Participant

Question

How to create HDR videos in Premiere?

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
March 21, 2017
3 replies
21098 views

Hi everyone. I want to know how do I make/export a video with the HDR "standard"? I'm getting a sony a6500 which can shoot in SLog which I heard is necessary for HDR video. However, I've also read about needing 10 bit and ProRes. Do I need those 2 features in my camera to be able to shoot in HDR, or is shooting in SLog enough (because in that case I would need to buy an Atomos recorder)? Sorry but I'm not an expert in video editing, but I do want to start making videos in HDR from now on since HDR TVs are becoming popular and even youtube supports HDR videos. Basically, I just want to know how to turn my camera's slog video into HDR compatible in premiere.

Thanks in advance

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LuneTechAuthor

Participant

After looking at my original question, I think I should've explained it a bit better. I was basically asking how can I make it so that I can export a video in premiere pro that will make our HDR TVs show the "HDR" tag on the too right of the display (in the case of LG OLED TVs) and goes into its bright HDR mode. If you watch an HDR video on YouTube (The HDR Channel is probably the most popular channel for HDR videos), you will see your TV go into HDR mode and same if you play an HDR blu-ray movie or even an HDR video from an external hard drive that you hook up to your TV. So literally I just wanted to know how to export a video in Premiere to make your TV go into HDR mode when it detects that video. It's been 2 years from today that I posted the original question and I don't do much video work anymore, but I'm still curious about this topic because I haven't gotten an answer or figured it out yet.

C

charleshull

Participating Frequently

LuneTech, yes, when I say FCPX has a good HDR workflow this is what I mean. When you play the videos the 'HDR' tag will pop up on a HDR TV. And with any luck these videos will look as good as the HDR demos you see at TV stores. 8 bit SLog from a Sony a6500 is fine.

I'm a traditional Premiere Pro editor and want all this to work in PP, and I'm sure it will soon, but if you are anxious to get going with HDR FCPX could be a path. Anyone I know who has posted bona fide HDR to the YouTube channel has used this.

estarkey

Known Participant

This post is about editing HDR with Premiere Pro. As I've mentioned most of my HDR experience is with FCPX, since I usually shoot ProRes RAW and only FCPX supports this format. However over the years most of my experience is with Pr, and I expect Adobe will eventually support this format. I'll compare and contrast FCPX and Pr as I go along. The workflows assume there is no HDR monitor, and only the Pr video display.

Note that the workflow for log video is different than for HLG video.

I'll start with log video. The workflow is as follows:

1. Import the clips, trim them, and drop them on the timeline.

2. In the Lumetri Color window, at the top select 'High Dynamic Range'. This brings up the controls for HDR.

3. In the Lumetri Scopes window, at the bottom right select 'HDR' . (This is normally set to 8 bit.)

4. Right click the Lumetri Scopes window, and select 'Colorspace', '2020'

5. The Waveform RGB scope now has the left hand scale, a log scale, of 0 to 10K. This represents 0 to 10,000 nits.

6. For each clip adjust the nit intensity with the 'exposure' slider. Keep the maximum intensity under 1000 nits.

7. The video display, which is Rec.709 now shows as very over exposed and saturated. This is where experience and understanding the waveform scope comes in. The slider 'HDR Specular' is used to re-distribute the intensities over the 2020 (HDR) scale. Typically you will want to lift this some, more or less depending on the effect you are looking for. Adjust 'Shadows', keeping in mind that HDR is much more detailed in shadows than Rec.709.

8. Export the video. Use HEVC (H.265). Set Profile to 'Main 10', check 'Rec. 2020' and 'High Dynamic Range'. This exports a 10 bit HDR file.

There are a couple of significant differences from FCPX. FCPX has the ability to show HDR as RAW values, where the video display is not over exposed and saturated. This is flat and not color correct, but is very useful to set the Midtones (HDR Specular for Pr). Pr may have this ability, but I don't think so, I couldn't find it. If someone knows how to do this let me know; otherwise I'll submit a Pr feature request. The second, with Pr you can't input the HDR metadata. Pr tags the file with metadata, but whatever it is it's unknown. This feature/bug has already been submitted.

The workflow with HLG video is:

1. Import the clips, trim them, and drop them on the timeline.

2. Editing is done in the normal Rec. 709 timeline.

3. With experience set the 'Exposure', 'Highlights', 'Shadows', etc. Keep exposure at 90% or so.

4. Export the video. Use HEVC (H.265). Set Profile to 'Main 10', check 'Rec. 2020' and 'High Dynamic Range'. This exports a 10 bit HDR file.

5. Results will vary, it is not possible to know what the resulting 2020 file will look like ahead of time. Good HDR is possible, but sometimes it is sub par.

Pr has a very significant difference from FCPX. FCPX has the ability to create 'Compound' clips from HLG clips, and these clips can be edited on the 2020 PQ timeline. That is, the 2020 data is extracted from the HLG clip, and it is edited just like log video. HLG and log clips can be mixed on the same timeline, Outstanding HDR is possible with HLG with FCPX. I don't know a workaround with Pr. If someone knows a good way to consistently edit HLG with Pr please let me know. Otherwise I'll submit a Pr feature request.

This is exactly how I said HDR exports should be done!

estarkey

Known Participant

Ok, regardless of the GH5, how do i grade and encode an HDR video in Premiere Pro? Let's say I have a (insert your most favorite full frame camera here), how do I take the Log footage and create an HDR deliverable?

HDR televisions have been available for around 2 years, and I've had one almost 2 years. DaVinci can do it Final Cut can do it. How do you do it in Premiere? Is it even possible to do in Premiere, or are those HDR and BT-2020 checkboxes simply for decoration?

R Neil Haugen

Legend

Just because a camera is "full frame" doesn't have anything to do with video quality for high dynamic range files. It just means it is a still camera primarily that has a sensor roughly the size and shape of a 35m film camera.

Quite often, cameras designed as still rigs with video capabilities are not the equivalent of a camera designed primarily as a video camera.

Some do pretty well. Most ... are compromises.

Neither does an ability to shoot in some log format imply any actual HDR capabilities ... just that a camera may not lose as much highlight detail as it otherwise would. With quite a few cameras their log settings only get them almost up to a 10-stop range one had with b/w film. Hardly HDR.

Most "prosumer" cams with "log" don't produce particularly good log media.

To really be worthy of good HDR as far as I've seen, takes a camera that can record in at least 13 full stops of dynamic range and record that to card ... in at least 10-bit if not 12. It doesn't require log at all.

That media can be worth working, and produce amazing imagery on the few systems that can as of now distribute it.

The cameras making that media tend to cost a bit yet.

I'm looking forward to having that tech come down more for general use.

Neil

Everyone's mileage always varies ...

estarkey

Known Participant

Ok, let me try this. How to edit, grade an export HDR footage in Premiere Pro with (insert your favorite RED, Arri, Black Magic, Varicam, Sony FS7 variant).

Let's completely disconnect the camera the produces the footage or how good you think it's going to look. Can this be done in Premiere Pro CC 2018 or not. If the answer is no, fine. I'll move over to Davinci Resolve.

E

excited_Genie16B8

Legend

Unless you're shooting RAW from a RED or Alexa, this might not be worth worrying about.

LuneTechAuthor

Participant

The Panasonic GH5 can record 4k HDR video and it's not a crazy expensive camera like the RED cameras.

R Neil Haugen

Legend

The fun thing about HDR yet is ... there isn't a lot of places using it. That will change over time.

Also ... not that high a percentage of the users working it, so not so many posting help with it yet. I pay attention to articles in the web, and presentations at Adobe MAX and NAB. But I can't shoot it myself.

Neil

Everyone's mileage always varies ...

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