Vivid Landscapes and Raw Emotion: Colourist Dominic Phipps Discusses 'Forgiveness'

Forgiveness, a powerful new film directed by Felix Julian Koch at Abelone Films, is set to explore the emotional journey of a South African man grappling with a violent past. Shot by cinematographer Rory O’Grady and colour graded by Company 3 colourist Dominic Phipps, the film delves into themes of disconnection in modern society and the transformative power of forgiveness. 

Dominic worked closely with Felix, Rory and Søren Haxholm (producer), he meticulously crafted a natural colour palette that emphasizes the connection between the audience and the characters on screen. 

“Forgiveness was one of those projects that just gets you excited from the beginning,” says Dominic. “The story, the passion, the creative approach – everything just aligned perfectly.  We had some great sessions with tons of back and forth, constantly experimenting and pushing each other. It was a truly collaborative and rewarding experience.” 

The team sent a mood board ahead of the grade, filled with frames from various sources. The images were filled with colour and vibrancy, however not in a forced or pushed way. The references weren't overly saturated in any sense, just all corners of the images had subtle hues and tones throughout, creating a very full and rich looking image. With these references in mind Dominic was able to make a start ahead of the grade session so he had something ready to present to Felix and Rory.  

Alongside references, the brief for the film was to create something heartfelt with emotion that resonates with viewers. This was always at the forefront of the team's minds when navigating the grade. Dominic explains, “We took a natural approach to the colour palette, capitalising on South Africa's changing weather to achieve a varied and visceral look across scenes. The film features stunning sunsets, brilliant blue skies, and the pure tones of clouds over the mountains.”

The film's core objective was to bridge the gap between viewers and the characters on screen. While some scenes boast a more striking visual style, much of this impact stemmed from the in-camera work. This allowed Dominic to focus on subtle enhancements, ensuring the world we created felt believable and emotionally resonant, avoiding an overly artificial aesthetic. 

Dominic’s approach was to effectively let the Super 8 format do exactly what it's there for – to ground the viewer in snippets of nostalgic home video. "We made sure not to push the Super 8 too much and were happy for it to sit slightly outside of the look we'd created for the 35mm," he notes. This distinction helped maintain a sense of raw authenticity for the Super 8 scenes. 

Dominic concludes, “The grading process had an energy that led to a beautifully executed film from top to bottom.” 

More information on the film, including its release date, will be released soon. In the meantime, if you are interested in collaborating with Company 3 on your next project, click here to get in touch.