Digital color correction to match shots across different lighting conditions and cameras. Removes color casts, balances exposure — essential when shooting MOS or with multiple cinema packages.
When editing footage shot over multiple shooting days or with different cameras, color differences that were not noticeable when viewing individual clips quickly become apparent. This is where Dunning comes in — a digital correction process that systematically harmonizes color casts and exposure differences between shots. The term originates from English color grading and describes less a single tool than the entire process of color matching in editing and post-production.
Practical application begins with the digital dailies review: As soon as footage from two different cameras is seen side-by-side — for example, a 5D Mark IV next to a RED Komodo — or when the same camera has shot under different lighting conditions, it becomes clear that consistent color grading is necessary. Dunning corrects this systematically: color temperatures are measured, saturation is matched, color casts from mixed light sources (daylight + artificial light) are neutralized, and the emotional visual language is ensured to be consistent throughout the entire film. This is often done using lookup tables (LUTs), with isolated color range corrections, or through secondary corrections of individual elements.
In everyday on-set and editing work, Dunning becomes a necessity as soon as multiple cameras shoot in parallel or when a location is filmed at different times of day. An exterior shot from Monday might have been taken under overcast skies, while Friday was sunny — both shots must later work side-by-side in the same scene. Modern NLE systems offer Dunning tools directly in the editor; specialized grading software like DaVinci Resolve or Mistika enables more precise, non-destructive corrections across all clips. The process is iterative: one starts with rough white balances, then gradually refines contrast, saturation, and individual color channels until the entire material visually "belongs together."
A common scenario: interior shots with mixed lighting, where windows (daylight ~5500K) meet artificial ceiling lights (~3200K). Dunning corrections must proceed with differentiation here — not ironing everything to a single white point, but preserving light characteristics and synchronizing only where necessary. This distinguishes professional Dunning from crude auto-corrections.