The Commercial World’s Growing Need for Great Colour Grading, with Benjamin Rozario

Benjamin Rozario is a colourist with a versatile portfolio. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and ability to craft bold and intricate colour palettes.

Before joining Gate+, Benjamin built an extensive client base as a freelance colourist. He also spent time at VICE where he graded documentaries and earned credits across BBC, Channel 5 and UKTV. Now focused on short-form work, Benjamin has graded many award-winning short films and collaborated with leading global brands including adidas, Asics, Bentley, Cadillac, Ellesse, Hilton, Honda, i-D, Jo Malone, Napapijri, Nike, Nissan, Pandora, Porsche and Stella McCartney.

Working out of Gate+ in Soho, Benjamin continues to apply his visual sensibility to commercials, music videos and short films.

Benjamin sat down with LBB to discuss the moment he first discovered colour grading, memorable director collaborations, and his latest project grading Craig Bingham’s film ‘Our Wayne’.

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LBB> What was your first experience with the world of colour grading and when did you decide that being a colourist was a role that you wanted to pursue?

Benjamin> I first discovered colour grading whilst studying at Ravensbourne University. We had a few workshops in Nucoda and Mistika and it piqued my interest, so I started to teach myself DaVinci Resolve. During some work experience I had the opportunity to shadow colourist Robert Bates at Sequence Post Production whilst he worked through a daytime TV show.

Seeing first-hand the impact a professional colourist could have on a project was fascinating. As Robert worked through the shots, the mood of the piece completely changed. What was originally a rather grey and neutral day had become bright and vibrant. Perfect for the whimsical and upbeat nature of the show! I left the session feeling really inspired and thought I could pin this as the moment I decided to pursue a career in colour grading.

LBB> What was the project that you felt really changed your career?

Benjamin> This is a really difficult question to answer. But I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to work with the team at i-D magazine. Their films are so expressive and full of energy. It really allowed me to get creative with my colour grading and build my confidence. Working with talented directors such as Isolde Penwarden, Tom Ivin and Keziah Quarcoo was a great experience.

More recently, working with director Craig Bingham on his film ‘Our Wayne’. The film follows an open and raw conversation between Craig and his brother Wayne, as they discuss family tensions and reconnect through the struggles that first distanced them.

This was a very personal piece for Craig, who also shot the film. I appreciate that he trusted me with the colour grade so it was important for me to get it right.

We wanted the cinematography to leave an impression, almost as though each frame was a painting. The grade needed to have a good amount of colour separation but equally feel organic and authentic. This fine balance was achieved using almost entirely primary corrections and only a few secondary corrections where they were absolutely necessary. We spent a lot of time crafting the visuals, pushing and pulling the images until we felt they were in the right place.

It was a hugely collaborative process and served as a reminder as to why I love this job. The film has since been shortlisted for multiple film festivals.

From the technical side, working on the Injury Lawyers 4U campaign last year was a great experience. It was a VFX heavy project and aside from completing the grade, I was involved in establishing the colour pipeline and liaising with all our teams to plan the colour grading workflow. We had our offline edit and 2D VFX in Manchester, CGI team in Bangkok and our finishing team here in London. It was really satisfying planning it out and seeing it all come together without a hitch!

LBB> How and where did you hone your craft and did you have any particular mentors?

Benjamin> I think this will always be an ongoing process. But my time at VICE was very influential. I was exposed to a complete mix of projects. From long-form documentaries shot in the most extreme conditions to beautiful commercial work through their creative agency Virtue. It was my first full-time job as a colourist as well which allowed me to immerse myself in colour grading on a day-to-day basis.

My journey has been quite different from the traditional route as a lot of my colour grading knowledge so far has been self-taught. But I have had some great mentors and guidance along the way. Such as Frank Piazza, who really helped me build my technical knowledge during my time as an edit assistant. I learnt so much about the different departments within post production and I have leaned on those skills time and time again throughout my career.

Also Steve Atkins who provided me with invaluable advice when I first took the leap and went freelance as a colourist by always answering my questions and helping me navigate that path. There’s no instruction manual for going freelance so his insight was hugely appreciated.

I’m always grateful to those who share their knowledge with me and love the idea of passing it forward. I’ve since been back to Ravensbourne University to lecture students and also provide mentoring for those interested in colour grading.

LBB> Tell us more about your creative process. For example when you get a project how do you go about developing a look?

Benjamin> For me the priority is to align with the creative vision. Treatments, conversations with the director and director of photography and seeing a rough cut of the edit are all so helpful for me to achieve that. Then I can start to get a feel for the grade and bring my own ideas to the table.

I always like to have a bit of time on a project before clients arrive where possible. Having time to check the colour management, familiarise myself with the material and experiment with some looks is great because it means we can hit the ground running when they arrive and use our time together effectively.

The nuts and bolts of creating a look are bespoke to each project and communicating with the creative team throughout the grading process is key. Sometimes it can be challenging.

For example, if a project has a very tight turn around or there are creative differences between the creative and the client. I think it’s important as a colourist to navigate those challenges with a clear and logical approach. I also try to keep an open mind whilst grading.

Sometimes feedback may seem obscure but in attempting to make those adjustments it can often spark new ideas.

I enjoy being emotionally invested in projects and I think it brings out the best in me as a colourist. It allows me to draw from previous experiences and grade with a critical eye. It’s such a great feeling when I watch back a piece of work and everything feels emotionally and visually aligned.

LBB> From experience we’ve found that colourists often love art and photography. When you’re out of the studio what inspires you?

Benjamin> I love being outdoors (ironic I know) so draw a lot of inspiration from that. For example skiing in the mountains or hiking around the Lake District. Aside from feeling inspired by the scenery, I find these places offer me a lot of mental clarity too.

As a colourist I spend a long time staring at screens in a dark room without sunlight, so I really value my time offline. I think there’s something about the juxtaposition of being away from the city and out in the elements that really appeals to me. A few years ago I was handed a box of vintage cameras from my neighbour and I’ve slowly been shooting rolls of film on them to check if they work. I always take one of these cameras on my trips and sometimes reference those images in my work.

I also gain a lot of inspiration through chatting with people from all different creative disciplines. I love sharing ideas, understanding people’s creative processes and hearing their perspectives.

LBB> Colour grading is largely a digital affair but there’s also been a resurgence of film over the past few years in commercials and music videos. What are your thoughts about working on film versus digital formats like 4K? And what are your favourite techniques for capturing a vintage or tactile feel?

Benjamin> I love working with film. It has a certain magic that’s hard to explain. It’s so exciting to open up those images and see all that detail, image texture and density that you don’t get with digital formats. When working with digital there’s lots of techniques I’m using to replicate analogue film including film curves, using grain scans and experimenting with halation.

LBB> When working in commercials what role can colour and a grade play in enhancing a brand’s assets and what sort of conversations do you have with creatives and clients about that? For example, is there often a strategic or consistent look for a brand? Can these be too heavy handed?

Benjamin> I think having a colourist for commercials is crucial. An obvious example would be using masking and adding shapes to direct the audience’s attention to a specific part of the frame like a logo or a product. Another would be the ability to isolate and adjust the hue of a product to match a colour swatch.

I recall working on a commercial for Arla and the main focus in the grade was getting the milk the right shade of white to match the product. On the surface this sounds quite straight forward but contextually it was a challenge. In this commercial there was milk everywhere! CGI milk pouring out of the sky and milk special effects captured in camera too. It was my job to align all of these elements in the grade. Also because the product is white and it was the brightest part of nearly every frame in the commercial, it meant any adjustment I made to the colour temperature would drastically change the overall look and feel of the advert. I think about eight clients attended the final grade session and we’re all looking at the monitor in the suite deciding on the shade of the milk. Should it be a touch warmer and creamy or perhaps more neutral and cooler? I think it was important to have everyone together in the suite to make that decision. Not only to be looking at the same monitor but also to have creative discussions and make sure everyone was on the same page.

In my opinion brands are having to work harder than ever to grab someone’s attention these days so there is a desire to push the look and feel of a grade.

LBB> How do you ensure that each colour director partnership is a success?

Benjamin> Producing good work is vital but I think successful colourist and director partnerships are really a result of being personable and building genuine relationships. We have a lovely colour grading suite in the heart of Soho so I’m always keen to invite people into our office for sessions. I find that connection comes much easier in person!

LBB> What advice would you give to a budding colourist?

Benjamin> My advice would be to grade as much as possible – including the more challenging material. Having that experience in your locker can give you confidence when similar situations come up in a suite full of clients. Also try not to compare yourself to others. Enjoy the colour grading career process and remember that everyone’s journey is different.

LBB> In your opinion, what’s the difference between a good grade and a great grade?

Benjamin> I think a good grade provides balance and consistency. A great grade is one that adds emotional depth and immerses you in the story – that’s what makes it exciting! I love it when I’m watching a film and can appreciate all the work and detail that has gone into the colour grade. You think about it long after the film has ended.

LBB> How is the craft and trade of colour grading changing?

Benjamin> I think there is an increasing emphasis on colourists expanding their toolset and completing minor VFX work as part of the grade in order to aid productions. This has always been the case, but I think this will become more prevalent as budgets become tighter.

Speaking of toolsets, there are more features being released which leverage AI capabilities such as depth mapping and the ability to relight in the grade. I don’t find myself needing to use these tools at the moment but I can see how they might prove useful on more challenging material. In terms of wider trends, I’ve noticed colourists being less specialised and starting to take on both short-form and long-form projects.

I’m also seeing a growing trend of using more bold and cinematic tones in commercials that I would usually associate with narrative work and I love that. I’m pleased that remote grading options are becoming more accessible as they are necessary!

But for me, nothing beats the energy of being in the room with like-minded people. Getting into that creative dialogue, bouncing ideas off each other and crafting something special.