<p>You ask what it does: Speedgrade is a color grading / correcting tool. Davinci Resolve is another, and there are others still. They allow you to adjust the characteristics of a video on a shot-by-shot basis.</p>

<p>It's never <em>necessary</em> to use any color grading tool, but you'd do so when you want to match scenes from different sources or shot under different conditions, or to give your video (or one portion) an overall look. The usual use is for consistency.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T17:51:09.717Z
So if I have say a shot on an overcast rainy day and another on a fairly bright and sunny day would that be something I could correct or at least make a bit more consistent using Speedgrade? Or if the White Balance was off would Speedgrade be the tool to fix that?
Ryan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T19:59:17.493Z
Cloudy vs sunny is a tough one, since color grading can't add shadows or internal contrast. You can correct for 'tone' but there are limits. White balance is much easier (other things equal) and can often be corrected without recourse to a dedicated color grading tool. There are lots of YouTube videos demonstrating and contrasting the use of Speedgrade and Resolve. Have a google.
Jim Mack
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-01T17:49:29.440Z
2015-09-01T17:49:29.440Z
Jim Mack
<p>I read both of these questions which came up in my <a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/search?q=speedgrade">search for Speedgrade</a>:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/13268/tips-to-make-professional-looking-hand-held-videos-using-smart-phones">Tips to make professional looking hand-held videos using smart phones?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/10432/adobe-cc-post-production-workflow-story-prelude-etc">Adobe CC Post-Production Workflow (Story, Prelude etc.)</a></li>
</ul>

<p>But I'm not seeing any broader question about Speedgrade. For making promotional / instructional videos that will be uploaded to YouTube is it necessary to use Speedgrade and what exactly does it do? Should I only use it everything is live action? Some of the videos I work on have a mix of live action footage I take with a Canon 70D as well as Flash Animation.</p>

<post-production><color-grading><speedgrade>
When and why to use Speedgrade?
Ryan
# When and why to use Speedgrade?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-01)

I read both of these questions which came up in my [search for Speedgrade](https://video.stackexchange.com/search?q=speedgrade):

* [Tips to make professional looking hand-held videos using smart phones?](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/13268/tips-to-make-professional-looking-hand-held-videos-using-smart-phones)
* [Adobe CC Post-Production Workflow (Story, Prelude etc.)](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/10432/adobe-cc-post-production-workflow-story-prelude-etc)

But I'm not seeing any broader question about Speedgrade. For making promotional / instructional videos that will be uploaded to YouTube is it necessary to use Speedgrade and what exactly does it do? Should I only use it everything is live action? Some of the videos I work on have a mix of live action footage I take with a Canon 70D as well as Flash Animation.

**Tags:** post-production, color-grading, speedgrade


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-09-01. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

You ask what it does: Speedgrade is a color grading / correcting tool. Davinci Resolve is another, and there are others still. They allow you to adjust the characteristics of a video on a shot-by-shot basis.

It's never *necessary* to use any color grading tool, but you'd do so when you want to match scenes from different sources or shot under different conditions, or to give your video (or one portion) an overall look. The usual use is for consistency.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: So if I have say a shot on an overcast rainy day and another on a fairly bright and sunny day would that be something I could correct or at least make a bit more consistent using Speedgrade? Or if the White Balance was off would Speedgrade be the tool to fix that?  
> **username_1**: Cloudy vs sunny is a tough one, since color grading can't add shadows or internal contrast. You can correct for 'tone' but there are limits. White balance is much easier (other things equal) and can often be corrected without recourse to a dedicated color grading tool. There are lots of YouTube videos demonstrating and contrasting the use of Speedgrade and Resolve. Have a google.  

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