Color correction guru Bob Sliga was the only man in Chicago had a big smile on his face as he shoveled snow from the sidewalks of his Frankfort home a few weeks ago.
After two-and-a-half years working for Apple in relentlessly sunny Cupertino, California, Sliga serendipitously returned to Chicago for good on Dec. 22.
Officially, Sliga still works for Apple, but it’s on part-time basis and out of his home, which gives him the flexibility to consult and freelance as a colorist.
While at Cupertino, Sliga led quality assurance on the “Color” color correction program right since Apple bought the product from Silicon Color in October, 2006.
Renamed simply Color, the program is included with a Final Cut Studio 2 editing, sound design and graphics package, and also interfaces with Final Cut Pro.
Sliga was recommended to Apple headquarters by the people at Silicon Color, by virtue of Apple’s need for guidance by a colorist with Sliga’s five-year experience working with the Silicon Color program.
“It’s safe to say I’m a Color specialist,” he says.
Sliga is enthusiastic about Color, calling it “a very good program.” He says, “It can get you 90-95% of what DaVinci delivers. It allows DaVinci style color program affordability and gives users anywhere the same power as Hollywood professionals.”
Feeling that his development Color had been completed, Sliga was eager to return home. He felt he had been in California long enough without his family. At the time he left for Cupertino, “It was impractical for me to move them out,” he says.
He resigned from Apple in October, fully expecting to be back by then. The company asked Sliga to push his departure back to Jan. 19. But then, Apple made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
He would continue to work on Color quality assurance, at home, part-time until next May. Better still, he was able to depart Apple in time to spend the holidays with his family and fire up the snowblower to his heart’s content. “Hey, I’m a Midwest boy, I missed Chicago,” he says in explanation.
Since his return, Sliga hasn’t wasted time getting back into business. He’s served as a consultant to Pixel Brothers, helping design its new DI room and freelancing on projects.
He is also freelancing for George Marton’s Global Video and Steve Panning’s Chicago HD. Panning was one of the first users of Final Touch, the precursor program to Color.
Sliga is one of Chicago color correction pioneers. He started his career in 1979 with one of the first video post houses and worked at several others until joining Film & Tape Works where he stayed for eight years until tapped by Apple.
Sliga can be reached at 815/955-8701.
