DVD is dark: do I need to grade in PP before going to Encore? How?

Question

Excuse me if this is an obvious question. Searches didn't show up anything, and I could not find an FAQ for this Forum. The Encore docs seem to say nothing about this.
I'm trying to make  a DVD from source material originating with a Canon XF-300 and Vixia cameras. The material looks ok in PP CS6, and as rendered as an MP4 file, with flesh tones at about 70 IRE. As is common, the performance stage is not exceptionally well lit, so is on the dark side, but shadow detail is still there.
I generate my DVD by importing the PP sequences into Encore. It appears too dark on my LCD TV which I am testing on. Blacks are crushed.
I thought that this seems like an RGB to Rec709 issue. I tried adding a levels adjustment layer in PP, setting ouput black to 16 and white to 235. (My DVD player could play the PP-exported .m4v on a  USB stick.) That's an improvement, even if it's not exceptional.
I've read a lot on the web and watched some videos, but not seen anything about this.
Must I grade for a DVD outputin PP before staring Encore? If that is required, why is it not mentioned anywhere in the docs?
If I need to do a pre-Encore adjustment, what is the best way? Do I need to worry about gamma too? (I understand that sRGB and Rec709 are close.)
Or something else?
I'm very used to working with color profiles in still photography, having used Photoshop for years and printed fine art photos. I'm using a calibrated monitor (but I understand PP does not use monitor profiles?) The profile complexity in video drives me nuts. The more I read, the less certain I am.
Thanks for any pointers to web resources I should follow, and for setting me in the right direction!
Brett

Answer 1

Brett Delmage wrote:
I'm very used to working with color profiles in still photography, having used Photoshop for years and printed fine art photos. I'm using a calibrated monitor (but I understand PP does not use monitor profiles?) The profile complexity in video drives me nuts. The more I read, the less certain I am.
Video is not stills. Two completely different things. Like trying to compare playing trumpet and clarinet. The only thing you can carry from one to the other is your ability to read sheet music. Or in this case, your ability to read light. None of the rest translates well.
First, unless you preview your work on a calibrated production monitor (one that can show you what your vid. looks like in the Rec.709 space) then you are working blind. There are other good reasons to use a production monitor instead of a computer monitor. One is a waveform monitor, which will likely help you a great deal (you can even use the one in PPro, which will help but you won't be able to see exactly what's going on, because it won't work while you are playing the video in PPro, and because you won't see the exact colors, black and white points, and contrast that you should). Another is a vector scope. Another is an RGB parade. All highly useful tools in color correction and color grading, and all the more useful if you can watch them while the video plays.
Second, as Mr. Jones suggests, do not send an MP4 to Encore for a DVD. Send only MPEG2-DVD for making DVDs. What you've done is like recompressing a JPEG in still photography. Some would say it's worse in video, IDK.
Third, get yourself a copy of Van Hurkman's The Color Correction Handbook. Read it. Learn it. Use it. It will make this part of your life so much better.