FX's Reservation Dogs was well represented at the 76th Emmy Awards. The half-hour comedy follows the exploits of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma. The crew takes to stealing and scheming in order to fulfill a dream of getting to California, but in the third season, find themselves stranded in Cali, where they have to figure out their way back home. Season 3 - the final season - is full of road trips, bathroom wisdom, unexpected fathers, boarding schools, Bigfoot, rumors, revenge and healing.
Reservation Dogs was nominated for Emmys in five categories: Outstanding Picture Editing For A Single-Camera Comedy Series; Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour); Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation; Outstanding Comedy Series; and Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series. Corinne Bogdanowicz (pictured), supervising colorist at Panavision’s Light Iron, was a key player in crafting the series’ distinctive visual style. Bogdanowicz’s work has been instrumental in shaping the show’s look across all three seasons, including the critically acclaimed “Deer Lady” episode, which earned cinematographer Mark Schwartzbard an Emmy nomination.
The challenge of dual timelines
The Emmy-nominated episode explores Deer Lady's journey as she confronts her painful past while also helping Bear find his way home. The narrative unfolds across two distinct timelines: a bleak, desaturated past marked by violence and destruction, and a vibrant, colorful present symbolizing survival and resilience. For Bogdanowicz, the challenge was not only to visually distinguish these two eras, but to ensure the color grading amplified the episode's emotional weight. Through precise shading and tonal contrasts, the visual shifts deepen the narrative, reinforcing the episode’s powerful message of confronting trauma and reclaiming identity.
Mastering darkness and emotion
Baselight played an important role in achieving the desired effects for the series. The nighttime sequence in “Deer Lady,” where the main character meets a deer, posed a particular challenge for Bogdanowicz. Balancing the darkness with adequate visibility to convey the scene’s emotional weight was critical. Mastering in HDR also played a key role in achieving this balance while maintaining the scene’s emotional intensity.
“For the scenes set in the past, I used vignetting to create a sense of isolation and emotional depth,” Bogdanowicz explains. “By darkening the edges of the frame, we were able to focus the viewer’s attention on the character’s internal struggle. I also employed shading techniques to accentuate the weight and sadness of the past, desaturating highlights to reinforce a muted, somber mood.”
The vibrant present
In contrast, the present-day scenes were designed to be lively and energetic.
“I used shaping to enhance the vibrancy of the present scenes,” Bogdanowicz notes. “This involved creating a clear separation between blacks and highlights, which made the colors pop and the overall atmosphere more engaging. This approach helped to visually differentiate the two timelines and elevate the narrative’s emotional impact.”
VFX techniques
The visual effects techniques used in the “Deer Lady” episode were relatively straightforward, given the show's overall focus on character-driven storytelling. While the series doesn’t rely heavily on VFX, they were employed judiciously to enhance specific scenes and maintain visual consistency.
One of the primary techniques Bogdanowicz employed was the use of mattes on VFX elements. She managed these by seamlessly blending them into the color grade, making sure that added elements were integrated smoothly. This approach preserved the overall color balance and enhanced the visual storytelling of the episode.
Collaboration and evolution
Collaboration was also key throughout the color-grading process of the series. Bogdanowicz worked closely with cinematographer Mark Schwartzbard, who provided valuable in-person feedback.
“Mark’s insights were essential in refining the color grading,” she says. “After completing the first pass, we would review it together and adjust based on his notes. Final approvals were handled by executive producer Sterlin Harjo, ensuring that the color grading aligned with the series’ overall creative vision.”
Bogdanowicz’s approach to color grading on all three seasons (minus the pilot) evolved over time. In Season 2, for example, she built on the looks from Season 1, incorporating consistent corrections to create a more refined and elevated starting point. This process continued into Season 3, where the base grade was established early and used on-set for dallies. To streamline the workflow, she used Baselight’s color management system to create LUTs and work in HDR and SDR simultaneously.
Through her work on Reservation Dogs, Bogdanowicz demonstrated numerous skills in color grading, including the use of advanced techniques, like vignetting, shaping and shading. Combined with close collaboration with the creative team, the color grade significantly contributed to the series’ acclaim.