The process of converting a black and white image to a color image is called coloration. As a result of the development of computer technology, it has become widely used in cinematography. The first attempts to decorate film frames were made at the end of the 19th century.
Instructions
Step 1
The first colorization was done entirely by hand using aniline film dyes. Then it was a very laborious process, because each frame had to be painted by hand. At the beginning of the XX century. the process of converting black and white frames became somewhat more technologically advanced and special stencils were used for coloring. In the middle of the 20th century, the first colored cartoon frame appeared.
Step 2
Manual coloring has been replaced by digital coloring. Computers were first used for image processing in 1970, and so far the process has not fundamentally changed.
Step 3
First, a high quality digital copy is made using a scanner. For each frame, using the appropriate software, a mask is created, according to which the necessary colors will be distributed. The mask of one frame serves as a mask for the following.
Step 4
Next, the black and white base is merged with the color information of each area of the film. The image is processed and a color film is produced. With the use of this technology, rather muted tones were initially obtained, but with the development of computer technology, films began to look more believable.
Step 5
The main problem of colorization is a large expenditure of labor. Each frame must be divided into many zones, which often have to be designated manually, because automatic selection of the boundaries of significant areas is not always possible due to the blurred frame or the presence of complex, small details in the image.
Step 6
Various companies are still developing technologies to improve the coloration process. For example, some corporations use neural networks to highlight lines and objects. Also, various mechanisms for recognizing the shapes of objects on the frame are created, capable of changing the shape of masks on each frame.
