Color grading can completely change how an audience feels about a scene: warmth can create comfort, cool tones can create distance, and harsh contrast can heighten tension. It’s a craft that bridges the technical and the creative and the best part is, there are some incredible tools out there for filmmakers working on a budget.
If you’re looking to get started with color grading or take your skills to the next level, here are a few free tools that come highly recommended:
1. DaVinci Resolve: Industry-standard and free to download. Extremely powerful for color grading with professional-level controls:
https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
2. Color.io: A newer browser-based tool designed for LUT creation and look development. Simple to use and free for basic features:
3. OpenColorIO: An open-source color management solution used in visual effects and animation workflows:
For the editors and filmmakers in here:
What’s your go-to color grading tool or tip?
Do you have any favorite LUT packs, tutorials, or resources that helped you learn?
Let’s swap advice, share tools, and keep leveling up our color grading game!
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You're right, Ashley Renee Smith. Color grading can completely change how an audience feels about a scene. I've noticed that in movies and shows I've watched. I use colors in scripts to make the reader feel a certain way or show that something like an object has a deeper meaning.
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That is why I love the TV series Copenhagen Cowboy Ashley Renee Smith
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Thank you for your recommendations Ashley Renee Smith. I have not tried out color.io yet, but it seems interesting. My go-to is the grade node in Nuke, as I am usually too lazy to open up Resolve. It might also be worth adding ACES Central to the list of resources.