Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1547068
22 cgw j u ly • a u g u s t • s e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 6 S enior Colorist Siggy Ferstl of Company 3 has been grading The Boys since the show's first season, bringing a distinct vi- sual identity to one of television's most stylized and visually ambitious series. Based in Los Angeles, Ferstl has built one of the more varied credit lists in the business, with work spanning Wednesda , Narcos, Lost in Space, and The Boys spinoff Gen V. For the fih and final season of The Boys, Ferstl leaned heavily into DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, photo editing, grading, visual effects, and audio post production soware, and in particular its Depth Map tool, to push the show's look further than any previous season. Fer- stl shared his evolving approach to the grade, how Depth Map has changed the way he thinks about color, and what nearly a decade on one show teaches you. The Depth Map has become one of your go to tools in DaVinci Resolve Studio. Can you talk about how you use it? Siggy Ferstl: As colorists, we generally think in terms of the color and contrast of a 2D image. Depth is more of a secondary consider- ation. We've always had tools that let us separate objects if we want to treat them differently: vignettes, Power Windows, shapes, keys. But no matter how good you are at isolating objects in DaVinci Re- solve, or how strong a key is, it can be a time-consuming process, and you're still only separating objects within a two dimensional image. What DaVinci Resolve's Depth Map does is automatically map the entire image and determine each object's distance from camera. It's very fast compared with traditional VFX methods, which means en- tire scenes can be mapped as part of the color grading process. It's been so successful for me that it really isn't a secondary correction anymore. I now have it as part of my default node structure. Ever since I started using it to its full potential on The Boys, I approach color in a more three-dimensional way, applying it differently to the background versus the foreground. Can you name some specific shots from season five where you used this tool, and why it changed your approach? Siggy Ferstl: There is a scene in a deserted hospital that was meant to feel eerie and unsettling. Depth Map was essential for a couple of reasons. The filmmakers felt the location was a bit dark, and tradi- tionally, liing an image overall can flatten the look. With the Depth Map, I was able to brighten only the background while leaving the foreground with rich, deep shadows. I also added some volumetric haze and light halation to give the scene a slightly smoky feel. Then I applied what I call 'depth aware' color, which is like a traditional split of warm highlights and cool shadows, but here I tinted the back- ground with a cool green and kept the foreground characters with warm, natural skin tones. That combination of Z depth split color and volumetric light scat- tering removed any feeling of the scene being too dark and added to the look that was practically captured. The other way I used the Depth Map effectively was to bring down backgrounds in bright, backlit situations, which are oen problemat- ic in HDR. It pushes the characters in the foreground forward, so they become the clear focal point of the shot. When you're working with big VFX shots, do you apply the Depth Map before or aer the other work? Siggy Ferstl: Sometimes I add it to a scene as a placeholder be- cause I know I'll use it, then dial it in when the final version of the shot is dropped in. Or if I haven't applied it yet and feel like I need it, it's very easy to add since it's already part of my default node setup. You've been on The Boys since the beginning. What evolution in color grading have you seen across the seasons? Siggy Ferstl: Over the eight or nine years on the show, DaVinci Re- THE B OYS BRINGING A DISTINCTLY STYLIZED VISUAL IDENTITY TO ALL FIVE SEASONS OF PRIME VIDEO'S AMBITIOUS SERIES