3 Step Premiere Pro Color Grading Tutorial

Introduction

Color grading is an essential aspect of video production that can significantly enhance the visual appeal of your footage. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through a simple three-step color grading process using Adobe Premiere Pro. By following these steps, you'll be able to bring depth, contrast, and richness to your videos, making them more cinematic.

Step 1: Correction

The first step in the color grading process is Correction. If you’ve filmed your footage using a flat color profile, this step is crucial for restoring the necessary contrast and vibrancy. Here’s how I approach this:

Manually Adjust Contrast: Start by adjusting the contrast levels. You want to make the dark areas darker and the bright areas brighter for a balanced image.
Shadows: Drop the shadow levels to bring depth to the darker parts of your footage.
Highlights: Increase the highlights to make the brighter areas pop.
S-Curve: Finally, add an S-curve to enhance the overall tonal range and give your shot a more polished look.

This correction phase lays the groundwork for the subsequent color applications.

Step 2: Colors

Once your footage is corrected, it’s time to insert some color! In this step, I usually apply one of my favorite cinematic LUTs (Lookup Tables) to instantly give my footage a specific look.

Apply a Cinematic LUT: Choose a LUT that fits the mood you're trying to achieve.
Tweak Intensity: Adjust the intensity of the LUT as needed to prevent it from overpowering the natural colors of your footage.
Final Adjustments: Dive into the Color Curves and Color Grading Wheels to make any last-minute modifications. This is where you can create a unique style that suits the aesthetic of your project.

Step 3: Full Masking Workflow

After you've established a solid color base, I recommend incorporating a full masking workflow. This allows for precise color grading in specific areas of your footage, helping you highlight essential features or create mood shifts across scenes.

For a comprehensive guide on the masking workflow, I encourage you to check out my latest YouTube video, which dives deeper into advanced color grading techniques using Premiere Pro.

Keywords

Color grading
Premiere Pro
Correction
Contrast adjustment
Flat color profile
Cinematic LUTs
Color Curves
Masking workflow

FAQ

Q1: What is color grading?
A1: Color grading is the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture or video. It involves adjusting the colors, contrast, brightness, and saturation to create a specific feel or mood.

Q2: Why should I correct footage shot in a flat color profile?
A2: Footage shot in a flat color profile lacks contrast and vibrant colors, making correction essential to restore the image's depth and visual interest before applying color grading.

Q3: How do I apply a LUT in Premiere Pro?
A3: You can apply a LUT in Premiere Pro by navigating to the Lumetri Color panel, selecting the “Creative” tab, and choosing your desired LUT from the dropdown menu.

Q4: What is an S-curve, and why is it important?
A4: An S-curve is a type of tone curve that enhances contrast by making the darker shadows darker and the highlights brighter. It’s important for achieving a balanced and visually appealing image.

Q5: What is a masking workflow in color grading?
A5: A masking workflow allows you to apply color adjustments to specific areas of your footage rather than the entire frame, allowing for targeted enhancements and creative effects.