Remote colour grading review: how Cinelab collaborates without compromise
Cinelab on refining their remote workflow with RePro
Remote colour grading review is no longer a stop-gap measure or a compromise on quality. For Cinelab, it’s become a crucial part of delivering colour-critical work to productions across the globe.
We spoke with Joshua Callis-Smith, CTO/Colourist, and Darren Rae, Head of Colour, about how RePro’s high-fidelity, real-time UHD video streaming has shaped their remote workflows, enabling creative collaboration with confidence, from dailies through to final DI.
Why is real-time connectivity with stakeholders so important in colour-critical workflows?
Josh:
It’s fundamental. From day one, our role as colourists is to ensure the cinematographer's creative intent is carried through every stage of the process. People become accustomed to the way images look. If key stakeholders are viewing material that doesn’t reflect the creative intent for months during post-production, it can become difficult to make changes in the final grade. Remote collaboration, when done properly, prevents that from happening.
Darren:
Exactly. If I’m working with a DoP I have a strong relationship with, we’re building that look from the outset. They want to know the film’s look is locked in, no matter where they are. Remote tools like RePro enable us to deliver that level of control and flexibility, even when they’re halfway across the world. It’s about creative continuity.
What challenges come with working remotely on colour reviews, and how have you overcome them?
Darren:
The biggest challenge? Connectivity. We recently worked on a project 2,000 miles offshore, literally in the middle of the ocean. Setting up that review process took a lot of collaboration between the production’s technical team and our own, but RePro handled it. Once the internet is stable, the workflow just works.
Josh:
Connectivity aside, getting material to grading has always been about time constraints. DoPs on set have a million priorities, and reviewing shots isn’t always at the top of the list. Historically, dailies reviews would happen at the start or end of the day, often in person. Now, we can offer flexibility. A review can happen whenever it suits the DoP: on wrap, the next morning, or even live on set. That level of flexibility just didn’t exist before.
When it comes to colour-critical work, what technical standards do you look for in a live stream?
Josh:
For dailies review, we’re looking for a minimum of YCbCr 4:2:2 10-bit HD, which covers SDR and HDR at both 2K and 4K. SDR review for dailies is still far more common, but the HDR shows we’ve done have been seamless with RePro.
Darren:
We’ve done HDR reviews through RePro too, with no problems. I just switch my monitor, and that’s it. HDR for live grading, SDR for editorial. It’s a testament to how seamless the tech is now.
What does Cinelab’s optimal remote grading review setup look like?
Josh:
Flexibility is key. We’ve got three 4K HDR viewing environments and a 20-seat DCI projection theatre. Everything sits within a secure network, allowing images from any of our grading rooms to feed into RePro sessions as needed. Whether a DoP is on set, at home, or in a hotel room, we can support them.
Are there challenges you still face when working remotely?
Josh:
The viewing environment is the hardest thing to control. Calibration is only half the battle – you can have the best monitor in the world, but if you’re sitting in a sunlit room, your perception changes. That’s the reality of remote work. We can advise on best practices, but sometimes schedules dictate compromises. That’s just part of working flexibly.
How do you manage feedback during live grading sessions?
Darren:
Phone calls. WhatsApp. Sometimes, speakerphones in the grade. It’s no different from being in the room with someone. We make it feel as natural as possible. The DoP might pull the director in, we’ll all talk live, and decisions get made quickly. Open dialogue is key.
Josh:
The goal is to replicate the in-room experience, even when we’re miles apart. That’s why RePro fits our workflow; it lets us focus on the creative, not the tech.
What impact does early colour input during production have on the final grade?
Darren:
If you get it right at the start, it saves time and money later. The closer a DoP gets to their vision during production, the easier the DI becomes. You might still get changes down the line, but having that consistency through dailies helps everyone – editorial, VFX, the studio.
Josh:
We recently completed one of the most remote shows we’ve ever done; without RePro, it wouldn’t have been possible in that timeframe. The tech allowed us to deliver what the production needed without compromise.
What’s next for Cinelab’s remote workflow?
Josh:
We’ve fully switched our remote review platform to RePro because it’s reliable, accurate, and easy for both us and our clients. It’s now part of our toolkit for the long term. Remote review isn’t just an option anymore; it’s an integral part of how we deliver world-class results, no matter where the shoot takes us.
Whether you're reviewing dailies from a grading suite, a set halfway across the world, or your living room, RePro delivers the high-fidelity, real-time UHD video streaming trusted by Cinelab.
Find out more about our flexible pricing – starting from free.