Quick Start Guide Dolby Vision: Baselight

  • Jul 13, 2023
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Quick Start Guide Dolby Vision: Baselight
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Article Content

This article explains how to set up Filmlight Baselight for a Dolby Vision project and it also covers the main steps required to create content in Dolby Vision. This guide was updated to reflect Baselight version 5.3 18123 functionality.

We’ll go over the following topics:

 


Creating a New Scene

  • Create a New Scene
  • Set the correct
    • Working Format
    • Working Frame Rate
    • Working Colour Space settings for the scene
      • Use one of the scene templates for a predefined colour setup or change the settings in View -  Scene SettingsView after creating the scen

Note:
A scene-referred workflow is recommended for Dolby Vision projects. 
This decision should be made in consultation with all other departments involved, such as VFX, the post supervisor, and the colorist's preferences before production begins.



 


Scene Settings

If you have not used an existing template to set up your scene,  

  • Go to View - Scene Settings  - Format & Colour 
  • Select a suitable Working Colour Space

 

The following combinations are popular scene-referred grading options for HDR and Dolby Vision deliveries:

 

Working Colour SpaceDisplay Render Transform
Filmlight: T-Log / E-Gamut              TCAM v2
ACES: ACEScct / AP1ACES RRT
ARRI ALF – 2: LogC / WideGamutARRI ALF – 2
RED IPP2: Log3G10 / RedWideGamutRGBREDIPP2



For this article, we select Filmlight: T-Log / E-Gamut with a Truelight CAM v2 Display Render Transform.

Scene Settings Colour.png
 

  • Go to the Advanced section
  • Set Mastering Colour Space set to Automatic from DRT
 
This will align the mastering color space to the selected Viewing Color Space (in the Cursor Settings view)
 
For Dolby Vision, you can choose either :
  • Dolby: ST 2084 PQ / P3 D65 / * or
  • Rec.2100: ST 2084 PQ / Rec.2020  / * colour spaces.
The Mastering Color Space Setting “Automatic from DRT” will limit the gamut to P3 in both cases; therefore, the image will look the same in either a P3 or Rec.2020 viewing color space configuration.
  • Set Mastering Operation to Set White & Clip
  • Set Mastering White Point as from Mastering Colour Space

 
Advanced Colour.png


 

Dolby Vision Version & Mastering Display Selection

  • Go to the Dolby Vision section
  • Set Content Mapping to Internal CMU (v4) or Internal CMU (v2.9) depending on the delivery specifications of your customer or studio. 
    • If not explicitly stated, we recommend the use of version 4
  • Select the Dolby Mastering Display that matches the connected reference display device and its calibration
    • For this example, we set the Dolby Mastering Display to Dolby: ST 2084 PQ / P3 D65 / 1000 nits

This mastering display setting is saved as level 0 metadata.

  • Leave the APO (L11) Content Type set to Default
  • Leave the APO (L11) White Point as its default setting of 6504 Kelvin (D65) unless your client specifically requests otherwise.

Dolby Vision Settings.png


 

Video Output Setup

  • Select Baselight - Setups
  • Set Signal to R:G:B 4:4:4, 10 or 12 bit with no SDI scaling applied in order to output a full range SDI signal
  • Configure signal wiring as per your infrastructure
  • Keep all other settings set to Automatic


image.png


Ensure that these video monitoring settings match the input settings of your connected reference display.

 

Dual Colour Spaces Layout


Depending on your SDI output device, you can set up dual HD or UHD output and use the dual colour space layout in Baselight to view two different cursors on different monitors. E.g. one cursor with the main HDR Viewing Colour Spacey and the other cursor with a tone mapped, e.g. SDR 100 nits Viewing Colour Space (mandates all shots to be analysed).

To use dual colour spaces:

  • Navigate to Baselight - Setups
  • Set video mode to Stereo
    • For Kona 4 this will be HD, only
    • For Kona 5 this can be UHD

You will now have two SDI video outputs that can have separate viewing colour space .

Dolby_Dual_Video_Setups.png

 

After activating the setup,

  • Navigate to Display and select Dual Colour Spaces Layout 

Dolby_dual_Mnu.png

 

  • Go to the Cursors View and set the intended Viewing Space for output 1 and output 2

Dual_Colour_Space.png

Contact FilmLight for more information if needed



 

Viewing Format & Viewing Colour Space

  • Navigate to Cursors View
  • Set the Viewing Format to reflect the native dimensions of your render, which is usually UltraHD 3840x2160 for all Dolby Vision home deliveries.
    • This resolution must correspond to an aspect ratio of 1.78. This info is stored as canvas aspect ratio in the Dolby Vision metadata and is used when exporting the Dolby Vision XML.
  • Set the Viewing colour Space to match the calibration and setting of your Dolby Vision Mastering Display.
    • In this example, Dolby: ST 2084 PQ / P3 D65 / 1000 nits



You can now conform your material

  • Select Views - Colour Space Journey and verify your color pipeline. Make sure that the viewing color space matches the calibration of your reference display.


image.png


Regardless of the Working Color Space selected, it is important to ensure that your Viewing Color Space settings match the Dolby Vision Mastering display selection as well as the calibration of your reference display.

 

Masking

Before setting up the masking, check if your project has a single picture aspect ratio, or if it contains multiple aspect ratios. There are different approaches to working with single or mixed aspect ratios in a Baselight Dolby Vision scene.

In cases where the Viewing Aspect ratio and the Image aspect ratio are the same, no masking is required


Masking for single aspect ratio scenes

This scene uses a single aspect ratio that is different from the Viewing Format aspect ratio.

  • Go to Cursors View and add the Mask menu



 

  •  Choose the correct aspect ratio for the scene.

image

 

  • Select the Action menu above the Cursor View and select Use these cursor settings when scenes in this job are opened
    • This will ensure the cursor view setting remain the same for all scenes in this project


  Action_Menu_Save.png



What is the purpose of the Cursor Mask?

  • The mask value will set the active image area for the Dolby Vision analysis. This aspect ratio is recorded as image aspect ratio into the Dolby Vision metadata
  • The cursor mask provides the image aspect ratio value when exporting the Dolby Vision XML
  • It provides a visible mask (blanking) over your image (while grading)

 
 

Masking for mixed aspect ratio scenes (using per shot masks - L5)

One of the options available in the Mask menu is Dolby Vision L5. Choosing this value will derive the cursor mask from the Image Aspect Ratio defined in the Dolby Vision analysis strip. The Dolby Vision Analysis strip will allow you to set the image aspect ratio for every clip individually (recorded as L5 metadata).
In this case, the active image area for Dolby Vision analysis is defined within the Dolby Vision Analysis strip, not by the cursor mask. This mask is updated dynamically, so it can change from shot to shot.
 


Setting shot based image aspect ratio

The example below demonstrates how to setup a scene where most of the shots are 2.35:1 image aspect but a couple are 1.33:1.

  • In the Cursors View set the Scene Mask to Dolby Vision L5
  • Navigate to Select - Select All - DolbyEDR Operators
  • Enable Grouped Grading mode (Ctrl G or the Offset All button on the Blackboard)
  • Set L5 Aspect Ratio to 2.35 (in the Dolby Vision Analysis strip)
  • Turn off Grouped Grading Mode
  • Set L5 Aspect Ratio to 1.33 in the Dolby Vision Analysis strip for all shots with that aspect ratio

 

Dolby Vision Analysis

To run the Dolby Vision Analysis, insert a Dolby Vision Analysis strip at the bottom of each stack.

  • Go to Select and click Select all stack bottoms
  • Navigate to Insert and select Dolby Vision Analysis
    • This will insert a single Dolby Vision Analysis layer at the bottom of all stacks 

Shots with dissolves require an analysis strip for both sources, as well as below the dissolve strip.



image.png


 

Dolby Vision Analysis options

Navigate to a Dolby Vision Analysis layer and check the analyse options. There are several options to choose from when running the Dolby Vision Analysis.

  • Analyze This Strip: Analyzes the current strip
  • Selected Analysis Strips: Analyzes only strips that you have manually selected
  • Entire Scene: Analyzes every strip that is present in the scene
  • Selected Analysis Strips at Poster Frames: Analyzes the Poster Frames only and use their metadata for the whole strip
  • Current Frame: Analyzes a single frame that the timeline cursor is parked on which the colorist feels is representative of the entire shot

image.png 


 

Setting up the Dolby Vision Analysis strips

For a single aspect ratio scene

  • Go to Select - Select Dolby EDR Operators
  • Enable Grouped Grading mode (Ctrl G or the Offset All button on the Blackboard)
  • Set the Cursor Mask to the intended image aspect ratio 
    • This will also set L5 Aspect Ratio in the Dolby Vision Analysis strip (to 2.3881 in this example)
  • Go to the Dolby Vision Analysis strip
  • Use Show Area to check the analysis area
  • Click on one of the Analyse options to start the Dolby Vision analysis

 

For multiple aspect ratios in the scene

  • Go to the Cursors View and ensure the mask is set to Dolby Vision L5
  • Go to Select - Select Dolby EDR Operations to select all Dolby Vision Analysis strips
  • Enable Grouped Grading mode (Ctrl G or the Offset All button on the Blackboard)
  • Set the L5 Aspect Ratio in the Dolby Vision Analysis strip to the dominant aspect ratio in your scene 
  • Use Show Area to check the analysis area
  • Click on one of the Analyse options to start the analysis
 
As you move through the scene
  • Change the Analysis Area and re-analyse shots that are not the same aspect ratio


image.png


After the Analysis is complete, the Min, Max, and Average have now been populated in the designated fields at the top of the Dolby Vision Analysis view. These values are stored as L1 metadata.

image.png

All clips now have shot-by-shot analysis metadata. When the Dolby Vision Analysis detects a dissolve, those transitions are analyzed using frame-by-frame offset metadata.


 

Review of a tone mapped version

Once the Dolby Vision analysis is done, check the mapping at SDR 100 nit

  • Set the Viewing Colour Space to: Rec.1886: 2.4 Gamma / Rec.709 / 100 nits 
  • Set your mastering display to SDR Rec.709 (Full)
  • Review the mapping



image.png

You can additionally check the mapping at 600nit HDR, as this target serves as a good emulation for most Dolby Vision TVs. To do this, simply set your HDR reference display back to HDR.

Make sure to always set the Input of your reference display to match the Viewing Color Space selection.



Note:
You need to run the analysis again if you change the grading stack above the Dolby Vision Analysis strip. Therefore, we recommend that you first approve the HDR grading before running the Dolby Vision Analysis.

 
If you have a Dolby Vision trim license loaded, you can modify the mapping using the Dolby Vision Trim controls.


 

Dolby Vision Trim Controls

Trimming for SDR Rec.709 100 nits

To use the Dolby Vision Trims, add a Dolby Vision Trim strip below the Dolby Vision Analysis strip.
  • Set the Viewing Color Space to: Rec.1886: 2.4 Gamma / Rec.709 / 100 nits (as you should always start trimming the SDR mapped version first)
  • Click on one of the Dolby Vision Analysis strips in the timeline to select it 
  • Go to Select - Select All DolbyEDR Operators
  • Go to Insert - Dolby Vision Trim (note that this is in the “Miscellaneous” section if your Insert menu is set to grouped mode).
    • The Target Display Colour Space inside the Dolby vision Trim layer is now set to Rec.1886: 2.4 Gamma / Rec.709 / 100 nits for all stacks
image.png
image.png


 

Trimming for other Home Targets

You can also check the mapping for other targets and use trims, if needed. In this example: Dolby ST2084 PQ /P3 / D65 / 600 nits.
  • Go to the Cursors View and select New
  • Change the Viewing Colour Space to: Dolby ST2084 PQ /P3 / D65 / 600 nits
  • Set your mastering display to HDR (ST2084 PQ)
  • Review the mapping at 600 nits (the current Rec 709 trims will be interpolated) 
    • Optional:
      • Insert a new Dolby Vision Trim layer
      • Create new trims for 600 nits, if required


Note:
You need to add a dedicated Dolby Vision Trim layer for each Target Display Colour Space you want to trim for!

As the trims interpolate, it’s advised to trimming the 100nit SDR version first, check the interpolated versions as described above, and only create new trims if needed!


The Dolby Vision Trim controls in version 4 offer primary and secondary controls to adjust the mapping in each Dolby Vision strip layer for each target display output.

 

Mid Tone Offset – L3

Dolby Vision CMv.4.0 trim controls allow you to offset the initial analysis using the Mid Tone Offset (L3 Mid Offset) control. Therefore, this trim control is in the Dolby Vision Analysis layer and it is particularly useful for matching the overall exposure of the mapped SDR signal to the HDR master. It acts as an offset to the L1 mid values and adjusts the image’s mid tones without affecting the blacks and highlights.
It is recommended to first trim the mapped output with the Mid Tone Offset control before adding additional primary and secondary trims.

This global offset is per-shot and applies to all targets for the shot and gets recorded as Level 3 metadata.

 
image.png
Unlike the L3 Mid Offset control of the analysis strip, the trim controls in a Dolby Vision Trim strip only affect the target of that trim strip.

To learn more about the Dolby Vision Trim controls, visit this Best Practices Article.
 
Note:
On some consumer display devices, the current implementation of subtitles over HDMI applies Lift trim values to the black level of the letterbox.  
Consequently, avoid positive Lift values over 0.025. If the scene contains positive Lift values over 0.025, this may cause the letterboxed area to have elevated black levels during playback.
If the image aspect ratio matches the canvas aspect ratio, so there is no letterbox, positive Lift can be used without constraints.
 
Both primary and secondary trim values are stored as Level 8 metadata when using Dolby Vision CMv.4.0.

 

Dolby Vision Trim Controls – keyframe and edit functions

The Dolby Vision trim controls can be applied on as many shots as needed. Trim metadata can be copied and pasted onto any number of shots.
Baselight also lets you copy and paste analysis metadata. However, analysis metadata should be calculated individually for each shot and copied from one shot to another only for very specific use cases.
Using Baselight, all trims inside the Dolby Vision Trim layer can be animated. Those values are then stored as frame-by-frame values inside the Dolby Vision metadata
 
 

Trimming across dissolves

On dissolves, after applying the trims for both incoming and outgoing shot you will need to click the “Set Animated Trim Across Dissolve” button in the trim strip of the dissolve to avoid a bump during the transition.
Whenever you change the trim for either the incoming or outgoing side, you will need to click the “Set Animated Trim Across Dissolve” button again.
 

image.png



Export in Dolby Vision

The Dolby Vision XML metadata and the rendered master image file are exported via two different processes in Baselight - each using its own method to derive the image aspect area information.
Please be careful to follow the procedures below to ensure that the correct metadata is exported for the rendered image sequence, especially when working with a mixed-aspect ratio scene.
 
 

Export a Dolby Vision XML

You need to supply a Dolby Vision XML if your deliverable is TIFF 16-bit RGB or ProRes 4444 (XQ)
  • Go to Views and select Shots
  • Click the “Actions button” and select Export Dolby Vision Metadata
 
image.png
  • Define the Color Space of your rendered HDR media, which is either
    • Dolby ST: 2084 PQ / P3 D65 / * or
    • Rec.2100: ST 2084 PQ / Rec.2020 / * (if you need to deliver in Rec.2020)
  • Select the Frame numbering
  • Deselect Write v5 XML
    • Select v5 XML only, to include L11 as well as Cinema trims metadata to your XML.
    • If not explicitly requested and outlined in the delivery specifications of your customer, you should deselect this option to export a version 4 XML
Ensure that :
  • Format of Rendered HDR Media matches the Viewing Format
  • Mask - From cursor matches the cursor mask you have set for your scene
    • In the case where there were multiple aspect ratios, please set  Cursor Mask to Dolby Vision L5
  • Select a name and destination for the XML and press OK to export


 

Export a Dolby Vision Master file

  • Select View - Render and choose a suitable Dolby Vision Master file format
Supported formats include
  • ProRes 4444 (XQ) 
  • TIFF - RGB 16-bit uncompressed
  • Dolby Vision Mezzanine File (mxf)
  • IMF Package (mxf)
    • Generic App2e Dolby Vision
    • Netflix HDR - Dolby Vision
    • Supplemental IMF - Dolby MXF
 


Export in ProRes or TIFF RGB 16-bit

In Render View:
  • Choose Output Sequences for a TIFF export or Movies for a ProRes 4444 (XQ) export
  • Set Render Format to UltraHD 3840x2160
    Set Render Color Space to
    • Dolby ST: 2084 PQ / P3 D65 / * or
    • Rec.2100: ST 2084 PQ / Rec.2020 / * (if you need to deliver in Rec.2020)
  • For ProRes 4444 (XQ) renders
    • Set the Colour Space Tagging to Automatic
  • For single image aspect ratio projects
    • Set the Mask to the correct value that was used as Cursor Mask

image.png
 

  • For mixed image aspect ratio projects
    • Set the Mask to L5 Image Aspect Ratio

image.png
  • Choose a render location and a file name.
  • Select Submit Render and enter a title for the render operation to start the export process

 

Export a Dolby Vision IMF Package

In Render View
  • Choose Output DCP/IMF from the Type menu
  • Select the Dolby Vision IMF type you want to export
Screenshot 2023-07-11 at 16.34.47.png

 

 

  • Set Render Format to UltraHD 3840x2160
  • Set Render Color Space to
    • Dolby ST: 2084 PQ / P3 D65 / * or
    • Rec.2100: ST 2084 PQ / Rec.2020 / * (if you need to deliver in Rec.2020)
  • For single image aspect ratio projects
    • Set the Mask to the correct value that was used as Cursor Mask
  • For mixed image aspect ratio projects
    • Set the Mask to L5 Image Aspect Ratio
  • Choose a render location and a file name
  • Select Submit Render and enter a title for the render operation to start the export process

Note:
There was an issue in Baselight where using the L5 Mask option incorrectly calculates the Image Aspect ratio for Dolby Vision IMF and Dolby Vision Mezzanine files. This will affect any scenes that have multiple aspect ratios. Read this article for more info on the current issue.
This issue has been fixed in Baselight 5.3 17457 and will also be in all new releases.
Please contact FilmLight Support for further inquiries.


 
 
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