5 Color Grading Steps That Make Any Footage Look Cinematic
Color grading can feel like black magic when you’re first starting out. You want your footage to look like a movie, but all you get is flat, dull visuals or over-processed messes. Should you use a LUT? Which slider does what? Why does your footage still look off even after you follow YouTube tutorials step-by-step?
That confusion ends today.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through five essential steps to make any footage look cinematic—without guesswork or wasted hours. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned filmmaker, this workflow will finally give you confidence in your color grading.
Let’s dive in.
🎬 Step 1: Understand the Signal Chain (Don’t Skip This!)
This is the most overlooked concept in color grading—and the main reason most filmmakers struggle to get the “cinematic” look.
Even if you’re using all the right tools and making the right adjustments, if you’re doing them in the wrong order, your footage will still look bad.
What is a signal chain?
It’s the sequence in which your color corrections are applied. Just like audio mixing, order matters. If you apply a Rec709 LUT before adjusting exposure, you’re grading baked-in colors—which crushes dynamic range and kills your image.
Here’s the correct order:
Apply corrections to the clip itself, not on an adjustment layer:
Noise reduction
Exposure/contrast
Light shaping, white balance, skin tones
Then apply your LUT or Rec709 conversion on top using an adjustment layer.
In Premiere Pro:
The timeline signal chain flows upward (V1 happens before V2).
In Effect Controls, the order flows top to bottom.
Always apply adjustments to the image BEFORE the final REC709 conversion! That is how you get the most out of your footage.
🎥 Step 2: Apply Rec709 (But Not Too Soon)
Even though Rec709 conversion should be the last step in your signal chain, you’ll want to apply it first visually so you can see what you’re working with.
Here’s how:
Create an adjustment layer in your project panel.
Place it above your clips on the timeline.
In Lumetri Color, apply your Rec709 LUT to that layer.
Now your log footage will look “normal,” and you can begin the grading process with a clear view of color and contrast.
☀️ Step 3: Adjust Exposure & Contrast
Now select your actual video clip and go into the Lumetri Color > Basic Correction tab.
Start simple:
Bring exposure down slightly if overexposed.
Adjust highlights and shadows gently.
Pro Tip: Less is more. Subtle shifts create a more professional look.
Want more control? Head to the Curves panel:
Add multiple control points to the line.
Lower the shadows and midtones gently.
Raise highlights only if needed.
This lets you shape contrast with surgical precision, keeping skin tones and details intact.
Step 4: Correct Skin Tones (The Secret Sauce)
Flat or unnatural skin tones can ruin an otherwise great grade. Here's how to get them just right:
Add a new Lumetri Color effect and rename it “Skin Tone.”
Go to HSL Secondary and use the eyedropper to select a bright area of your subject’s skin (like the forehead).
Enable Color/Gray preview to isolate the selection.
Tweak the sliders and add a blur (10–20) for a natural transition.
Add a mask under Effects Controls > Opacity to isolate the skin area.
Use Vectorscope YUV in Lumetri Scopes to verify skin tone alignment along the red-yellow skin tone line.
Adjust hues to push the skin tone slightly warmer or cooler as needed.
You’re aiming for subtle warmth that flatters your subject without pushing them into unnatural reds or yellows.
🌅 Step 5: Add a Vignette or Glow for Visual Focus
This is where we add the “cinematic” finishing touch.
Vignette:
Add a new Lumetri Color effect and rename it “Vignette.”
Go to the Vignette panel and lower the Amount (e.g. -0.3).
Adjust Feather, Roundness, and Midpoint to shape the vignette subtly around your subject.
Glow (Bonus Masking Trick):
Add another Lumetri Color effect and rename it “Glow.”
In Effect Controls, draw an Ellipse Mask above your subject where light might naturally hit.
Feather the mask heavily (e.g. 300).
Increase Exposure and add Warmth to simulate sunlight peeking through foliage.
This extra step gives your footage that dreamy, storytelling glow—perfect for nature scenes or emotional moments.
Final Thoughts
Color grading doesn't have to be complicated. Once you understand the signal chain and follow a logical, layered approach, your footage will instantly look more cinematic.
🎯 Remember:
Grade technically before creatively.
Small adjustments = big impact.
Let your storytelling drive your choices, not trends.
Want to Learn More?
If you found this helpful and want to level up even faster, check out platforms like Skillshare. Their curated learning paths take you from beginner to expert without all the guesswork.
🎓 Courses I personally recommend:
Ali Abdaal’s YouTube Masterclass
Marques Brownlee’s Filmmaking Lessons
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👉 Start your free Skillshare trial here.
Still have questions?
Drop them in the comments—I might turn your question into a future tutorial.
Thanks for reading.
🎬 Happy grading—and I’ll see you in the next video!
