Suite Post colourist Lee Clappison explains how he created the look for Steven Toasts latest outing
By Contributor
Published: January 11, 2022 Updated: January 13, 2022
Suite Post colourist Lee Clappison explains how he created the look for Steven Toast's latest outing
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Channel 4 sitcom series Toast of London aired between 2012-2015 and followed an eccentric middle-aged actor, Steven Toast (played by Matt Berry), as he spent more time dealing with his problems off stage than performing on it.
The series came to an end after shooting the third season. However, rising from the embers, Matt Berry has brought back his BAFTA-winning comedy creation, Steven Toast in a new 6 30 series Toast of Tinseltown currently airing BBC Two, but this time set in Hollywood, CA.
Produced by Objective Fiction, director Michael Cumming and DoP Pete Edwards, who both previously worked on Sandylands, wanted to follow the same look and feel of the previous series (Toast of London) for the parts set in London, but a different look and feel was needed when moved to Tinseltown.
data-src=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-1-726x484.jpg alt= width=726 height=484 data-srcset=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-1-726x484.jpg 726w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-1-353x235.jpg 353w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w data-sizes=(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px />Matt Berry as Steven ToastColourist Lee Clappison of Suite Post worked closely with the director and DoP throughout the process. We experimented with lots of ideas to try and subtly change the feel, with some references to the '70s show Columbo, and some classic Hollywood colours. In particular, Michael wanted to experiment with integrating a classic three-strip Technicolor look.
Edwards shot the series on the Sony Venice in 4K UHD during which Clappison followed closely to maintain a constant flow of communication between the production and grading stages. It was a very specific look, we were always mindful of maintaining consistency throughout the series, Clappison says.
With knowledge of the look Cumming was aiming for, Clappison began emulating the three strip Technicolor process. I was able to use DaVinci Resolve's node tree to split out the red, green and blue channels, and experiment with varying combinations of mixing these channels back together. This provided the main part of the recipe for the grade.
data-src=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-2-726x484.jpg alt= width=726 height=484 data-srcset=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-2-726x484.jpg 726w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-2-353x235.jpg 353w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/toast-of-tinseltown-2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w data-sizes=(max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px />Aidan Turner I loved working on the episode Death Valley, where Toast is in the desert, this seems to really shine with the Technicolor recipe I'd established. The dust and warmth of the scenes, as well as the costumes, especially the double-denim of Aidan Turner's costume, look amazing.
Clappison and online editor Matthew Roberts (Suite Post) worked closely in Resolve and Fusion. We were doing the online at the same time (in another suite), so we could all work together simultaneously and update grades, edits, or effects without any big disruptions, explains Clappison.
He continues, The sign-off process was very smooth, and we were viewing everything on matched and calibrated Sony X300 monitors, so whether we were signing off the grade or the online, everything was the same in each suite.
Alongside the standard online work of the line-up, clocks and credits, Roberts handled more complex tasks. There was a lot of screen replacement work in two of the episodes, which I used Fusion to do. The background plate was shot in the UK on one camera and the foreground was provided at a different frame rate and colour space from a team in the US.
In one episode, chroma keying was required for scenes featuring dangerous animals. While some shots were sent to After Effects, others were completed in Fusion. We had the advantage of keeping the foreground and background separate, so Lee could apply different LUTs as needed, or even help me by removing any green screen spill.
He continues, I used the Delta keyer to get a core key and a second key to add fine hair detail, and then combined. Roberts also completed extra rotoscoping work, in the same effect, if the key had missed anything - again using Fusion's planar tracker to help, adding a defocus onto the background if needed to help bed it in.
Roberts concludes, By using Fusion, we could open up the composite and treat each layer separately (for example, by adding different LUTs on each layer), and then grade the composited shot as a whole. It has led to a more flexible approach, and keeps the clients and the grade happy.
Toast of Tinseltown is available to watch on BBC iPlayer and continues on BBC Two tonight.
data-src=https://www.tvbeurope.com/wp-content/themes/tvbeurope/library/images/tvbe-subs.jpg width=729 height=90>
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
05/03/2026
A little over a year ago, Spotify introduced the quarterly Creator Milestone Awa...
05/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz enables rapid validation of next-gen Wi-Fi 8 networking platform...
05/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz acquires Software Radio Systems (SRS), specialists in software d...
05/03/2026
Thursday 5 March 2026
Sky News secures ninth News Channel of the Year award as ...
05/03/2026
Thursday 5 March 2026
Sky Sports launches first ever nationwide creator competi...
05/03/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - March 5, 2026 - At the 2026 NAB Show, Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT)...
05/03/2026
Comscore and Yahoo DSP Partner to Advance CTV Political Advertising with Proximi...
04/03/2026
For many fans, a song's backstory can be just as compelling as the final pro...
04/03/2026
In 2006, Spotify was founded on the belief that technology could bring artists a...
04/03/2026
Spotify is back on the ground for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and we&#...
04/03/2026
Spotify had an energizing week in Sydney, Australia, filled with powerful conver...
04/03/2026
Earlier this year, we launched Directed By, a documentary-style series that pull...
04/03/2026
KT and Rohde & Schwarz to showcase AI-enhanced radio transmission performance In a joint 6G AI proof-of-concept demonstration, the CMX500 one-box tester from ...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, 3 March 2026 - SES S.A. has today published its 2025 Annual Report, following the announcement of the company's full year financial results for ...
04/03/2026
Luxembourg, March 3, 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, along with I...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON Partners with GSMA Innovation Fund to Accelerate Digital Innov...
04/03/2026
04 Mar 2026
VEON's Beeline Uzbekistan and Rakuten Symphony Partner for Open...
04/03/2026
Wednesday 4 March 2026
Sky Sports unveils plans for 2026 Formula 1 coverage
Sky Sports is preparing for one of the most highly anticipated F1 seasons in recen...
03/03/2026
For many, finding time or headspace to pick up a book can feel out of reach, but...
03/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Realtek demonstrate first test solution for Bluetooth LE Hi...
03/03/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
03/03/2026
Luxembourg, 2 March 2026 -- SES S.A. fully consolidates Intelsat from 17 July 2025 and announces financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025
FY25 Pe...
03/03/2026
RT is proud to support a rich and diverse programme of arts and cultural events taking place across Ireland throughout March 2026. This month brings a remarkab...
03/03/2026
03 Mar 2026
VEON and MeetKai Expand Collaboration to Explore Sovereign AI Infra...
03/03/2026
Tuesday 3 March 2026
Sky releases official trailer for The Miniature Wife, a Sk...
03/03/2026
Tuesday 3 March 2026
Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac land first ever live commentary ...
03/03/2026
Tuesday 3 March 2026
The Dyers' Caravan Park reopens for a second season after a hit launch on Sky
The Dyers' Caravan Park
JPEG (510KB)
Sky books a ...
03/03/2026
Harmonic's cOS Virtualized Broadband Platform Simplifies Network Operations, Lowers Hardware Dependency and Enables Seamless DOCSIS and Fiber Growth SAN JO...
03/03/2026
Comscore to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial ResultsRESTON, VA, March 3, 2026 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for plannin...
03/03/2026
Self-taught on iMovie, Hanagami transitioned to Final Cut Pro in 2009, discovering that professional tools could give him full creative control over how his wor...
03/03/2026
RT Media Sales has announced Spry Finance has renewed it's sponsorship of M...
02/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates FR1-FR3 carrier aggregation, advancing 6G readiness Rohde & Schwarz and Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. have reached another pivotal ...
02/03/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, and Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, A...
02/03/2026
Luxembourg, February 26, 2026 - SES and Africa Mobile Network (AMN) have expande...
02/03/2026
Monday 2 March 2026
Saturday Night Live UK announces writing team
L-R: Jonno Johnson; Charlie Skelton; Celya AB; Omar Badawy; Gr inne Maguire; Laura Claxton; ...
27/02/2026
Since its inception, Gorillaz has been known for blending art with genre-bending...
27/02/2026
This week, Spotify introduced Audiobook Charts for the U.S. and U.K. The charts make it easy to discover your next favorite book by showing what's popular a...
27/02/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Viasat to collaborate on NB-NTN IoT test plan for connectivi...
27/02/2026
In media technology, big features often steal the spotlight - AI integrations, cloud transformations, automation frameworks. But for the people who use these to...
27/02/2026
Digital Asset Management systems sit at the heart of most marcoms operations. They centralise content, organise it, and make it discoverable. Integrated with th...
27/02/2026
The AI Wild West comes to NAB 2026 and Blue Lucy is bringing the Sheriff
The AI Wild West is here, and media organisations are feeling the heat. On Booth W23...
27/02/2026
A deeply personal, uncompromising portrait of the legendary punk rock iconFriday...
27/02/2026
One of Ireland's favourite lifestyle shows Home of the Year, returns for its 12th series and will be proudly sponsored by SIRO. The brand-new series will ai...
Suite Post colourist Lee Clappison explains how he created the look for Steven Toasts latest outing
