From Sound Engineering to Color Grading: A Journey Rooted in Passion
For Johan Hjalmarsson’s path to becoming a respected colorist at SVT was anything but ordinary. His love for electronic music as a teen led him to explore sound engineering, where he trained on analogue tape and digital DAWs. Freelance gigs in sound recording and mixing soon turned into opportunities in visual editing, and by the time he joined Nordisk Film Shortcut, one of Scandinavia’s premier post-production houses, he was fully immersed in mastering and online editing. That’s where he first encountered the art of color grading, training under one of Sweden’s top colorists. “The first time I saw a colorist at work, I was hooked, the grading panels looked like sound mixing desks, and I was instantly drawn to the endless possibilities for shaping a story’s mood.” Now, as a colorist at SVT, Johan’s journey has come full circle, combining his technical expertise with an artistry that continues to evolve.
Crafting Stories Through Color: The Allure of Color Grading
Johan’s excitement for color grading goes beyond the tools, though he admits a particular fondness for the technology. “Grading is where the story really starts to come alive,” he explains. “It’s not just about adjusting colors; it’s about connecting with the project and shaping the tone in a way that enhances the narrative.” Collaborating and seeing the final project come together keeps Johan’s passion alive. “The people at SVT are fantastic,” he says. “The diversity of the projects and the team really makes each day unique and inspiring.”
Reimagining a Classic with a Modern Touch
One of Johan’s favourite recent projects was the reboot of Labyrinth, a cherished Swedish game show. The challenge lay in updating the look while honouring its iconic aesthetic. “With the reboot, we wanted to pay homage to that style but in a more refined way since the original was filmed with linear studio cameras,” Johan explains. To capture the essence, they toned the blacks with green and cyan, reflecting the green slime that was a central feature of the original show. Johan went for rich contrast with softened highlights, bringing out the gritty texture of the robot costumes. They kept the ‘good guys’ warm and vibrant, while the villains’ skin tones were pushed to a stark, cold white. Daytime scenes, filmed in the misty Swedish forests, were kept low in luminance to match the series’ overall dark tone. This reboot was a joint project between Norway and Sweden’s public broadcasters through Nordvision, where broadcasters co-produce, share programs, and develop formats together.
Making Documentaries Cohesive with Nucoda: Blending Old and New
Documentaries at SVT often require blending freshly shot footage with archival materials, and for Johan, this process is a labour of love. “It’s all about bringing a sense of cohesion to different visual elements without distracting from the story,” he says. Here, Nucoda becomes an indispensable tool. “Nucoda allows me to bring archive footage up to a quality that fits alongside modern shots,” he explains. “I’m often working with video elements that need restoration, removing chroma noise, dot crawl, and color bleeding. Sometimes I deinterlace footage or even add grain to create a cohesive look.” For film archives, Johan’s approach is meticulous. “I remove dirt, scratches, stabilize flickering, and equalize grain across all footage,” he notes. “When it’s done well, you shouldn’t be thinking about the grading at all, you should just feel immersed in the story.” In cultural documentaries, Johan sometimes takes more creative liberties, enhancing the visual elements to bring out the artistry of the subject, be it music, fine art, or theatre. “Nucoda really lets me stretch those creative muscles, and it’s a joy to see the final product when everything is balanced just right.”
Finding the Perfect Look: Collaborating with Clients
For Johan, the startup session is always a highlight. “I love playing around with different looks and trying to meet the client’s vision,” he shares. “Sometimes, they come in with no idea how their project should look, while other times they bring in detailed mood boards, referencing specific films or meticulously crafted production designs.” Early in his career, feedback sessions were nerve-wracking, but now he values the collaborative process. “I’ve learned to organize my workflow to keep color correction separate from grading, so I can easily switch looks without reworking everything from scratch,”. To prepare, he often selects a few ‘hero shots’ and familiarizes himself with the material, creating two distinct looks to present during the first meeting. This flexibility and preparation help ensure the final look aligns perfectly with each client’s vision.
Crafting a Cinematic Look for Drama Series
Johan’s work on drama series involves a fine balance between cinematic artistry and practical constraints. “While everyone loves the classic orange-teal look, it isn’t right for every show,” he laughs. “If everything looked the same, the network’s lineup would lose that visual uniqueness.” Therefore the best approach is to tailor the look to each production’s unique feel.
Looking Forward to HDR and the Future of Color Grading
As Johan looks to the future, he’s most excited about HDR technology, which allows for richer, more dynamic images. “Working with a wider dynamic range in HDR is incredible; it’s like seeing colors as they appear in real life,” he says. “2025 will be the year of in house HDR production at SVT, everything is already set up from grading studio to the distribution”, Johan is preparing by studying the best HDR content he can find. “It’s an exciting time,” he shares. “Camera technology and display quality have come so far.”
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Colorists
For those just starting, Johan emphasizes mastering the basics while staying curious and open to learning. “Know your software, understand cameras, codecs, and color management, and most importantly, take every opportunity you get. Dive into each project, learn from it, and don’t shy away from feedback, it only makes you better.” And above all, he says, “If you can find a mentor, do it. Working with someone more experienced is invaluable.”
Johan’s journey from sound engineering to color grading, his mastery of Nucoda, and his drive to push boundaries make him a standout in the industry. As he embarks on new projects and embraces the future of HDR at SVT, his work continues to inspire those looking to tell stories through the art of color.