Color Grading & Color Correction vs Motion Tracking
Which you need, what each costs, and when a project wants both — color grading & color correction compared with motion tracking.
Last revised
Both sit under Video Enhancement, and clients regularly ask which of the two they actually want. The short answer is below; the rest of this page is how to tell, what each costs, and the cases where a project needs both.
What each one is
- Color Grading & Color Correction Correcting color problems and grading footage to a consistent look that suits the story or brand.
- Motion Tracking Tracking the movement of objects, faces and cameras in footage, so graphics, effects and blurs stay attached.
The numbers
| Color Grading & Color Correction | Motion Tracking | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | From $45.00 per finished minute | From $45.00 per finished minute |
| Services underneath | 5 | 3 |
How to decide
Go with Color Grading & Color Correction when
- The job is specifically basic color correction, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically dynamic range enhancement, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically mood enhancement and stylistic grading, which sits under this one
Go with Motion Tracking when
- The job is specifically application-specific tracking, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically object & element tracking, which sits under this one
- The job is specifically spatial and dimensional tracking, which sits under this one
When a project wants both
Worth knowing: More often than the question implies — the same job frequently touches both, and one team covers them, so moving between them is a conversation rather than a second supplier. If you are not sure which your files need, that is what the free trial is for. The process is the same either way: whichever you pick, the work runs through the same stages and is checked against the same bar. Video Enhancement sets that out.
Questions we get on this specific choice
Is one of them cheaper?
They start at the same rate, so the choice is about what the job needs rather than about budget. Complexity moves both.
Which is faster?
Much the same, and volume moves the number far more than the choice between these two does.
Can you tell me which one my files need?
Yes, free. Send two or three real files — that judgment is part of the trial rather than something quoted separately.
Can I switch after we start?
Yes. If the files say the other one is the right answer, we re-quote before doing the work rather than after.
Where to go from here
- Color Grading & Color Correction — what it is, in full, with its own pricing
- Motion Tracking — the same for the alternative
- Video Enhancement pricing — both rates side by side with the US market ranges
- Try it free — a 30-second cut from your own footage, and we will tell you which of the two your files need
- Get a quote if the scope is already clear
- Every rate we publish, on one page
