A Feast for the Eyes
Colorist Alex Berman hones the look for Netflix’s food series “Somebody Feed Phil.”
Alex Berman is currently performing final color grading for the sixth season of the Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil. The whimsical food show follows Phil Rosenthal, creator of the Emmy Award-winning sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, as he travels the world meeting with local chefs and sampling their culinary delights. Rosenthal’s appealing personality, wit and ability to engage with his guests have broadened the show’s appeal beyond foodies. Although its ostensibly about food, the show’s true subject matter is people.
Berman began grading the series with season five. Rosenthal’s destinations included Oaxaca, Maine, Helsinki, Portland and Madrid. The farflung locations makes the show a challenge in post-production, as Alex is tasked with capturing the individual character of each of Rosenthal’s stops, while maintaining a consistent overall look.
Working under the direction of series Director John Bedolis and Executive Producer Rich Rosenthal, Berman aims for a classic cinematic look. “We use a palette that emulates Kodak Ektachrome 7294 color reversal film,” he notes. “That stock was known for its rich colors and extremely fine grain. It’s especially good for landscapes. It’s clean and crisp and supports the good vibe of the show.”
Berman works in an HDR workflow, grading in Rec 2020 (PQ) color space. Delivery to Netflix is in both HDR and SDR.
Given the show’s subject matter, it’s hardly surprising that Berman applies particular attention to food. “Cutaways and closeups of food need to look magnificent,” he explains. “Food is generally shown in the context of a conversation over a meal, so the look needs to match, but it’s like a product shot in a commercial. We might go a little darker for a more dramatic look, then go back to the original lighting of the restaurant scene. It requires a certain finesse.”
Berman, whose previous credits include two other Netflix documentary series, Tiger King and The Family, is excited to be working on Somebody Feed Phil’s new season. “It’s a great project,” he says. “Phil Rosenthal is very funny and friendly. It’s a wonderful great opportunity to capture the spirit of cities around the world and grade fantastic food photography.”