Company 3 London Colorist James Slattery has helped shape the look of some of contemporary cinema’s most memorable films, using color as both a precise technical discipline and a powerful storytelling tool. In a recent appearance on the Team Deakins Podcast, Slattery reflects on projects including The Lost Bus, 1917, and Empire of Light, and how his early years working in dailies laid the foundation for his approach to the final grade.

Slattery breaks down the often opaque language of color—CDLs, DI, QC, HDR, P3—framing these tools as essential to guiding a film’s visual and emotional continuity. As he explains, “with more visual effects starting before the DI, their reference is the daily timing… they need a target for what the scene is supposed to look like.” That continuity, established early, becomes critical as projects move through post.

Tracing his path from dailies to final color, Slattery emphasizes the importance of training the eye, understanding the material, and mastering evolving software. He recalls seeing the impact of a before-and-after transformation early in his career, an experience that left him “one-hundred percent hooked” on color grading. At every stage, he underscores the DI as a deeply collaborative process: one that solves visual challenges while protecting and refining the creative intent of the director and cinematographer.

Listen to the latest episode of the Team Deakins Podcast featuring James Slattery for a closer look at the craft, process, and collaboration behind the final image.