Final Cut Pro terms

Broadcast Colors

Color standards that are safe for TV broadcast.

What is broadcast colors in Final Cut Pro?

Broadcast colors in Final Cut Pro refer to the range of colors that are acceptable for broadcast television. Not all colors that can be displayed on a computer monitor are suitable for TV broadcast. Some colors can cause distortion or "bleeding" when displayed on a television screen. Therefore, it's important to ensure that the colors used in a video project fall within the acceptable broadcast color range.

Final Cut Pro provides tools to help users monitor and adjust their project's colors to meet these standards. The Broadcast Safe filter and the Video Scopes feature can be used to check and correct color levels. The Broadcast Safe filter automatically adjusts video to keep color and brightness levels within the broadcast-safe range, while the Video Scopes feature allows users to manually monitor and adjust color levels.

How to adjust broadcast colors in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro provides several tools and features that allow you to adjust the broadcast colors of your video. One of the most commonly used tools is the Color Correction effect, which can be found in the Effects Browser. To use this, you simply need to drag and drop the effect onto the clip you want to adjust. Then, in the Video Inspector, you can adjust the color balance, saturation, and exposure of the clip.

Another tool you can use is the Broadcast Safe effect. This effect ensures that your video's colors are within the broadcast standards. To use this effect, you need to drag and drop it onto your clip, then adjust the settings in the Video Inspector. You can choose the color space and the limit type, and adjust the luma and chroma levels. Remember to always monitor your video on a broadcast monitor or a calibrated display to ensure accurate color representation.

Why are my broadcast colors not accurate in Final Cut Pro?

The issue of inaccurate broadcast colors in Final Cut Pro could be due to several reasons. One common reason is the incorrect color space settings. Final Cut Pro supports a variety of color spaces, and if your project's color space doesn't match your footage's color space, it can result in inaccurate colors. Make sure to check your project's color space settings and adjust them accordingly.

Another possible reason could be the monitor you are using. Not all monitors display colors accurately, and this can affect how your footage looks during editing. It's recommended to use a calibrated broadcast monitor for color grading to ensure accurate color representation. Additionally, the color accuracy can also be affected by the video codecs and compression methods used. Some codecs can alter the colors slightly during the compression process. Therefore, always ensure to use high-quality codecs and avoid unnecessary compression.

How to fix out of range broadcast colors in Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro provides a tool called the "Broadcast Safe" filter that can be used to fix out of range broadcast colors. To use this tool, first, select the clip that has the color issue in your timeline. Then, go to the "Effects" tab, which is located in the bottom right corner of the interface. In the "Effects" tab, click on the "Video" dropdown menu and select "Color Correction". From there, you can find the "Broadcast Safe" filter.

Once you've selected the "Broadcast Safe" filter, it will appear in the "Video" tab of the "Inspector" window. Here, you can adjust the filter's settings to correct the out of range colors. The "Luma" and "Chroma" levels can be adjusted to ensure that the colors in your video are within broadcast standards. After making these adjustments, the out of range broadcast colors in your video should be fixed.

If you use Final Cut Pro...

You should try Tella.tv - a screen recorder that doesn't compromise on speed or creativity.

Tella simplifies video creation: record, customize, and share in one place; combine separate clips and quickly remove mistakes; apply beautiful backgrounds, layouts, and effects with just a few clicks; share the video link or export in 4K.

With Tella, create product demos, tutorial videos, and online courses that look amazing in minutes, not hours!

Tella screen recorder

< Back to Final Cut Pro glossary

Try Tella today!

Screen recording for creators — simple and powerful.

7-day free trial — no credit card required