Coloring BRAW in Premiere workflow

Hello, All! Appreciate patience for a new BMPCC 6k owner as I am learning BRAW. I work for an org that will not allow for Resolve use and so my workflow -- coloring and editing-wise -- is limited to Premiere Pro (PP). I need sort of a crash course for coloring BRAW. I have the plugin (Blackmagic RAW) and I have loaded the Origami Natural GEN 5_v2 lut to the camera but do not apply LUT in file for most uses as I want that control down the line. I also have Robert's Niessner's LUTs from 2021 downloaded https://forum.blackmagicdesign.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=97623

Where I get confused is on two fronts:
- what is the order of coloring once I import BRAW clips into PP from start to finish in terms of coloring?
- what my BRAW settings should be in terms of color space and gamma in order to apply LUTs such as Robert's / Origami?

What happens is sometimes I get a an image that is basically there color-wise or extremely blown out and I need help understanding why. If it is BMD Color Space with BMD Film it seems to be more fair with either of the luts, but the minute I switch to extended video or just video it gets blown out. This what I am not getting. Do these LUTs only work with the BMD color space / BMD Film gamma combo? Are there other specific LUTs that would work for different combos and if so, how would I know that prior to download? In general I am lacking a lot knowledge here and I can seem to find threads making this easier to understand.

Screenshots:

(1) BMD Color Space // BMD Film with no LUT

1.jpg (47.84 KiB) Viewed 2085 times

(2) BMD Color Space // BMD Film with Origami

2.jpg (73.6 KiB) Viewed 2085 times

(3) BMD Color Space // BMD Video with Origami

3.jpg (110.85 KiB) Viewed 2085 times

The results track right along even if I use the other LUT, they just look slightly different. I know I am missing basic info here, but I cant seem to find much color grading help via premiere opposed to via DaVinci Resolve.

Any advice appreciated!

You may want to ask this in a Premiere forum, most folks around here jumped ship.
But it will be worth a try to ask the same in the Resolve subforum, there are quite helpful folks around, and some my still remember

In my previous experience using Premiere Pro, I believe it was still using the pre-Lumetri update. Generally, Premiere Pro offers limited color grading capabilities. While it provides basic adjustments, advanced color correction is severely restricted.

Another notable aspect is the absence of a comprehensive color management system in Premiere Pro. Although Adobe had planned to introduce ACES support this year, its successful implementation remains uncertain, as it has prioritized AI-driven features. AI has been the primary focus of Adobe’s recent initiatives, and essential color management improvements have been neglected.

Now, let us address your specific questions. As I am unable to ascertain Adobe’s internal color management processes, I can only express my hope that it does not significantly compromise color profiles. However, given Adobe’s history of making errors, it is reasonable to assume that there is a possibility of such issues.

When importing BRAW clips into the NLE, they are typically presented in a flat log profile called BMD Film. If you have selected “Apply LUT in File with BRAW” during in-camera recording, the LUT is applied non-destructively as metadata. This allows you to view the footage with the LUT applied while editing, and you can disable the toggle once you enter the grade. Most LUTs are designed to transform BMDFilm to Rec709.

The workflow for color grading typically involves several steps:

1. **Exposure and Balancing:** This involves adjusting the exposure and contrast of the footage to achieve a visually appealing image.
2. **Color Correction:** This involves correcting color imperfections, such as color casts and skin tones.
3. **Shot Matching:** This involves aligning the color and exposure of different shots in the scene to create a cohesive visual experience.
4. **Creative Look:** This involves applying creative filters and adjustments to the balanced and matched footage to achieve a desired visual style.

Typically, I construct a pre-built Node Tree in Resolve for these tasks. This Node Tree comprises nodes for “Exposure,” “Balance,” “Temp/Tint,” “Curves/Contrast,” and “Shot Match,” which enables me to make any necessary adjustments to align shots. Subsequently, I create a Group Node Tree for the Creative Look. Additionally, I employ a Color Space Transform Node pipeline, with the first node being a CST to DaVinci Wide Gamut and the final node being a CST to Rec709. Premiere lacks CSTs. If I were not utilizing CSTs, I would implement a color managed workflow at the project level. However, Premiere still lacks color management capabilities, as far as I can ascertain.

Premiere utilizes layers, and multiple layers of Lumetri are necessary for grading footage. Layer effects can vary, necessitating the prioritization of balance, color correction, and shot matching in the bottom layer. Alternatively, balance and color correction can be combined in one layer, followed by shot matching in another. The creative look should be its own layer.

Regarding your last inquiry about color space and gamma, I recommend working in Blackmagic Wide Gamut Color Space and gamma set to BMD Film Gen 5. Since Premiere lacks DaVinci Wide Gamut, it is not possible to transform BMD Film Gen 5 into DWG. The rationale behind this step is to ensure compatibility between multiple cameras in the same color space, a key advantage of a color management system. This allows for the seamless matching of cameras from various manufacturers.

In response to your inquiry regarding the BMD Video or BMD Extended Video with a Look-Up Table (LUT) applied, it is important to note that the LUT is not specifically designed for these formats. It is likely optimized for BMD Film. Therefore, if you must apply a LUT, it is recommended to do so only for BMD Film unless the creator specifies otherwise.

My grading process, outlined above, assumes a log-based starting point and does not incorporate LUTs. In fact, I have discontinued using LUTs in my color workflow entirely. This is because I now utilize a Color Management Pipeline, which renders LUTs unnecessary.

While this information may not be specifically tailored to Premiere Pro, it provides a general overview of color grading procedures. The majority of the examples provided are based on Resolve, as it is my primary post-production software. It is unfortunate that your company does not permit the use of Resolve. However, you could emphasize that Resolve is the industry standard for color grading, and Premiere Pro falls significantly behind in this area. This information may be persuasive in convincing your company to reconsider its policy.

Premiere is rather different than Tim's experience now, thanks largely to Alexis Van Hurkman taking over color in Adobe pro video.

I run both my BMPCC4K and my Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 through Premiere heavily. However, I do NOT recommend using the Blackmagic plug-in for BRAW conversion. It has frequently been problematic.

The Autokroma one is well worth the 20 some bucks. And they actually give better help and troubleshooting for the BM plug-in than BM does.

Included in the Autokroma plug-in are all the options for Gen 4 or 5, and which options for "film", which is actually log, extended video or Rec.709. And everything else. And presets.

Within Premiere's new CM, you can choose to entirely turn off CN, doing everything manually, or for complete pass through.

Or to use a wide gamut working space, with say the sequence and output set to Rec.709. With some of the Lumetri controls now aware of the working space.

So you can set the Autokroma plug-in to "film", getting a log image, then use auto-detect log and auto tonemapping to provide normalization to Rec.709. Or leave off the tonemapping and use a LUT or manual normalization.

Premiere isn't perfect yet, but this new CM stuff is a massive upgrade from anything previous. And I have no trouble matching my Premiere and Resolve workflows. No one seeing my output could tell which app created it.

That said, using Tangent's Warp Engine stuff on my Elements panel, with the HDR palette and Color Slice, is a sheer joy.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

I’d like to add that you got the wrong LUT from me (if you are using the one from your link).
Blackmagic had several revisions of their color science over time.
Back in 2018 when the Pocket 4K came out it was on Color Science Gen 4.
That has changed to Gen 5 nowadays, which is a lot flatter then Gen 4.

To reflect this I have recreated my original LUT for Gen 5.
Get it here, it’s LBK-BMD_Gen5_neutral_High-desat_v10:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=151668

When working with RAW, set your ISO to bring the exposure to a good level. Set the whitebalance.
That will bring you into a good starting point.