August 16, 2016

HDR Artistry Meets Masterful Storytelling in Kubo and the Two Strings

Director Travis Knight calls upon Technicolor to provide 2D, 3D and HDR color grading services for his new stop-motion adventure film, Kubo and the Two Strings.

 “I’d never really seen anything like that before.”
               -- Travis Knight, director of Kubo and the Two Strings

 

Technicolor had the opportunity to sit down with Travis Knight, director of Kubo and the Two Strings, to discuss his first experience with HDR and working with Technicolor senior colorist Mike Sowa.  Sowa led the 2D, 3D, and HDR color grading work for the visually-stunning stop-motion animated feature, releasing to theaters nationwide on August 19th.  Kubo is the fifth stop-motion animation feature from Knight’s Oscar-nominated production company, Laika.

 

Watch the video below to see Knight discuss Technicolor’s HDR artistry and collaborating with Mike Sowa:

 

“You realize how effectively you can use the tools you have here at Technicolor to tell the story, to guide the audience to look at the right thing, to evoke the kind of emotion you want.”
               -- Travis Knight, director of Kubo and the Two Strings

 

Knight describes why he chooses Technicolor and his creative collaboration with Sowa in the video below:

 

We also had the opportunity to ask Sowa about his experience working with Knight and the new creative possibilities HDR unlocks:

 

Q:  How would describe your creative collaboration with director Travis Knight?

MS:  Working with Travis was a truly wonderful experience.  He came in with a very specific look which he had been developing long before I came onto the project, yet he was always open to me presenting another interpretation of that look.

 

Q:  What was the overall approach in the color grades?

MS:  Every scene had a specific look that was designed into the lighting and set decoration.  I had to make sure I honored all that beautiful work when grading it by paying extra attention to fine detail in the top and bottom end of the picture.

 

And be sure to check out the theatrical trailer for Kubo and the Two Strings, color graded by the Technicolor Marketing Services Team: