How cinematographers actually use LUTs

[@ScottJeschke]

Good stuff! Agree with everything you said. Traditional film lighting ratios are such a lost art these days, and it really does add so much clarity and dimension to the image.

[@ForestCinema]

I’ve been switched over to ETTL for quite a while now. Deakins is an Alexa fanatic, and the power of that camera is in how it allocates its dynamic range to favor accurate and pleasing highlight roll-off. Almost all other cameras don’t have the luxury of that bias, because they simply don’t have as many total stops to work with. That’s not to say I don’t allow things to blow out when appropriate, but I’m always more considerate of the highlights than shadows. This has become especially important for plugins like Dehancer Pro, which really need highlight differentiation in order for effects like halation and bloom to be simulated convincingly. You certainly can work either way, but I’ve found newer cameras to handle ETTL better

[@NetherReactorCore2006]

Dynamic Range on the New Arri 35 Dynamic range is absolutely CRAZY! ( Im not a fan of the in camera 'film grain' though

[@ForestCinema]

@@NetherReactorCore2006 I understand the film grain in camera. I can see how it might throw off a colorist or vfx person in some instances, but keeping in mind this is Arri we are discussing, I’m sure it’s top notch. Part of a DOP/Cinematographer’s job is selecting a camera, and the image out of camera is a significant factor (color, DR, gate size, motion rendering, and texture.) If I had to guess, they first developed the texture system so that the 35 could seamlessly match their other cameras when desired. Then, realizing the creative power of what they’d come up with, they expanded it to additional textures. Everyone on set should prefer it in-camera, as it allows all departments to see the chosen resolving power and texture treatment on set. It puts that choice back firmly in the DOP’s court. How many digital films have looked poorly lit, or poorly dressed due to a post production change in texture that deviates from the DOP’s original intent? DOPs deserve the power to deliver an image SOOC with certain aspects baked in, and I think the industry is conceding that. It’s akin to choosing a film stock. Of course, the big boys like Netflix etc. will contractually require certain settings before too long, so they can continue with their in-house post fuggery mission to make every last one of their final grades look like poo, but that’s just how it will be.

[@JimRobinson-colors]

All really logical but as a colorist we want to keep the intention of the photography, so camera manufacture middle grey is preferred as a base for all exposure references. The DP wants something darker they light from middle grey - brighter same thing. Then the look and contrast pivot is set and locked and the contrast built from that. i.e Arri Log C at 41% middle grey - the look or LUT can then have 41% locked on a curve and then keeping 2 - 3 stops above and below on a linear curve create the shadow and highlight roll off on the s-curve contrast. But for shooting your own stuff etc. and coloring your own stuff, the expose brighter and grade lower, makes sense. I guess if you passed it off to a colorist with this info, it would be fine. Same with temperature - the kelvin is something that would also be something the colorist would want to not white balance if the photography is intended to be warm or cold. But the contrast and exposure can really make a huge difference for a look to work on all footage. If middle grey is some subjective taste of a LUT author, it might look great on some footage and terrible on others - so when color grading it would be a constant tweak at clip level.

[@MrVh78]

Sorry but I got lost in details, what is the takeaway of this message? we should shoot everything in middle grey if using a professional colorist so he has the latitude to fix/tweak?

[@JimRobinson-colors]

@@MrVh78 No, mid grey is the pivot point for the colorist to respect the photography. So if you shoot on set using a light meter, you make the decision as to what is dark and what is light by stops below or above middle grey. That opens up the artistic option for the cinematography. So if you have a shadowy bar scene - the colorist respects that you shot it that way and doesn't try and fix it. etc. by making everything look daylight. The colorist will set the exposure and without even doing much to each shot, the photography is then honored as to the intention of what was lit on set. Same with White balance - a lot of colorists will take the footage and first thing they do is try to white balance. But what if the cinematographer spent all day, getting that perfect blend with gels that he or she wanted? Then a colorist just ruins it in a few minutes white balancing. A good colorist will find the middle grey from the cam manufacture white page and assume that grey is shot as a reference on set and lit to taste of the scene.

[@SempleFilms]

So in others the cinematographer lit the scene the way he saw best communicate the story. The Colorist shouldn't really go back in and re-lit the scene, with masks. and vignettes etc??

[@JimRobinson-colors]

​@@SempleFilms . When you expose to middle grey - it means that you set the camera to native ISO and FPS and set your aperture to the value for your taste and using a meter that is calibrated to muddle grey you then set the exposure to the scene - so in a bright situation the key might be two or even three stops over for a bright day and in the next scene the person could walk into a bar - so the key might be one or two stops below. But all calculations being from middle grey point, the colorist sets his or her contrast pivot and middle grey exposure and the footage will all fall into place with the lighting intentions in place. Spencer is essentially doing the same thing with his LUT but not actually at middle grey. What ever amount of stops his LUT is below or above - the colorist would need to know to see the intention of his cinematography. All camera manufacturers have native ISO and middle grey. Just set that and light to it, the way you think it looks good. The continuity would then be the same for the colorist. Using measuring devices there is no guessing.

[@JimRobinson-colors]

@@SempleFilms Not unless directed to do so. Relighting especially should respect the people that spent all day setting up a shot and not walk in and ruin it.

[@nyambe]

Cine ie actually solves this issue, I love it.

[@allenpayne9182]

I suggest anyone to learn how to stress test LUTs. Also keep in mind that if he is using the native tools you can build the LUT, too. Actually, true Film LUTS (stock and print) are actually by collecting data and use math to emulate "true film". With the native tools you are not able to convert colors the way math can. But I highley recommend trying to rebuild grades. But always keep an eye on test charts (grayscale & color gradients) to test your own grade and look for banding issues before creating LUTs. I would never trust a look buy just looking at "real-life" images.

[@herrnerdmeyer3638]

Although I'm following your work, I just came to this video. Too bad KZbin doesn't value a back catalogue too much, but I'm grateful. Thank you

[@Filmedbylamar]

Can’t buy the luts? Where to get them

[@Keep_Creating_Art]

love your videos dude!, keep creating!

[@aisan8796]

Do you have any LUTS for the Fuji XT series ?

[@jorenzo]

3:28 Spenser: 📸😏☺️ Anton: 👹😐😠

[@BrandonWells]

"present" looks soooo good

[@DANAMIONLINE]

I noticed you used a color chart in your test shots. How do you use it on set for client projects such as a commercial or short doc?

[@normanziegelmeyer7693]

I have a moderate background in photography and am just getting into color grading of my drone footage. In order to get an accurate "Golden Hour" color LUT, can I take a large grey card and expose it in natural "Golden Hour " light and then create a lut from it? Thanks

[@ckrug32]

great question, Norman. I would like to know as well

[@FrostElement]

Awesome. Thank you. Is there a lut you would advise for safari type footage?

[@Gordos_photographyy]

Would this Luts work on a Canon r6 mark 2 setting on, Clog3;cinema gamut? Or is this specific to using regular Rec709?

[@spensersakurai]

You could modify it for that to your liking. And then yes the rec709 version would give you a nice reference image

[@ewingeric]

This was AWESOME! Curious, what monitor was being used in this video?

[@spensersakurai]

smallhd 702 bright

[@ewingeric]

@@spensersakurai dope, I dig your style! 🤙🏼

[@pietroronzoni8869]

Hey man great content as always! I'm a DOP and colorist based in Milan. Watching the video I was wondering why you create luts that underexpose the image instead of lowering the iso or using exposure compensation in camera.

[@WDWRM]

I think he's refering to the technique of overexposing by 2 stops that works much better when grading. So essentially some of these LUTs will force you to overexpose which, if I understand correctly, is a good thing.

[@archive4578]

@@WDWRM I don't think it's a good thing to make a LUT that works with overexposed images for many reasons. If you want a cleaner image you can lower the iso reserving more dynamic range in the shadow part of the image or use exposure compensation while shooting!

[@Tom_Hart]

Just got 'em, perfect way to support the channel 👍🏻 Thanks for all the knowledge you put out Spenser!

[@johnnyray5515]

Is it better to film in B-Raw or Pro-Res when you're going to use LUT's?

[@spensersakurai]

BRAW is ideal

[@bensanders2101]

Looks great. Would you consider offering them as a powergrade, too? So we can get in there and tweak?

[@WillBinks]

+1! Also please release them for r3d raw/Komodo! I find many luts fall apart if not made for 16 bit r3d

[@alhussainbessam2465]

Great info! I was trying to make a monitoring LUT that is ETTR adjusted. So I went to Davinci Resolve and added 2 nodes. First one is -1.7 exposure using the HDR wheels and seconds node I applied a color space transform. However, the monitoring LUT is now clipping at the highlights. Any tips on how to fix that?

[@Isaacsoh]

Loved this Spenser! As you're shooting on a Komodo, would that mean that you're outputting REC709 into your monitor and your monitor applies the Creative LUT on the Rec709 footage?

[@spensersakurai]

That will would be the workflow when using the LUTs, yes or adjusting the gen5 one to work with redlog and exporting a red specific lut which i would i try as well.

[@jonnynoakes9070]

LUTs look great! Might buy them to add in to my c70 grading workflow 🙋‍♂️

[@cinema-q]

Hmm. Does anyone know?: If these are for monitoring but the LUT is converted from 709 instead of log, how do you monitor with them on a camera shooting log?

[@spensersakurai]

Works for LOG still but works best on blackmagic cameras. You can produce your own using the rec709 LUTs for your camera on your own.

[@DanielTuriman]

I Love your statement, and i consider using own LUTS

[@osasidaeproductions3759]

I’ve always love your look and have always wanted them .. so thanks for creating this lut. If you ever add other cameras like Zcam or Fuji .. will you update the lut pack of we’ll have to buy it again?

[@ginotarabotto]

Hi, I noticed when trying to set my grey card to an IRE of 35, the necessary exposure changes depending on the LUT you have on. How do you set, if possible, an exposure level that can more or less work with the LUTs you have available on your monitor.

[@spensersakurai]

If im understanding correctly, you can just look at your actual exposure using false color or waveform using log if youre having issues but i like to use my eye based on the loaded cine vibe LUTs in most situations.

[@inspyremusicnl5826]

Hi spenser. Keeping in mind that i want to drop exposure approx. 2 stops how does that translate on the offset wheel when we start at 25?

[@spensersakurai]

The LUT does the drop for you.

[@inspyremusicnl5826]

@@spensersakurai i mean without your lut. Just the general advice of ETTR and setting up yoyt LUT accordingly

[@StephanHogan]

I purchased your LUTS for my Z6 and cant get them to look anything like yours with my Ninja - even with adjusting all the white balance. What do you recommend?

[@spensersakurai]

Use the rec709 one or make sure to expose brighter.

[@rwootenvideo]

Are you going to sell z cam luts

[@spensersakurai]

no but you can use the rec709 luts included in the pack.

[@poldivina]

Would you be creating these luts for clog2/3? Great video btw!

[@GregTardif]

This is super cool!!

[@BongsterProduction]

Do you have a custom recommendation for a picture profile for the sony a6400 for these luts?

[@spensersakurai]

I would use the rec709 LUT on your monitor with whatever the most rec709 profile sony offers running to it or i would use s-log and conform it to rec709 in post and then add the LUT and generate a new LUT for the a6400 for shooting.

[@A.DJC.PRODUCTION]

Great video!

[@hijazkdr]

Is there any affordable Video editing course?

[@tibfox]

youtube

[@RenatoCalo]

Very good video Spenser, thank you. I am working with a Canon Eos R, using its Log. Will your Luts work with it? Thank you.

[@spensersakurai]

They will work with any camera with some tweaks. The rec709 luts will work with any camera as long as you transform to rec709 first.

[@BobWilcox]

Got these the other day. Love the look of them!!

[@aqizdunya]

CINE LUTs for Sony Log pleaseeeeee

[@spensersakurai]

These will work with sony. Just need to convert to rec709 first. Actually the regular LUT will still work pretty well on its own. Ive tested it.

[@aqizdunya]

@@spensersakurai ohh okay then . Thanks . hope there have some tutorial how to use this cine lut in Resolve and on the external monitor while using Sony Camera . Thanks again bro.

[@Skibinskiy.S]

Only one question, if you don’t mind. if you are a cinematographer (and I'm sure you are), why is your keylight on the other side of the practical light behind your right shoulder? For this scene, putting the keylight to the right of the face would be, in my opinion, the most correct solution. Because there are no other visible light sources that could become motivators for the light on the left in the frame.

[@spensersakurai]

Um there is no rule of where I should put my key light.

[@CodakChris]

do red ipp2 workflow f this black magic

[@samhartfieldlewis5247]

Brilliant thank you very much

[@Liveworkshop]

Picking these up, thanks Spens!

[@qapturenlfilms]

Awesome video Spenser, great tips! Thanks.

[@dennispagterchristensen7786]

Fresh.

[@rutabingwaabdulaziz991]

hey am getting this pack asap gotta support the channel. thanks for sharing the knowledge.

[@dwpix]

You should have called this video “How I try to sale you my LUTs”.

[@anneboyer6359]

If you have ever studied Roger Deakins, you would realize that Roger does not use luts the way you think is his "LOOK". He just shoots on set with just a LUT he built as a baseline so he does not see pure log video on monitor. The "LOOK" you keep referring to as Roger look is actually set design and costume design and light colours. That was a complete failure on your part. But I get that you want to sell your luts.