Setting the Visual Language
Few films in recent memory have captured the imagination quite like Brady Corbet’s ambitious, visually arresting saga, The Brutalist. A testament to the tight-knit collaboration between director Brady Corbet, cinematographer Lol Crawley, and colorist Máté Ternyik, the film tells the story of a visionary architect who flees war in Europe to rebuild his life in America.
Drawing Inspiration
From the earliest camera tests, Máté played a central role in refining the film’s aesthetic, working closely with Crawley and Corbet to shape a look that evokes grandeur, texture, and the passage of time. "I was initially brought on board as the dailies colorist," Máté recalls. "However, from my first session with Lol and Brady, working through their camera test footage in pre-production, there was a mutual feeling that we all spoke the same language and shared a sense of aesthetics."
Setting the Visual Language
The team designed the film’s aesthetic to play on the graceful yet surreal and menacing feel of brutalist architecture. "Lol and Brady often came into the studio after wrapping to screen and grade the previous day’s rushes," Máté explains. "After they had asked me to stay on to do the final DI, these sessions became even more involved, and we did a lot of great work even during the shoot, finding looks and solutions that, in many cases, made it into the final grade of the film."
Using DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve Studio was an essential tool for this project, used through the dailies color and final DI grade. "It’s various denoising tools, used in several different ways, sometimes globally and sometimes on individual channels, have been great at reducing grain where needed," Máté says. "I also used the Channel Mixer extensively to clear colors in the shadows in a more pleasing way. We also used the integrated grain feature to add grain where needed and to match other shots within a scene."
Conclusion
The Brutalist is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of involving colorists in the creative process from the earliest stages. By working closely with Corbet and Crawley, Máté was able to bring a unique vision to life, one that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant.
FAQs
Q: What was the role of the colorist in the production of The Brutalist?
A: Máté Ternyik played a central role in refining the film’s aesthetic, working closely with director Brady Corbet and cinematographer Lol Crawley to shape a look that evokes grandeur, texture, and the passage of time.
Q: What was the inspiration for the film’s aesthetic?
A: The team drew inspiration from the brutalist architecture movement, aiming to create a look that is both graceful and surreal, with a sense of menace and foreboding.
Q: What was the role of DaVinci Resolve in the production of The Brutalist?
A: DaVinci Resolve Studio was used throughout the dailies color and final DI grade, providing a range of tools for color correction and grading, including denoising, color matching, and grain management.
