alex.starbuck wrote:Now, how do you suggest I go about creating the look LUT? Choose an "average" shot which sort of represents the whole programme, create the look with the plug in, export lut, remove the node with plugin, re-apply the look LUT on group level...?
You could. There are a lot of different ways to work. I'll give you two:
1) create a fixed node tree of (say) 15 nodes. The first few nodes essentially "normalize" the material and get it under control, perhaps in a Rec709-ish viewable condition. Then two more nodes are used for the LOOK, perhaps as multiple nodes turned into a compound node. You could have a LUT in one -- at least a LUT designed for Rec709 in and Rec709 out -- or Film Emulation or whatever you want. Once the look is there, then the rest of the nodes would be keys and windows and trims and clips and all the other adjustments needed for the shot. Every single node should be clearly labeled so you can differentiate what each one does and stay organized.
2) color correct the show, then create a Group Post-Clip Grade for specific scenes: for example, there's a Kitchen Scene, and there's an Office Scene, and there's a Car Scene. Each of the specific scenes gets a Group Grade that applies an overall look. If the Clip correction is done accurately enough, often everything will still match even if you apply a Group grade. If the filmmakers decide the look is too much, you can always add a "split the difference" node at the end with a Key Output node that lowers the opacity of the grade by (say) 50%. I use that when the director says, "I like the look, but let's have a little less of it."
There's a lot of different ways you can go. I would point to these people below as having very good ideas on Look Creation and strategies for Resolve:
Cullen Kelly (who does tutorials for several websites and also on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/c/CullenKellyStefan Ringelschwandtner
https://mononodes.com/Jason Bowdach
https://pixeltoolspost.com/Lowepost
https://lowepost.com/courses/color-gradingand
Juan Melara
https://juanmelara.com.au/storeAll have some really interesting ideas on getting distinctive, high-impact looks within Resolve. I do think the Timeline grade is very special but also fragile, and it's not what I would rely on for a look per se. You can make a better case for Group Grades, Shared Nodes, or Fixed Node Trees, which will give you the ability to undo and make changes on a shot-by-shot or a large group basis.