Blackmagic Design and IntekTV are hosting a Colorist Mixer July 20 at 5:00 pm at the Country Club Lima Hotel in Lima, Peru as part of Blackmagic Week. Diego Yhama, CSI, founder of Estudio Roco, Bogota, and creator of the podcast Coloristas Hispanos, will host the event and give a talk on artificial intelligence-assisted color grading.
Yhama will be joined by two Peruvian colorists, Wawin Arriagada and Miguel Mendez, CSI, who will discuss Peru’s growing post-production industry and offer tips on high dynamic range grading and other topics. That will be followed by networking and socializing. “There’s never been a Colorist Mixer in Peru,” says Yhama. “It’s a great opportunity to begin building a professional community.”
Yhama is currently leading an effort to raise the profile of colorists in South America through membership in CSI. “There are colorists in countries across South America, but they are hard for producers to find,” he explains. “Membership in CSI will give them greater visibility and better access to projects. We’re stronger together.” He is currently working with the officers of CSI Argentina to create a chapter open to Spanish-speaking colorists throughout the region. “We’re from different countries, but we have the same goals. We are stronger together.”
Although local film and television production is growing, South American countries continue to get much of their content from the United States and other foreign suppliers. The development of a community of colorists and other professionals may help tip the balance in the other direction.
“Colorists here are not only highly skilled, they also bring cultural experience and understanding,” Yhama observes. “Events like Blackmagic Week and the Colorist Mixer are important because they provide training and information in our language. The amount of television and film production in Spanish will continue to grow and we want to be ready for it.”
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