Just leveled up my color grading workflow with the DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel by Blackmagic Design — a powerful tool that now takes center stage in the post-production process for my latest film, Lovelock. My editing workstation is driven by a high-performance Intel i9 PC, loaded with 64GB RAM and a massive 64TB of storage — a configuration built for high-resolution workflows and cinematic precision.
This panel isn’t just a peripheral. It’s the creative bridge between raw footage and the final visual identity of the film. And even though Lovelock will live in black and white for 90% of its runtime, color grading still plays a critical role in shaping the final image.
Why Grading Matters — Even in Black and White
Yes, Lovelock is a black-and-white film — but don’t let that fool you. Grading in monochrome is an art form all its own. It’s not about stripping color away; it’s about sculpting tone, texture, grain, and dynamic range to evoke mood and emotion in every frame.
My visual reference and inspiration? Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse — a film that masterfully embraces contrast, density, and film grain to create a visceral, timeless aesthetic. That’s the gold standard.
How the Micro Panel Helps Me Achieve The Lighthouse Look
To dial in the gritty, organic visual style of Lovelock, I’m using the Micro Panel to:
- Fine-tune black levels using the Lift control, ensuring shadows fall deep without crushing detail.
- Adjust luminance-only midtones and highlights via Y Gamma and Y Gain, preserving a smooth grayscale roll-off that mimics film exposure.
- Control grain feel and highlight bloom with precise tonal contrast and pivot adjustments.
- Use Midtone Detail to shape texture — adding definition to craggy faces or softening skin without flattening the image.
Where color grading typically works in hues and saturation, here it’s about sculpting with light. This panel gives me the analog-style tactile control needed to make those decisions quickly, fluidly, and intuitively.
Black and White with a Cinematic Edge
In The Lighthouse, the black and white imagery feels almost sculptural — it isn’t just an absence of color, it’s a presence of mood. That’s exactly what I’m chasing with Lovelock. To get there, I’m:
- Applying custom LUTs for black-and-white film stock emulation — but fine-tuning every shot manually.
- Carefully balancing highlights to create that ethereal, dreamlike exposure in misty exteriors.
- Dialing grain to a point where it feels organic but never distracting.
- Using the Luminance Mix to blend YRGB and Y-only corrections, giving me full tonal control without accidental hue shifts.
Built for Power, Ready for Artistry
My system specs:
| Component | Spec |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i9 |
| RAM | 64GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 64TB (SSD + RAID HDD) |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4090 |
| Software | DaVinci Resolve Studio |
Powered via USB-C, the Micro Panel works flawlessly in this Windows environment. It integrates seamlessly into my dual-monitor grading suite and runs Resolve Studio at full throttle. Even in uncompressed 4K workflows, playback and responsiveness are silky smooth.
A Workflow that Feels Like Film
There’s a reason I didn’t opt for a purely mouse-based workflow. For Lovelock, every shot has to feel like film — not just look like it. That means grading decisions can’t be abstract. I need to feel the push of contrast, the subtle lift of midtones, the precise roll-off of highlights in real-time.
The Micro Panel allows me to:
- Toggle between Log and Offset grading for maximum flexibility.
- Use dedicated transport keys to scrub, review, and compare versions with speed.
- Store and wipe between stills for perfect visual continuity between scenes.
It’s Not Just Black and White — It’s Psychological
Black-and-white cinematography brings an intensity and psychological weight to the screen. With Lovelock, the goal is to evoke the uncanny, the intimate, and the haunting. The Micro Panel gives me the tools to:
- Control mood through micro-adjustments, without stepping out of the creative flow.
- Create visual tension by pulling faces out of deep shadows or plunging wide shots into stark contrast.
- Elevate the aesthetic beyond nostalgia — into something timeless, raw, and unnerving.
What’s Next: A Deep Dive into the Grading of Lovelock — Including Side-by-Side Comparisons with The Lighthouse-Inspired References**
This is just the beginning. I’ll be sharing stills and breakdowns of how we built the look — from digital flat footage to textured, dramatic black-and-white final shots.
If you’re working on a black-and-white project and think color grading isn’t for you — think again. The DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel proves that even when color is gone, control is everything.
Stay tuned — and keep your shadows deep.
