The hit Netflix series 1899 has captivated audiences with its unique storytelling and innovative visual effects. Directed by Jantje Friese and Baran Bo Odar, the show combines elements of historical drama with dark thriller and sci-fi, pushing the boundaries of television production.
For 1899, filmmakers utilized a 270-degree circular LED wall known as 'Volume,' capable of rotating 360 degrees. This setup allowed real-time background replacement using CGI and pre-captured content, creating a dynamic virtual production environment. Despite these advancements, post-production remained crucial for achieving the desired visual effects.
Post-Production Challenges
Steffen Paul, colorist at Basis Berlin, played a key role in the series' color grading and finishing. He began working during pre-production to establish a standard look for the show, producing a universal LUT (Look-Up Table) applied across all monitors and dailies.
The initial setup aimed to streamline the workflow between VFX vendors and the editing room. However, the process evolved as they adjusted scene matching, exposure compensation, and mood for each scene. The dailies team at Panoptimo in Munich handled this phase, working closely with Paul to ensure consistency.
After picture lock, Basis Berlin tackled the conforming process using DaVinci Resolve, a tool that Paul found increasingly efficient for handling complex projects. They used CDL (Color Decision List) transformations and ACES color management to create a starting point for digital intermediate grading.
Blending Foreground and Background
One of the main challenges in 1899 was blending the physical set with virtual backgrounds. The LED wall sometimes appeared soft due to its limited resolution, prompting Paul to use DaVinci Resolve's sharpening tools like Texture Pop to enhance certain frequency bands.
Paul also addressed lighting issues from the RGB LEDs, which lacked energy in the orange spectrum crucial for skin tones. He used custom DCTL (DaVinci Colorspace Transform Language) transforms to adjust contrast and color in specific regions, such as blue hues, improving the overall visual consistency.
In some scenes, particularly those set in the ship's cabins without a backdrop, the team relied on Resolve's Match Move tool to add a faint horizon. The Flicker Addition plug-in also proved invaluable for simulating flickering light sources like fires and lamps.
Final Deliverables
The final deliveries for 1899 included one IMF (Interoperable Master Format) per episode, compliant with Netflix specifications. These were rendered in UHD with Dolby Vision metadata and a Dolby Atmos mix. The grading timeline was used to create an ACES digital source master for quality control and mastering.
Paul emphasized the importance of decoupling the grading and delivery processes, allowing pre-deliveries without disrupting the grading timeline. This approach enabled the team to meet deadlines while maintaining high-quality standards.