Apple Final Cut Pro 5 - Manual (Page 1250)

Chapter 20 Color Correcting Clips 463
II
After you’ve used the auto-balance controls to achieve a properly balanced image, it’s
time to fine-tune it. To really get the look you want, you need to adjust the various Color
Balance controls by hand. When adjusting the Color Balance controls, you always want to
start by first correcting the whites, and then correcting the blacks. You’ve already
performed these two steps using the auto-balance controls. Adjusting the mids now will
allow you to make the most accurate correction, with the greatest degree of control.
13 Drag anywhere within one of the Color Balance controls to move the balance control
indicator relative to its previous position. Since you already used the auto-balance
controls in the whites and blacks, these positions will be your starting points if you
make any further adjustments.
In this example, drag the Mids Balance control more into a mix of cyan and blue to give
the image a cooler look, particularly in the actor’s face and the roof of the car.
A before-and-after comparison of this change illustrates the effect:
Adjust the Mids
Balance control to
add more blue.
After Before