scene. Salgia (2005) aimed to use color correction to filter out wrong colors (p.130). The software used only those colors that have similar gray tones as the original shot. This made the film more true to the exact colors of the original shooting. Salgia (2005) called this process as Natural Colorization (p.130).

Color correction is also done by following the wishes of actors and production crew, particularly in the case of Salgia (2005). The director of Mughal-e-Azam K. Asif wanted to reshoot the entire film in color, after discovering that having some scenes in color made an attractive impact (Salgia, 2005, p.129). Still, the distributors of the film could no longer extend the deadline of the film after spending millions and they wanted the film to be released as it is 15 percent in color, 85 percent in black and white (Salgia, 2005, p.129). When the film was proposed to be made in color, the actors also approved it (Salgia, 2005, p.129). It can be seen here that diverse stakeholders made it also possible to correct the colors of the original film through providing their consent and support.

The color correction also served to reinforce the historical value of the film and capture the true meaning of the Mughal era, in the case study of Salgia (2005). Salgia (2005) consulted Mughal-era books and Kangra paintings from Geet Govind, written by Jaidev, one of the best depictions of Krishna and Radha, to determine the right color for Radhas clothing. He also consulted scholars on the authenticity of the colors during the time and the historical time presented on the film. For instance, some of the scenes were invented by the director, such as the birth of the Hindu God, Lord Krishna, in Akbars court (Salgia, 2005, p.130). Akbar was a sovereign celebrated for his secularism, but history books do not mention this (Salgia, 2005, p.130). In this scene, the heroine acts as Radha and the Mughal-era books did not hint on the proper colors for Radha (Salgia, 2005, p.130). The production in charge of coloring then used the Kangra paintings from Geet Govind, in order to identify the closest colors that can represent Radhas clothing (Salgia, 2005, p.130). One more example is the scene wherein Salim holds a rose in his hand. The art director recommended a red color, but the problem was that the software did not acknowledge this color (Salgia, 2005, p.130).  The historians also commented that the rose could not have been red, because during those times, roses were pink, and red roses were hybrid plants (Salgia, 2005, p.130).  These examples showed that color correction served an instrumental purpose of also correcting the historical accuracy of the original film.

Color correction can also prevent the film from being further destroyed by natural decay. Carroll (2005) and Turci (2006) appreciated the effort of color correction to protect the original films from further damage. Carroll (2005) understood the need to preserve the past through color correction. Turci (2006) also reported that archive companies wanted to protect the original version through digital technology.

On the contrary, color correction can also threaten the integrity of the film and compromise the cultural values it represents through subjective changes in the correction decisions (Carroll, 2005 Turci, 2006). Carroll (2005) reminded the promoters of digital restoration about the significant impact of restoration on the significance of the cultural memories that are entrenched in original films We are no longer content with removing superficial damage. By editing into the image itself, we employ the means and motivation to resurface the intended content of the history, changing the nature and, hence, the meaning of cultural memories (p.20). In addition, he also commented on the commercialist nature of color correction, which can violate the integrity of original films. He cited Derrida who was also concerned of what is lost during the archiving process of restoration (Carroll, 2005, p.21). Derrida argued that restoration is a series of decision-making processes, official language, aesthetic qualities, and the cultural heritage of film preservation, which all affect how the new film will be presented (Carroll, 2005, p.21). This process and the choice of films to be archived remark the appeal to the new and modern audience (Carroll, 2005, p.21). Thus, the commercialist view can inevitably compromise the novel values and meaning of original films.

Turci (2006) also viewed from the archive companies that they have difficulty also in identifying the boundaries of color correction. They are not sure if they are doing too much or too less, because there is no accepted professional ethics guidelines on digital restoration.  These sources reveal that color correction can also be a power process, wherein the editor gains the power of changing the cultural memory of the original film

Color correction affects the audience by inserting new modes of interpretation that can either be seen in a positive note or as a commercialist endeavor. Salgia (2005) focused more on the positive effect of color correction in a way that the audience loved the colorized film more. He stated that when the film was released, it became the talk of the town and that the film had been so popular that companies like McDonalds, Pepsi Foods, Tata Tetley, and so on used the theme of Mughal-e-Azam to promote their products. The film had a hundred-day run in fourteen cinema halls in India (Salgia, 2005, p.134). 

Carroll (2005) analyzed the commercialist effect of color correction of modern viewers. For him, practices of restoration such as color correction cannot always be merely seen as a process of correcting weaknesses, but a process of business marketing. He argued Thus, restoration demonstrations suggest that digital restoration practices are less concerned with archival conservation than actively shaping the market for cultural memory (Carroll, 2005, p.21). The cultural memory is now transformed as means for capitalist ends.

    Analysis
    Color correction can be a part of the larger practice of digital restoration because of the digital machines and software used for this process. In itself, it is a technical activity that aims to serve technical functions of improvement or restoration. The sources disclosed color correction practices and software that depicted the efforts in restoring the original hues of the film, especially if the plan is to make it in full color.

These sources reveal, nonetheless, that color correction can be a powerful aesthetical, social, political, cultural, and economic process. Carroll (2005) asked readers to question the value of what is lost in this process. The society of the original film represents meaning that can be lost in the color correction process. There are also politics playing when decisions are made on the exact color changes to be made that no longer follow original colors. Culture is also infused by the editors, by using their own culture to interpret original films. Color correction is also highly economic, because the digital process is not always done for the sake of art, but for the sake of commercial gain.
These articles enlighten people about the diverse discourse on restoration of original films. At some point, they do raise valid concerns and objections. Or, they may be just too paranoid. A closer look of their issues reveals that they have substantial theories and experiences backing them up. In the real world, the choice of archiving alone is both a question of politics and economics. Color correction, in relation, is not a technical process by itself but a representation of these evolving beliefs and premises. However, it is possible to use the commercial drive of color correction positively, through editors that engage in thoughtful discourse with financiers. The cultural memory of the new film can be bargained and negotiated, so that the integrity of the original films will not be compromised.

    These articles also brought the following questions about the issues of ownership and authenticity to arise. The questions are Who should decide what should be changed or deleted in color correction Is there truly such as process as restoring the original when the act of color correction itself invades already on the original film If the color correction impacts the original film and the audience, then these are also questions worth exploring.

    In addition, these articles also mostly focus on the impact of color restoration on the original film. There is no actual empirical analysis done to evaluate the impact of color correction to the audience. Carroll (2005) presented a mostly theoretical underpinning for the impact of color correction and related digital restoration practices to the modern audience. Salgia (2005) based his findings on this topic mostly on his views and observation. Future studies need to be conducted on the effects of color restoration on the audience.

    Discussion
    These articles have made a considerable influence on my project concerning color correction, because I used only to see it as a technical process with an instrumental function of restoring or preserving the originality of the film. These articles, especially Carroll (2005) made me realize that color correction renders an ideological movement, and for whom and from whom are good points of inquiries. There are positive outcomes of color correction on the preservation and improvement of original films. There are also negative outcomes, when it results to undermining the integrity of the film. However, whose interests should prevail When restoration decisions are made by the market, then the market should decide. The audience has the power to identify color correction practices that will affect the cultural memory they wish to elicit from films. Reality shows, however, that the audience is not yet that activist on this regard. In the future, it is possible that the audience would soon actively affect the archiving and restoration process. Furthermore, these articles also influenced my knowledge on color correction. They exposed to me on the different software and approaches used by the United States, Europe, and India, and they greatly enriched my knowledge on color correction.

    Color correction involves aesthetical, social, political, cultural, and economic dimensions. It is in the middle of a myriad of beliefs and premises about the power of restoration in affecting the original film and the audience. As a result, it cannot be seen as detached from its context but as a process and outcome that engages in a dialectical process with the environment and its actors. The articles reviewed also opened my eyes to diverse color correction software and approaches. They are practical and conceptually enriching for my own project purposes.

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