Julien Alary’s Vision In Every Hue

If there’s one thing Julien Alary is known for, it’s his exceptional eye for creating stunning imagery. It’s a skill he’s honed through meticulously crafting over 60 feature films, including the critically acclaimed ‘The Worst Person in the World’ for Joachim Trier.

Julien’s commercial work has seen him collaborate with directors such as Thibaut Grevet, Nicolàs Méndez, Lope Serrano, Massimiliano Bomba, Pantera, Marcus Söderlund, Martin De Thurah, Sam Brown, Jeff Low, James Rouse, Freddie Powell, Martin Werner and Reynald Gresset. He’s also worked closely with cinematographers, including Daniel Voldheim, Jakob Ihre, Benjamin Loeb, Kasper Tuxen, Hampus Nordenson, Sebastian Blenkov, Daniel Bouquet, Khalid Mohtaseb, Steve Annis, and many more.

With recent credits boasting campaigns for Virgin Media, Guinness, GiffGaff, Argos, Emirates, and Ebay – it’s all pretty impressive stuff. We sat down with Julien to get to know the person behind the portfolio. 

LBB> Could you tell us a bit about your journey into the world of colour grading? What initially attracted you to this craft?

Julien> I’ve always been a fan of photography from a young age. I used to spend tonnes of time in the dark room, intrigued by the developing process, and this great interest in film is what led the way to my colour grading career.

LBB> How would you describe your personal approach or style when it comes to colour grading? What do you aim to bring to each project?

Julien> It very much varies project by project. Each film I work on has its own character, so I approach each project with a completely blank slate in order to really focus on giving it the look it deserves. The approach also depends on the agency, DOP, and director’s vision; it’s my job to take everyone’s creative opinion into account and carve the film into something that everyone likes.

LBB> You worked as the colourist for Virgin Media — can you walk us through your vision for that project and any unique challenges you faced along the way?

Juien> For Virgin Media’s ‘Walrus Whizzer’, the DOP, Lasse Frank already had a great camera LUT (lookup table) from the shoot, so we used that as a strong base and built the look from there. We made the red of the houses and the interior of the boat stand out to tie into Virgin Media’s brand colours, eliciting the feel of the brand without going too overboard. The look of this particular ad isn’t traditionally colourful, it’s rooted in cyan, brown, grey, and red, which I think worked really well for the final ad outcome and gave it a really cinematic feel.

LBB> What tools and technology do you rely on to bring your creative ideas to life and deliver the highest quality, especially in a remote setting?

Julien> My weapon of choice is DaVinci Resolve, but I also work on Baselight. I use a device called Pixelview to stream out from the grade monitor, which makes remote grading much easier as it’s simple for the client to use too. From a client standpoint, it means you can view what I’m doing on an iPhone, Apple TV or internet browser.

LBB> Looking back, are there any projects that stand out as especially rewarding or that you're most proud of?

Julien> All of my work with Norwegian director Joachim Trier springs to mind, films such as ‘Oslo 31st of August’ and ‘Worst Person in the World’. From the commercial side, I loved working on Playstation’s ‘Has No Limits’, and of course Virgin Media’s whole trilogy of creature-led campaigns, as well as a recent spot for FourCrown called ‘Showdown’ which I really enjoyed. 

           

LBB> Where do you draw inspiration from for your work? Are there specific artists, films, or other mediums that you look to for creative energy?

Julien> I watch a lot of films, buy and read a lot of photobooks, and I also look at certain fashion magazines to keep up to date. ShotDeck, Filmgrab, and Flim are great places to look for references as well. I like to draw from feature films and photos instead of referencing other commercials.

LBB> What role do you think colour plays in storytelling, especially in commercial and branded content?

Julien> I think it depends on the film. Personally, I think sometimes that the grade shouldn’t get in the way of the story. If it’s an action-filled commercial (sports or automotive, for example), it should maybe have a stronger look than a lifestyle commercial, but I think it’s important to be diverse and not do the same thing all the time, so you’re not just known for one look. Trying new things is always good.

LBB> What trends or techniques in colour grading do you find most exciting right now? Are there any emerging approaches that you’re particularly interested in exploring?

Julien> I think that a solid 35mm look is always a winner. And by 'solid’, I mean good separate colours with tridimensionality. I’m lucky to work a lot on film, and with film, the look comes easier. Even when I get digital material, it always seems the great references provided are of film. You add grain and halation (sometimes too much) to give it that 35mm look. I think that the tendency now is a look that is more natural and less stylised. This is the most difficult to do as a colourist, because you can hide behind a pronounced look, however, I’ve always been a supporter of a naturalistic look.

LBB> Is there any advice you would give to aspiring colourists hoping to work in commercials with top-tier brands?

Julien> I would say that you should train a lot on balancing up your shots to be as neutral as possible with a good contrast. Make the shots match each other. Make a fast ‘draft’ of the film before the session. Don’t get caught up on details and use your immediate gut feeling – then you can play around with a look after if you need to. Stay as simple as you can. It’s never just one shot, but the accumulation and symbioses of many shots together. And finally, watch movies!

LBB> Finally, what’s your favourite colour, and why?

Julien> At the moment I think earthy, muted colours. It’s seasonal!