Managing a project in ACES with Nucoda

Managing a project in ACES with Nucoda

In this article, we’ll walk you through ACES management in Nucoda including how to set up your project, export settings, and workflows.

Setting up an ACES project

  • Select ACES as the color space
  • Select the required version of ACES (note: be careful here to select a version of ACES which is compatible and supported by the rest of your workflow
  • Select ACES CC or CCT as the working color space
    • ACES CC gives a control feel like that of log video grading
    • ACES CCT gives a control feel similar to that of Cineon film log grading
ACES UI 1

Half Float has been selected by Nucoda (note: ACES uses half float files, this is normal)

  • Select the output format
  • Select ACES OT
  • Select an Output Display Transform (ODT) suitable for your display device
  • Apply the ODT (Apply LUT button)
ACES UI 2
  • Import your media
  • Grade using your chosen ODT
  • Add the correct Input Display Transform (IDT) to your clips using the properties menu (note: Remember that the properties tab applies to the clips in the media browser, not the clip currently selected in the timeline)
ACES UI 3
  • You should find this workflow particularly useful for working with projects using multiple differing cameras or sources (such as archive)

Multiple delivery formats using ACES

A common delivery requirement is to deliver a copy of the show in HD, P3 theatrical, and HDR. These are the typical steps required for this.

  • Output 1 (Rec709 HD)
ACES UI 4
  • Output 2 (P3 HD)
ACES UI 5
  • Output 3 (UHD HDR Rec709 2020 PQ)
ACES UI 6
  • Select your output format from the output tab
ACES UI 7

Possible output workflows

  • Grade using your Rec709 ODT; save the timeline and label it as Rec709
  • Duplicate the 709 timeline and rename it as P3
  • Switch to your P3 ODT and do a trip pass (note: this shouldn’t require too much work if you’re lucky)
  • Save your timeline
  • Duplicate your timeline and rename it as HDR
  • Switch to your HDR ODT and do a trim pass using the brightness regions control to control the HDR part of the signal
  • Save your timeline
  • Output your various deliverables

Saving the ACES 2065 data for archive purposes

It’s a requirement for some deliverables to supply the ACES 2065 data

  • Create an output at your chosen archival resolution (note: here we have chosen to archive at the project’s full UHD resolution)
  • Remove the ACES output transform
ACES UI 8
  • Go to the Export Media tab
  • Select EXR
  • Enable the SMPTE 2065 ACES tab
  • Select your chosen export directory
  • Export your ACES data
ACES UI 9

For further support, check out our user forum (link)