No image device is capable of capturing and reproducing the full spectrum of colors visible to the human eye. Consequently, image devices record, edit, display, or output a subset of those colors. This range of reproducible color is known as the device’s color space or color gamut. Because Motion projects often involve media captured or created from different sources, and because color gamuts vary from device to device, Motion employs a color-management system to reconcile those color differences. This ensures that an image looks the same on any output device, regardless of what color space it’s encoded in or how it was originally created.
Using profiles, or tags (assigned by the device upon creation) that describe the color space of the media, Motion identifies the media’s colors. If the media was not profiled by the device (or was profiled incorrectly), you can manually override the assigned color space in your Motion project. The computer display profile then tells Motion how to translate the colors to the display’s color space. And then when you export from Motion, the color-matching process algorithmically maps those colors to the output space of the device that you’re rendering to.
Note: Calibrate your display to ensure that Motion shows colors correctly. For more information, see Mac Help.
Motion uses a linear RGB working color space, which is an implementation of the RGB color model. This model uses the three primary, additive colors of red, green, and blue that are mixed to create a full spectrum of colors.
You can choose between two RGB color spaces in Motion:
Standard: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 709 color primaries, the color space that previous versions of Motion have used. Rec. 709 is the current standard for HDTV projects, including HD cable, Blu-ray discs, and streaming video.
Wide Gamut: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 2020 color primaries, a color space with a wider range of colors than Rec. 709. Rec. 2020 is useful for 4K and 8K UHDTV and HDR projects.
Note: When working in wide-gamut color space, it’s recommended to use a wide-gamut computer display to properly view the range of colors.
Nearly all devices and formats support capture in the Rec. 709 color space. Some devices and formats can also capture in the DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 color spaces, which include a much wider gamut of colors.
Generally, your working color space should match your output color space (the color space you’re required to deliver the project in). If you’re rendering to multiple output color spaces, your working color space should match the output color space with the largest gamut.
For more information, see Working with Wide Color Gamut.