Color management workflow in After Effects CS4

This white paper is intended for professionals in the motion graphics, video, and film production industries who need a reliable approach to achieving accurate and consistent color in their workflows. It provides compelling answers to a major question: How does color management technology in After Effects CS4 help you achieve accurate and consistent color reproduction?

Read the white paper:

• Color management workflow in Adobe After Effects CS4 (PDF, 1.9 MB)

Topics covered

The white paper comprises four core chapters:

• Introduction to color management
• High-definition video workflow
• Digital cinema workflow
• Animation or Flash export workflow

The first chapter defines color management and explains why you should use color management in your After Effects projects.

The second chapter covers using After Effects CS4 and Adobe Photoshop CS4 to achieve more accurate color in a high-definition (HD) video workflow. You can use this workflow for standard-definition (SD) distribution as well.

The third chapter provides detailed instructions for using After Effects CS4 and Photoshop CS4 to achieve accurate, consistent color in a digital cinema workflow that is commonly used during production for motion picture distribution and presentation. Although the term "digital cinema" often refers to the display of content using digital projection systems, this workflow describes control of digital content in After Effects CS4 for output to formats appropriate for both film-based and digital distribution and projection.

The fourth chapter discusses using After Effects CS4 to achieve more accurate color when exporting to the SWF and FLV file formats. This workflow is commonly used when creating animated content for viewing within an HTML web page using Adobe Flash Player. Compositions are also output to SWF or FLV for distribution on DVD.

Finally, Appendix A provides detailed information about color spaces and how they are used in color managed workflows. Appendix B explains the Adobe-supplied ICC profiles. Appendix C provides a glossary of color management-related terms. Appendix D lists additional resources for further study.

Where to go from here

Read Image state adjustment in After Effects CS4 color workflows to learn about additional topics related to this white paper.