A short introduction to analogue and digital colour grading While colour grading is often associated with manipulating hues and saturation, it plays a crucial role in black and white filmmaking as well. Even without colour, tonal adjustments can dramatically impact the mood and aesthetic of a black and white film. This process, also referred to as tonal grading, involves manipulating the grayscale to achieve a specific look and feel. Historically, achieving the desired black and white aesthetic relied heavily on the film stock used, the lighting choices on set, and careful manipulation during the development and printing process, which could involve techniques like pushing or pulling film to alter contrast, or using specific filters to control tonal range. The rise of digital filmmaking revolutionized this practice with the introduction of the digital intermediate (DI) process, which involves scanning and digitizing film footage. This transition liberated filmmakers from the limitations of film stock and chemicals, granting them significantly greater control over their film's contrast, grain, tonal range and colour palette. Moreover, modern colour grading software like DaVinci Resolve, Nuke, and Adobe After Effects provide a powerful toolkit for both colour and black-and-white filmmakers, with advanced tools such as colour wheels, curves, masks and keyframing for nuanced adjustments. One of the key advantages of digital colour grading is its non-destructive nature. Filmmakers can experiment freely, making and undoing changes without impacting the original footage. Additionally, digital grading software offers real-time feedback, enabling immediate visualization of colour and tonal adjustments. 79