The problem is we all need to learn how the new color management process in Premiere works. As you can now do all sorts of things with your media in different color spaces and exports from SDR to HDR, but you have to tell Pr what you want it to do.
I'll give a few basics here. And the time of today, as their CM stuff is getting built while we work, and will expand further throughout the coming year. And I'll only give the full SDR/Rec.709 process options here.
SDR WORKFLOW (2 MARCH 2023)
1) For any clips that are Rec.709 and not log encoded, simply use on a Rec.709 working space sequence.
You can check the clip Properties by right-clicking them in the project panel, Properties.
And you check or set the sequence color space management setting in the Sequence Settings dialog near the top.
2A) For log-encoded clips to be used on a Rec.709 timeline,
- Select one or more clips in the Project panel/bin
- Right-click/Modify/Interpret Footage
- Use the Override-To option at the bottom to set the appropriate log setting to the clips.
Now choose between two workflow options, do you want their auto-tonemapping normalization process from log to Rec.709 ... which is NOT a simply LUT, it's a full mathematical algorithm process ... or do you want to normalize yourself from log to Rec.709?
Auto-tonemapping of log-encoded media or ... not
- If the Preferences option for "auto tonemapping" is set to "on", then when you drop a log-encoded clip to a sequence, Pr will take the log format you selected in Interpret Footage, and apply an algorithmic transform process to normalize the log encoding to Rec.709/SDR.
- This process carefully preserves the total dynamic range without clipping whites or crushing blacks, and also remaps color to within sRGB boundaries.
- If you want to normalize the media manually or via your own LUT, then un-check auto tonemapping in the Preferences, and you will get a log-appearing image on your sequence.
2B) Another option is to do your normalization via the Project panel's Interpret Footage dialog.
- store your LUT somewhere on your computer
- from the Project panel, select clips and right-click/Modify/Interpret Footage
- Select your Input LUT from the dropdown list in the Input LUT slot
- Use the Override-To option to set Rec.709 as the proper color space for the normalized image.
Now when the clip is dropped on a timeline, you see the image normalized by the LUT you specified.
Personal Notes
I'm not a huge fan of option 2B above, as that means you cannot "trim" the clip to fit your normalization LUT. Why, and what is "trimming" a clip to fit a LUT?
All LUTs are based on the clip or clips they were created from, and your field media almost certainly does not match the exact exposure/contrast/saturation of the clip used to create the LUT.
Colorists call LUTs "the dumbest math out there" for a reason. LUTs can only do pixel to pixel changes as per the datum from the table. X value becomes Y value. So they can clip or crush at will depending on the difference between field created media and the media used to create the LUT.
Normally, "proper" application of normalization LUTs is said to be done by applying the LUT to the clip, and then ... in steps processed before said LUT, adjust the image exposure, contrast, white/black/sat, so the LUT has the best effect possible on that clip.
You can't trim a clip to fit your LUT if you apply that normalization LUT in the Intepret Footage Input LUT slot.
However ... !
If you are using a LUT for a color space conversion, you MUST apply it via the Input LUT operation in the Interpret Footage dialog.
As you cannot apply color space conversion LUTs in Lumetri.
Neil
2
Replies
AdChoices
