<p>Since I cannot use hyperlinks in comments, here is the gist of my research:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2T9NL.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">This answer</a> on a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/editors/comments/3446nr/has_anyone_solved_the_color_shift_when_rendering/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">reddit post</a> suggests, that the reason for the color-shift is the way illegal and legal colors are handled. So maybe the &quot;broadcast colors&quot; effect can help limit the color-range to the legal range? I'd recommend giving that a quick shot.</p>
<p>If that doesn't work, it should certainly do the trick to use Resolve and select video-levels instead of data-levels and encode the 4444 to h264 from there.
Please do report back and good luck!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T12:30:51.597Z
2020-09-29T12:30:51.597Z
Florian Claaßen
<p>I am working on a video for the web only.
It is going to be on a webpage (never on broadcast), delivered as an h264 file.
The web page background is hex code FFF1E5 (RGB 255, 241, 229).
My background colour in After Effects is a solid with colour FFF1E5.
How do I generate an h264 video file with a background <em>precisely</em> this colour.
Not a little bit off. Exactly this colour.
Because I've tried adjusting colour Working Space in Project Settings until I'm 0000FF in the face...</p>
<p>The link supplied in the highest rated answer <a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/10305/upon-export-in-premiere-pro-colors-lose-saturation-when-previewing-in-quicktime/10336#10336">in this similar question</a> is broken.</p>
<p>My usual workflow is:</p>
<p>export as ProRes 422 (or 4444 - same problem) from After Effects CC2020</p>
<p>Convert to h264 in Media Encoder CC2020</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/cLHMI.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/cLHMI.png" alt="screengrab" /></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T07:38:04.887Z
In which colorspace are you working? Just an idea: Have you ticked the checkbox "Preserve RGB" under the color-management tab in the Output Module?
Florian Claaßen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T09:01:42.187Z
Ah, I hadn't tried that... Wish it was all in one place! But it's still not working...  Just tried : project setttings = 8 bit, no working space, assume working gamma = sRGB. In the output module I chose ProRes 4444, and Colour Management = preserve RGB. Converted to h264 in Media Encoder, and opened the mp4 in Chrome.  It's still wrong!
tomh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T09:10:52.157Z
Huh that is strange. Have you tried converting the 4444 to h264 using ffmpeg or handbrake? I'm assuming the error might be in the conversion through the media-encoder.
Florian Claaßen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T09:55:06.957Z
Just tried doing the h264 conversion in Handbrake using the technique in previous comment - same issue
tomh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T10:06:03.173Z
That's so very strange... I'll do some googling around and ask at my workplace. Maybe someone knows how to deal with this issue. Until then, good luck!
Florian Claaßen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-09-29T10:06:37.910Z
Appreciate it! It's an odd one, but should be easy to replicate the fault I hope
tomh
<after-effects><h.264><color><colorspace>
How to manage colour in After Effects to get precisely a desired colour in h264 output
tomh
# How to manage colour in After Effects to get precisely a desired colour in h264 output

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-09-28)

I am working on a video for the web only.
It is going to be on a webpage (never on broadcast), delivered as an h264 file.
The web page background is hex code FFF1E5 (RGB 255, 241, 229).
My background colour in After Effects is a solid with colour FFF1E5.
How do I generate an h264 video file with a background *precisely* this colour.
Not a little bit off. Exactly this colour.
Because I've tried adjusting colour Working Space in Project Settings until I'm 0000FF in the face...

The link supplied in the highest rated answer [in this similar question](https://video.stackexchange.com/questions/10305/upon-export-in-premiere-pro-colors-lose-saturation-when-previewing-in-quicktime/10336#10336) is broken.

My usual workflow is:

export as ProRes 422 (or 4444 - same problem) from After Effects CC2020

Convert to h264 in Media Encoder CC2020

[![screengrab](https://i.sstatic.net/cLHMI.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/cLHMI.png)

**Tags:** after-effects, h.264, color, colorspace

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: In which colorspace are you working? Just an idea: Have you ticked the checkbox "Preserve RGB" under the color-management tab in the Output Module?  
> **username_0**: Ah, I hadn't tried that... Wish it was all in one place! But it's still not working...  Just tried : project setttings = 8 bit, no working space, assume working gamma = sRGB. In the output module I chose ProRes 4444, and Colour Management = preserve RGB. Converted to h264 in Media Encoder, and opened the mp4 in Chrome.  It's still wrong!  
> **username_1**: Huh that is strange. Have you tried converting the 4444 to h264 using ffmpeg or handbrake? I'm assuming the error might be in the conversion through the media-encoder.  
> **username_0**: Just tried doing the h264 conversion in Handbrake using the technique in previous comment - same issue  
> **username_1**: That's so very strange... I'll do some googling around and ask at my workplace. Maybe someone knows how to deal with this issue. Until then, good luck!  
> **username_0**: Appreciate it! It's an odd one, but should be easy to replicate the fault I hope  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-09-29. Score: 1

Since I cannot use hyperlinks in comments, here is the gist of my research:

[This answer](https://i.sstatic.net/2T9NL.jpg) on a [reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/editors/comments/3446nr/has_anyone_solved_the_color_shift_when_rendering/) suggests, that the reason for the color-shift is the way illegal and legal colors are handled. So maybe the "broadcast colors" effect can help limit the color-range to the legal range? I'd recommend giving that a quick shot.

If that doesn't work, it should certainly do the trick to use Resolve and select video-levels instead of data-levels and encode the 4444 to h264 from there.
Please do report back and good luck!


---

