Need Help using Technicolor Cinestyle LUT Buddy

S

sladen

Active member
So I've shot some footage using the Technicolor Cinestyle picture style and understand that the flat image creates a superior dynamic range for the purposes of color grading. What I still am not clear on is the purpose of LUT Buddy.

After applying LUT Buddy, the footage looks much better, but apparently the LUT Buddy is supposed to be removed before you begin color grading? I found that recommendation here: http://www.notafraid.com/2011/05/technicolor-cinestyle/

So I am confused: if I'm not to use LUT Buddy for color grading, what purpose does it serve in the post production process?
 
Oh nevermind reread it......its just saying that you should color grade it including a custom s-cuvre without there lut buddy on the clips...Lut buddy is so you can quickly look at better footage before you grade it when editing.....I guess this makes sense I've been making custom ones anyways because the contrast changes from shot to shot based on the scene and mood.....get magic bullet or use apples color on the footage....if your not good at grading you should either learn it or use another style
 
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Yeah I'm comfortable using magic bullet... I was just wondering if using LUT Buddy in conjunction with magic bullet would somehow produce better results.
 
I wrote that blog post you're referring to. The point of using the CineStyle preset is to preserve shadow and highlight detail for later color correction and grading. This creates a flat and somewhat washed out image. Using LUT Buddy simply adds an S-curve to make that flat wide dynamic range image you recorded, and makes it look more like the standard pictures profile while editing. You can also do the same thing using a built in curves effect, magic bullet, or color, and get identical results.

When you use LUT buddy prior to color correction it takes those shadow and highlight details away now mimicking the Standard Camera profile, making them more difficult to recover with subsequent color correction and look creation. If all you want is the standard film look of the s-curve, then by all means use LUT buddy to achieve it simply, or shoot with the Standard profile in your camera. But if you're using CineStyle to allow flexibility in post for creating various looks and film treaments, you will want to remove LUT Buddy so when you start color correcting you are using all that dynamic range you recorded, and can now dial in the curve and contrast to keep as much shadow or highlight detail as you need.

Paul
 
Hey Folks,
I'm new here, so please inform me if I am following rules properly..

I just downloaded 5DtoRGB Batch app from Mac App Store.. I know there is a way to apply LUT in 5DtoRGB... I see Paul is saying it is still better to add LUT in FC7 if I want to customize the affect of my LUT or other curve, is this still correct regarding 5DtoRGB?

I think the answer may be obvious, but I'm at that "asking obvious questions" stage of my career :)

Bernie
 
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