Colorist Pushback, Institutional Gatekeeping

The Incident:

We shared a post on LinkedIn featuring Sarah Priestnall’s summary of the 2025 SMPTE “Ask the Colorist” panel, which she moderated. Her summary noted that “many DPs are still not lighting or shooting specifically for HDR – often because they don’t have access to HDR reference monitors on set or in editorial. Until that changes, the full expressive range of HDR will remain underused.”

In the accompanying commentary, we argued that the decision not to use “the full expressive range of HDR” is a creative preference, not a technical limitation.

John Daro, a panelist at the event, replied publicly: “Jon, not sure which one of us said that but I definitely don’t agree with the quote… Curious about your misunderstandings.”

Tactical Analysis:

1. Strategic Ambiguity: The response (“not sure which one of us said that“) is an attempt to shift the burden of attribution to the critic and create uncertainty as to the statement’s origin.

2. Condescension: The phrase “Curious about your misunderstandings” is a form of passive-aggressive communication. By framing the critic’s view as a “misunderstanding,” the speaker immediately positions themselves as superior. It shifts the burden of proof to the critic, who now has to explain why they “misunderstood” something.

3. The False Dichotomy: The assertion that “Light is just that, story is a different conversation” contradicts the entire foundation of cinematography itself; light is the story.

4. The Unwitting Admission: The claim: “The productions I work with can have whatever gear they prefer.” Translation: “We have the technical capability, but we prefer the constraints of SDR,” confirming our analysis was right on the money.

5. The DARVO Playbook: Daro’s response follows the manipulative DARVO playbook: Deny the premise, Attack the critic, and Reverse Victim and Offender, positioning himself as the one being misrepresented.

Daro’s own public statements conform precisely to the practice we identified in our commentary:

Jason Bowdach: “Got it. So it’s not totally different than essentially once you grade an SDR version moving into the HDR container and making sure. I mean, it’s that concept of maintaining the contrast ratio, you and the DP, the DP set on set, and that you guys established originally in your grade and then just moving into HDR. Sort of the same concept, right?”

John Daro: “Totally.”

From Color & Coffee: From Burritos to Hollywood Blockbusters: A Chat with Senior Colorist John Daro, 6 Feb 2025

The podcast host sums up Daro’s grading philosophy, which is the definition of SDR in an HDR container. 

Why This Matters: This pattern is a suite of tactics designed to avoid substantive engagement, protect professional territory, and insulate inaccuracies from correction. The battle isn’t only over facts, but over the very right to question them.

Addendum: The Dolby Endorsement

Thomas Graham, Head of Dolby Vision Content Enablement, publicly endorsed John Daro’s evasive response. This speaks volumes, confirming what we’ve always suspected – the institutional gatekeepers of HDR have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo while marketing the technology.

The Contradiction in Practice

Dolby’s marketing prominently features acclaimed cinematographers who use the Dolby Vision pipeline solely to preserve a low dynamic range aesthetic.

• Armando Salas, ASC: Focused on preserving “black, super dark, dark, and less dark.” This is all about the shadow fetishism that masks creative stagnation.
• Erik Messerschmidt, ASC: Messerschmidt, whose statement prioritizes consistency, shares Salas’ obsession with shadow detail.

“I bet you’ve probably heard this one too: ‘I want my HDR to look like my SDR.’ This is a very reasonable statement. We have this look we’ve crafted over months or years; we’re in love with it. It was imagined, filmed, edited, and reviewed under it. Then we get to the grading suite, turn on the HDR switch, look at both, and the natural inclination is to say, ‘Let’s make the HDR look like the SDR.’” Samuel Bilodeau, Dolby Laboratories

This is the very definition of SDR in an HDR container.

The Pipeline Is The Product

This is no accident. Dolby’s business model relies on accommodating an industry averse to change, and that includes advising colorists on how best to preserve the low-con SDR look in the HDR master.