Vlog #8: Editing Insights & Recent Project Breakdowns

Hey there—welcome to Vlog #8! This time around, I’m sharing behind-the-scenes editing tips from some recent jobs. I had originally planned to show more on-location footage, but I accidentally reformatted my Insta360 camera’s memory card before transferring those clips—ouch! So, I’ll focus on the post-production side of my process. Let’s get into it!

1. Seven Rivers Tree Service (Sizzle Reel)

The Power of the Right Song

This project was a sizzle reel for a tree-trimming and stump-grinding business, mainly to play on the client’s website. While the visuals were fairly straightforward—showing the crew trimming, removing trees, and grinding stumps—I spent a lot of time finding the perfect song.

• Chunks & Transitions: I looked for a track with distinct sections where I could naturally transition between the three main services (trimming, removal, stump grinding).
• Matching Tone: The chosen song had a driven, “work hard” vibe. It helped convey the grit of the job and gave me rhythmic cues for editing.

Takeaway: Don’t settle for a “close enough” track. The right song can make a huge difference in the flow and feel of your video.

2. Wedding Boutique Showcase

Next up: a wedding boutique project featuring various styled scenes (salon, movie theater, tattoo shop, bookstore). Think of it as a fun, trend-focused lookbook for brides-to-be.

Making Key Elements “Pop”

One of my favorite color correction tricks is desaturating the background so the focal subject really stands out. For instance, there was a wide shot of a salon exterior where I wanted to emphasize the building’s warm tones while toning down everything else. Using a power window in DaVinci Resolve, I isolated the building and cars, bringing up their color while desaturating the surrounding area.

Pro Tip: Sometimes it’s better to reduce color in other elements rather than piling on saturation where you want emphasis.

Lightbox in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci’s Lightbox feature (found under the Color page) shows thumbnails of every clip in your timeline. By seeing them all at once:

1. You can quickly spot consistency issues in your color grading.
2. It’s easier to keep different shots in the same scene looking cohesive (especially in varied lighting conditions like a dark movie theater or a bright salon).

Dealing with Low Light & Grain

At one point, I was stuck in a movie theater location without my lights, resulting in noisy footage. To fix this:

1. Initial Color Grade in Resolve, accepting the noise.
2. Export to ProRes.
3. Run Through Topaz AI Video for denoising.
4. Apply a film-look aesthetic in Resolve, leaning into a slightly retro vibe.

This workaround worked reasonably well, but it was time-consuming. Always remember: “We’ll fix it in post” is rarely the best plan if you can fix it on set!

3. ORA Trails Bike Park Construction

I’ve been collaborating with ORA Trails—an organization building a new bike park in the area—and capturing their progress over several months. This was a trade project (they credit me as a sponsor, promote my business, etc.), and they’ve been fantastic partners who consistently introduce me to new people and projects.

Handheld Footage & Simplifying the Rig

For the final day of filming, I went handheld instead of using a steadicam. It was a great choice because:

• The shots were mostly static—showing asphalt being laid, close-ups of equipment, etc.
• I didn’t need a ton of smooth movement or dynamic camera moves.
• It’s quicker to reposition if you’re filming in short bursts.

Reusing Saved Color Grades

Since I’ve shot this project in multiple phases, I saved my color grading presets from earlier sessions. In DaVinci Resolve, use Grab Still on your final node tree, then reapply that grade to new clips to maintain consistency and speed up your workflow.

Pro Tip: Store these in Power Grades so you can access them in any project.

Looking Ahead

• Upcoming Music Video: I’ll be working with a local artist who has a really unique voice. Expect some fresh, creative behind-the-scenes soon.
• Symphony Work: I’ve been in talks with more orchestras, which aligns with my push into capturing live performance video (big passion of mine!).
• Periodontist Project: Filming a highly specialized dentist who’s rebranding his practice in October.

Plenty of exciting shoots in the pipeline, and I’ll keep sharing the details—both in the field and in the editing bay.

That’s all for Vlog #8! Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes action. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.

—Jake, Blue Tie Productions