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 ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
10/06/2026
Get Hands-On with Interfaces & Mic Preamp Brands
If youre after a new interface or preamp, then GearExpo UK is the place to be! Well have a whole host of au...
10/06/2026
November 13-14 2026, The Midway, San Francisco
Following their recent rebranding, MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo) have officially announced thei...
10/06/2026
Debut instrument free for limited time
deFORM is the debut release from newly founded developer ebbandflow, and it's being offered as a free download fo...
10/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF advance laser-based drone defense with THORIS LCS Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing THORIS at ILA 2026: A sovereign, end to end counter...
10/06/2026
MAHLE and Rohde & Schwarz develop application for sensor testing of modern drive...
10/06/2026
10 Jun 2026
VEON's Banglalink Brings Every World Cup 2026 Match to Football...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
How to watch every ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match live on Sky Sports
Where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 availabl...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
P RLA brings first-ever Beautifully Clean Oral Care'...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
Sky reveals pulse-pounding first teaser trailer for upco...
10/06/2026
Wuppertal June 10, 2026
Riedel Artist at the Heart of the 14th World Live Neurovascular ConferenceAt the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Li...
09/06/2026
Last month, Spotify hosted PURE FLOWERS LIVE, a special event celebrating the re...
09/06/2026
Last month, RADAR U.K. artist Skye Newman took the stage in East London for a sp...
09/06/2026
Company to cease operating on 30 June 2026
Australian loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer Wayne Jones Audio have announced that after much consideration,...
09/06/2026
Increases low-end weight and character
The latest plug-in release from Sheffield-based fedDSP aims to offer an all-in-one solution for users in search of mo...
09/06/2026
Introduces AI Studio Assistant, Moises Studio integration & more
Fender Studio have just announced the launch a significant update that brings an array of n...
09/06/2026
The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot.
After Deadline revealed last month that t...
09/06/2026
Filming to take place in Holmfirth
9th June 2026, London: U&GOLD is heading bac...
09/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Launches Offset360 to Modernize Color Control Across Existing Pre...
09/06/2026
09 Jun 2026
VEON Appoints Serkan Ozturk as Chief of Staff & Strategy Officer Dubai and New York, June 9, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital oper...
09/06/2026
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a candid and unfiltered accou...
09/06/2026
Enni Continues to Rely on Arvato Systems - And Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution
Arvato Systems to implement transformation project for SAP S/4HANA Ut...
09/06/2026
These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora
This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...
08/06/2026
At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...
08/06/2026
Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands
GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...
08/06/2026
50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added
The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...
08/06/2026
Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology
The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...
08/06/2026
Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...
08/06/2026
he BBC and BritBox have announced that Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My ...
08/06/2026
Plus, 20% off TVs ahead of kick-offMonday 8 June 2026
Sky introduces Real Time...
08/06/2026
FOX Secures Live NFL Game Package in Mexico Starting in Fall 2026 Agreement Features Thursday Night Football, Sunday Games Package, Thanksgiving Day Games, al...
08/06/2026
FOX One, FOX Sports and Indeed Name Austin Franklin and Kevin Akoto as FOX One C...
08/06/2026
Meet us on the show floor
Stand #286310 Discover Nara, the media management tool used by major facilities including Harbor and Molinare.
Nara v2 introduces re...
08/06/2026
L'art de l'Image dans Reflet dans un diamant mort' Une conversation avec le directeur de la photographie Manuel Dacosse, SBC et l' talonneur Pe...
08/06/2026
Embracing today's modern media workflows: FilmLight presents Nara 2.0, with FilmLight API Designed to support the growing demands of today's production ...
08/06/2026
Moderated by Andy Minuth, FilmLight's Colour Workflow Specialist
Wednesday 18 February
6:00pm / Doors open
7:00pm / Presentation in German
8:00pm / Drin...
08/06/2026
Join us on April 14 at 10:00am for a technical roundtable with the Filmlight dev...
08/06/2026
You're invited to FLAPI Classroom The fundamentals of coding and machine-assisted development
These sessions will help you build the skills needed to cre...
08/06/2026
With Sylvain Canaux (St Louis, Paris) and J r me Cloutier (MELS, Montreal)
Wednesday 6 May
Pick your time: 1:00PM / 5:00PM
Note: The presentation will be hel...
08/06/2026
FilmLight, 1107 N El Centro Ave, Los Angeles
Doors open at 3:30pm
Join the FilmLight team on June 9th at 4pm to learn how FilmLight products and APIs can stre...
08/06/2026
The Creators List launched to Help Brands Connect With Top Creators In CannesThe curated directory launched by Tubefilter, Comscore, Whalar Group and Gospel Sta...
08/06/2026
Irish YouTube star DavidMC joins Aisling O'Reilly to tackle all things socce...
07/06/2026
Company introduce 21 new protective covers
Decksaver have just announced their Sping 2026 Drop, which sees a total of 21 new models added to their ever-grow...
07/06/2026
Sunday 7 June 2026
Dynamo Vs Houdini comes to Sky later this year
The last time the world saw Dynamo, he buried himself alive. This weekend, he returned.
Mom...
06/06/2026
Check Out Leading Monitor Brands
We'll have monitors of all shapes and sizes at GearExpo UK, so whether you're looking to upgrade or expand your set...
Suite Post colourist Lee Clappison explains how he created the look for Steven Toasts latest outing
