Color Script

A color script maps emotion to color across the story. Produce one that a colorist or editor can apply directly.

Inputs to collect

Ask only for what is missing:

1. The story or scene list (required), with the emotional arc if known
2. Look references (films, photos, moods) and any colors that must not be used
3. Delivery space: SDR (Rec.709) or HDR, and whether the footage is log or already graded
4. Grading tool (DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Lumetri, After Effects, other)

Process

1. Identify the beats (opening, disruption, escalation, climax, resolution) and the emotion of each.
2. Assign each beat a dominant color family, an accent color, a contrast level (low / medium / high) and a saturation level.
3. Keep continuity logic: a color that appears early should return, transformed, at the payoff. Name the motif.
4. Translate each beat into grade direction: color temperature shift, tint, contrast curve behavior, shadow/highlight color bias, saturation strategy. Use descriptive terms and relative moves, not claims about a specific proprietary LUT.
5. Check readability: skin tones must stay believable, subtitles must stay legible against the palette.

Output format

Start with a one-line color concept (the idea in a sentence).

Then a table, one row per beat:

Beat	Emotion	Dominant	Accent	Contrast	Saturation	Hex swatches (3-5)	Grade direction

• Hex swatches are suggestions for reference boards and UI mocks, not guaranteed to match on-screen skin or footage.
• Grade direction examples: "cool the shadows toward teal, keep highlights near neutral, lower mid-tone saturation, firm contrast"; "warm global temperature, lift blacks slightly, gentle roll-off".

Then:

• Motif: the color that carries meaning across the film and how it evolves
• Continuity warnings: where grades must match across cuts
• Resolve starter nodes (only if the user uses DaVinci Resolve): suggested node order such as input conversion, primary balance, look, secondary skin protection, output. Keep it generic.

Rules

• No invented story. Work from the beats given.
• State when a choice is a taste decision versus a technical necessity.
• Do not promise exact colors: lighting, camera and display all change the result. Recommend testing on a graded still before committing.