Generator track below affecting color/contrast

If I put a solid color generator or color ramp below my video track it affects its color and contrast.

My composite mode is set to normal and opacity level at 100%

[Dwaine Maggart]

Not seeing this here. Please provide a project export .drp of the project in your screen shot.

A Resolve diagnostics log from that system would also be helpful. From the Resolve Help menu: Create Diagnostics Log on Desktop.

Here's a link with project and log:

https://mega.nz/folder/ordDzAJR#8MeEJl3pt7sjqJR5iA7SmA

The behavior seems to be related to the bypass media management option on the clip or generator.

Bypass Color Management?

If any overlapping clip has color management active, all will have color management active. Does the clip on top also have Bypass Color Management disabled?

As an example, I had 3 video layers with a clip on V3 and V2 and a color generator on V1 (clips on V3 and V2 had masks to allow clips below to show through). I bypassed color management on all three clips and then enabled it on just the color generator on V1 and color management was automatically enabled for the clips on V3 and V2 even though they still had the 'Bypass Color Management' checkmarks. Was like this in Resolve 18.x.x as well.

It sounds exactly as you're describing.

I was not aware generators could be color managed until now. Especially from past experience of not being able to affect its color unless converting to compound.

I can see how this might be a desirable option when using bars and such (so they're color space aware). But I think it should be then very prominent toggle in the inspector.

On the other hand I don't see why a solid black color generator needs to be color managed (by default).

Even if these generators are color managed, they should not affect tracks above them that do not have any alpha mask on them. At least as I understand the normal operation of how video tracks hierarchy works.

It sounds exactly as you're describing.

I was not aware generators could be color managed until now. Especially from past experience of not being able to affect its color unless converting to compound.

I can see how this might be a desirable option when using bars and such (so they're color space aware). But I think it should be then very prominent toggle in the inspector.

On the other hand I don't see why a solid black color generator needs to be color managed (by default).

Even if these generators are color managed, they should not affect tracks above them that do not have any alpha mask on them. At least as I understand the normal operation of how video tracks hierarchy works.

Yep - well, perhaps I wasn't clear in my description. There is an odd behaviour in Resolve (I think it's a bug but it's not new) - overlapping media will show as color managed if any one of them has the 'bypass color managed' option disabled. So you can bypass color management all you want but if any clip is not bypassing it, color management will be enabled for all layers. Nothing to do with the color generator specifically.

Got it. Just wasn't sure if you were simply describing the behavior or complaining about it. Bug vs feature

As I myself thought maybe I was missing something. Your input has definitely made it clear for me.

Bug!

Yes.

RCM cannot be truly bypassed. I reported this via support ticket years ago and I basically got told .. this is as expected, and use Render in Place as a workaround.

Better solution is to turn off RCM and manage via CSTs.. More setup at first but it’s less hassle
in the end.

There are no end to RCM issues, fusion has a bunch, and the workarounds take more work than simply using CSTs.

Yes.

RCM cannot be truly bypassed. I reported this via support ticket years ago and I basically got told .. this is as expected, and use Render in Place as a workaround.

Better solution is to turn off RCM and manage via CSTs.. More setup at first but it’s less hassle
in the end.

There are no end to RCM issues, fusion has a bunch, and the workarounds take more work than simply using CSTs.

I agree with what you're saying.

As a separate complaint, I see there's no way to actually disable RCM. We have 'DaVinci YRGB'. But that also has its own color interpretation and color space options for timeline and output. And all these permutations require their own testing and sometimes a workaround for appropriate output.

In RCM I've found a combo that has worked for me using DaVinci Wide Gamut and CST nodes. So I just bypass color management on all my clips and take it from there.

I wish there was a color agnostic option, one in which Resolve wouldn't do anything and I could handle my output via node CST.

Yes.

RCM cannot be truly bypassed. I reported this via support ticket years ago and I basically got told .. this is as expected, and use Render in Place as a workaround.

Better solution is to turn off RCM and manage via CSTs.. More setup at first but it’s less hassle
in the end.

There are no end to RCM issues, fusion has a bunch, and the workarounds take more work than simply using CSTs.

I agree with what you're saying.

As a separate complaint, I see there's no way to actually disable RCM. We have 'DaVinci YRGB'. But that also has its own color interpretation and color space options for timeline and output. And all these permutations require their own testing and sometimes a workaround for appropriate output.

In RCM I've found a combo that has worked for me using DaVinci Wide Gamut and CST nodes. So I just bypass color management on all my clips and take it from there.

I wish there was a color agnostic option, one in which Resolve wouldn't do anything and I could handle my output via node CST.

Davinci YRGB is agnostic.. you just need to learn how to set it up so it matches RCM.. it is really not that hard but takes a little comparison work.. it’s mainly matching tone mapping setups … and timeline luminance values ..

Yes.

RCM cannot be truly bypassed. I reported this via support ticket years ago and I basically got told .. this is as expected, and use Render in Place as a workaround.

Better solution is to turn off RCM and manage via CSTs.. More setup at first but it’s less hassle
in the end.

There are no end to RCM issues, fusion has a bunch, and the workarounds take more work than simply using CSTs.

I agree with what you're saying.

As a separate complaint, I see there's no way to actually disable RCM. We have 'DaVinci YRGB'. But that also has its own color interpretation and color space options for timeline and output. And all these permutations require their own testing and sometimes a workaround for appropriate output.

In RCM I've found a combo that has worked for me using DaVinci Wide Gamut and CST nodes. So I just bypass color management on all my clips and take it from there.

I wish there was a color agnostic option, one in which Resolve wouldn't do anything and I could handle my output via node CST.

Davinci YRGB is agnostic.. you just need to learn how to set it up so it matches RCM.. it is really not that hard but takes a little comparison work.. it’s mainly matching tone mapping setups … and timeline luminance values ..

DaVinci YRGB is what I used to work with but with so many flavors now of timeline and output options it doesn't seem straight forward.

I recently opened an old project that's Davinci YRGB and colors looked really different from the original. So made me think different things are going on under the hood with DaVinci YRGB that weren't going on before.

Will do some tests to see if I can find a combination that I like... For now, I'm fine with my RCM and disabling it on a clip level.