'Tis the season. Of witches, ghosts, and bent-neck ladies. As Halloween approaches, Netflix releases an original 10-part series, The Haunting of Hill House.

I'm not a media critic, so I never use this Newsletter to recommend specific movies or tv shows. But this Halloween I'm making an exception.

Hill House is one of my favorite television series - ever.

It's less gruesome than The Walking Dead (but with terrifying moments). It has more character development than a soap opera. And it sprinkles in the jump scares required of this genre. Plus the constant time-shifting between eras is (mostly) perfectly executed, overlaying a sci-fi aspect (commenting on the nature of time and perception) that I wasn't expecting.

Plus, the great camera work, directing, acting, and - yes - color grading are top notch. It's also released in Dolby Vision and ATMOS. My only criticism is that occasionally the Average Picture Levels (APL) in HDR was pushed too high. It forced my B7 LG OLED to dim the picture, which is noticeable when on the next shot, about 2 seconds in, the picture brightens suddenly.

Some reviewers don't like the monologues. And some don't like the final episode. I enjoyed those aspects precisely because they wouldn't pass muster for a Hollywood studio.

I highly recommend it, if you enjoy this genre. It's perfect for the the back end of October.

See you next Sunday.

Happy Grading!

- Patrick Inhofer
  Colorist | Publisher | Mentor

[video] Steve Yedlin ASC puts his theory to the test, in this multicamera shootout. As a post pro, you should feel good about his conclusions. This is Part 2 of the video series I highlighted last week.

A talented colorist (and all-around good guy) tackles an often asked question from people trying to break into the color grading business.

The site's description says it best, "Search through 180 Color Palettes used throughout the last 4000 years." Bookmark it.

This is a high-level look at the path of one UK colorist who is now leading a Shanghai-based team. It's always fun to hear how industry leaders made their way.

One word: Drool.

A good update on Netflix's strong subscriber growth. Plus tidbits on their new production studio in New Mexico. 

[video] If my free Quickstart on Mixing Light is TL;DR then this might be up your alley.

You shouldn't consider yourself a DaVinci Resolve finisher if you don't have an understanding of Color Trace. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, click through to bring yourself one step closer to mastery.

[video] From the Max Keynote, see the color tools get demo'ed - with gusto. As you expect, everything works perfectly - but it's always interesting to watch, just for the messaging. Especially if you're a freelancer or solo-entrepreneur competing against - or using - these tools.

8 cities have been announced, including a few new ones; including my adopted home of Orlando. I probably won't be teaching and will enjoy being an attendee at one of these events (for a change). Various dates in 2018 & early 2019.

[video] This webinar covers the excellent new features in this update including: the new Mocha Essentials workspace; GPU accelerated object removal; and Mocha VR for 360.

This new playback and review service from SGO is free to test drive during its open beta period. It seems to be positioned for VFX-heavy productions.

[video] In the process, Scott Stacy CSI creates a 'Western' look.

An informative series of tests, that seems to pick on LG. Still, if you're running an OLED then you should take a few minutes to read this.

Another good profile from the folks at Pomfort. I like this cart for the thing that sets it apart: It's tidy.

. . . with Core i9, Quadro P2000/P5200, Up to 128 GB DRAM. Serious contenders for mobile colorists and DITs that need all the power they can get.

I know a good number of colorists who would like to see a refresh of the Mac Minis to drive 4K into Scopebox without dropping frames at higher frame rates.

I found this interesting, as someone who hasn't upgraded their MacBookPro in a few years. And if you're buying one today as a mobile workstation - well, both versions of the 15" have the touchbar. So you get to decide for yourself, no matter what.

An Apple repair specialist tries to get aftermarket batteries for laptops that Apple won't repair; and US Customs seizes them at Apple's request. This item isn't here to bust on Apple, but to advocate for 'Right to Repair' legislation and fight planned obsolescence. 

Is it too soon to start putting together your Christmas wish-list?