Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
By Contributor
Published: February 14, 2025 Updated: February 17, 2025
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Working on Memoir of a Snail felt like coming home. Director Adam Elliot and I had collaborated on several projects before, so when he contacted me again, I felt honoured. Adam has a way of laying out his vision with clarity and precision. He's a professional in every sense, his planning meticulous, his colour palette carefully chosen, and every scene's emotional intent mapped out in detail. Collaborating with someone as thorough as Adam means you don't just learn the aesthetic they aim for - you almost start to anticipate it. In fact, I often found myself applying looks to the footage even before he voiced his ideas.
Deidre McClelland Adam's vision was incredibly specific, with each location crafted to reflect [lead character] Grace's memories and emotions as the story moves through Melbourne, Perth, Canberra, and even Paris. Each city carried its own unique palette, mood, and meaning. Paris, for instance, was portrayed as warm and nostalgic, a memory from Grace's parents' past as she imagines it. To create this, we used a soft-edged vignette, giving Paris an almost sepia-toned warmth, contrasting with Melbourne's muted, grey tones that reflect Grace's more subdued emotional state. Canberra, where Grace spent much of her childhood, fluctuated visually depending on her mood. When she felt overwhelmed, her bedroom was a dark, cocoon-like space; but in happier times, it brightened, capturing her more hopeful moments.
One scene in particular that stands out to me is Gilbert's fire-lit music box sequence. Gilbert's home in Perth is dry, barren and symbolically tied to his isolation and loneliness. In the grade, we enhanced the flames to make the scene crackle with heightened saturation while preserving the music box's deep, original red as it melts. To accomplish this, I used colour keys, the colour warper, and layering techniques to balance the bright, intense flames against Gilbert's solitude. The goal was to amplify the raw, emotional weight of the moment without overwhelming it visually.
Another element I loved working on was Pinky, a touch of colour and brightness in Grace's life. We wanted her red glasses and her presence in Grace's scenes to be a bit more vibrant, cheerful, and full of life. For this, I used selective colour keys and curves to ensure her glasses and any props around her retained a rich, pop of colour. It was subtle work, but the result gave Pinky's character a distinct visual voice, adding warmth to Grace's life story.
Each location and character had specific aesthetic choices that required a unique approach. Canberra's tones for Grace's scenes fluctuated based on her emotional state. The colour choices for her bedroom alone transitioned from dark and cocoon-like when she was struggling with her hoarding to bright and warm when her life was more hopeful. This delicate dance of colour changes was largely created in the grade, where I dialled up or down the warmth and saturation to reflect the ever-changing emotional landscape. It was about balancing reality with emotional perspective, leaning heavily into tones that echoed her journey.
Pushing the emotion Collaborating with Adam and DoP Gerald Thompson throughout the grading process was incredibly fulfilling. Gerald's input and Adam's vision allowed us to push particular looks to the extreme, especially in emotionally charged scenes. For instance, in Grace's most isolated moments, we desaturated the colour nearly to black and white, capturing the sense of emptiness in her world. When Grace contemplates taking the snail bait, we darken the scene and emphasise the storm clouds gathering behind her, heightening the gravity of her internal conflict. Here, I leaned into darker tones, keeping small details like the snail visible, using a subtle yet powerful visual language to underscore her struggles.
Romantic moments, too, were given a unique look. We used soft vignettes and blur tools to heighten the sense of intimacy, emphasising saturated reds to make objects like hearts stand out. The in-camera aesthetics inspired this look. However, I added contrast and carefully tracked key points to achieve a softer, dream-like effect, allowing these scenes to flow seamlessly within the film's overall warm palette.
Consistency was key to managing the look and feel across departments. The Soundfirm team played a significant role here, making sure the colour space remained consistent as we sent and received shots from VFX vendors. With constant updates and close coordination, we kept everything on schedule despite the inevitable last-minute changes.
Some challenges were particularly satisfying to resolve. In one scene, two boys are connected to an electrical device meant to cleanse them of their demons, but the intended in-camera electrical flashes didn't all register clearly. In the grade, I replicated the effect by layering overexposed nodes and using random, controlled transparency, guided by the soundtrack. This workaround saved us the cost and time of redoing the VFX and added a realistic, electric charge to the scene.
DaVinci Resolve was invaluable throughout this project. As updates rolled in from other departments, Resolve allowed me to keep working on the grade without interruption, which helped us stay on schedule. From our P3 DCP final to HDR and SDR Dolby tone-mapped versio
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...
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...
09/01/2026
RT 2FM has today announced the highly anticipated list of 2FM Rising Artists for 2026, kicking off 2FM Rising week for the eighth year on The Tracy Clifford Sh...
09/01/2026
RT to Host the 2026 RTS Ireland Awards
Thursday, 16 April 2026 | Dublin Royal Convention Centre
The RTS Ireland Television Awards 2026 | Gradaim RTS 2026 | R...
08/01/2026
An evidence-based analysis on disinformation and information manipulation in Sudan's ongoing conflict is published today. (January 8th 2026).
Thomson Found...
08/01/2026
In 2025 we launched the Spotify Partner Program to give creators more ways to tu...
08/01/2026
On Wednesday in Los Angeles, Spotify welcomed creators and press to a brunch cel...
08/01/2026
TSA awards Rohde & Schwarz contract for advanced airport screening ahead of Socc...
08/01/2026
The review looks back at DPA's miniature microphone development over the years. It compares the evolving technologies from the original mics through CORE an...
08/01/2026
Comscore Launches Audio Targeting and Measurement Capabilities with The Trade De...
08/01/2026
Tonight, on RT Prime Time at 9:35pm on RT One and RT Player
Tonight, Prime T...
08/01/2026
The Late Late Show celebrates the very best of traditional Irish music with its first-ever full special dedicated entirely to the tradition
Lisa Canny | Kevin...
08/01/2026
It will be murder on the dancefloor when Dancing with the Stars returns this S...
07/01/2026
Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...
07/01/2026
We know people use Spotify not just to listen, but to share the songs, podcasts, and audiobooks they love with their friends and family. When we launched Messag...
07/01/2026
This week, all eyes are on the podcast industry as the Golden Globes recognizes ...
07/01/2026
Podcasts are stepping onto a new stage this week as the Golden Globes recognize the medium for the first time. To mark this milestone moment, we're hosting ...
06/01/2026
Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...
06/01/2026
Lorde. A$AP Rocky. JENNIE. Baby Keem. KATSEYE. That's just a taste of who...
06/01/2026
Channel 4 and UKTV are giving viewers even more reasons to stream, with UKTV's U service set to feature thousands of hours of free, unmissable and bingeable...
06/01/2026
Tuesday 6 January 2026
An update on our Sky Mobile prices
Devesh Raj, Chief Operating Officer, Sky
Today, we've announced some changes to the prices of ...
06/01/2026
Comscore Launches Daily Program-Level Reporting with Deduplicated Insights on Sh...
06/01/2026
Comscore Completes Recapitalization Transaction with Preferred Stockholders Foll...
05/01/2026
Bad Bunny's DeB TiRAR M S FOToS defined the sound of 2025 for listeners eve...
05/01/2026
As the clock struck midnight and 2026 was born, so was an exciting range of new ...
05/01/2026
These Sacred Vows starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Justine Mitchell and Jason O'...
05/01/2026
DANDANCING WITH THE STARS RETURNS TO SHAKE UP SUNDAY NIGHTS
Reigning Rose of Tr...
02/01/2026
Any Given Day: Cork University Hospital premieres Wednesday 7 January on RT One and RT Player at 9:35pm
RT will debut a powerful new six-part documentary se...
02/01/2026
Friday 2 January 2026
All episodes of Heated Rivalry will be landing on Sky and...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
The Quantum 852 is situated in the 6,500-seat Seoul-based place of worship, a church which is home to a 1,000-person choir and a 50-piece orchestra. There are f...
01/01/2026
Formed in 2002, OneRepublic have enjoyed huge international success, with over 18 billion streams on Spotify alone. Their current tour, Escape to Europe, contin...
01/01/2026
We had been using the club's previous console for the last ten years, so we researched manufacturer information very carefully, says venue audio manager Mr...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
24/12/2025
RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
23 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan and Rakuten Symphony Collaborate to A...
22/12/2025
For a decade, popular German podcast Fest & Flauschig has hosted an annual Chris...
22/12/2025
Monday 22 December 2025
Sky extends PGA TOUR partnership until 2029, as Sky Spo...
22/12/2025
Siobh n McSweeney, Rory McIlroy, Elon Musk, Catherine Connolly, Jim Gavin, Ivan Yates and Traitor Paudie Moloney lead new characters for Callan Kicks the Year 2...
22/12/2025
Winner announced in the picturesque surroundings of Wicklow's Avondale Tower and Treetop Walk
Andrew Trimble wins the show in his first series as coach
Th...
22/12/2025
The 2025 winners have been announced today, Sunday 21 December, for Ireland's largest choral competition Choirs for Christmas hosted by RT lyric fm.
Ove...
21/12/2025
John Shortt named Young Sportsperson of the Year Kerry are the Team of the Year
...
19/12/2025
With Playout Release 2025.4, ToolsOnAir continues to push professional playout w...
19/12/2025
19 Dec 2025
VEON's Mobilink Microfinance Bank Launches Islamic Banking Oper...
19/12/2025
The six-part drama, set in a close-knit Welsh town fractured by an unspeakable c...
Colourist Deidre (Dee) McClelland details how she helped shape the distinct look and feel of whimsical Oscar-nominated stop-motion film, Memoir of a Snail
