How to Apply Cinematic Presets to Drone Videos

🎬 Understanding Cinematic Presets

Cinematic presets, often referred to as LUTs (Lookup Tables), are pre-designed color grading profiles. These profiles adjust the colors, contrast, and overall look of your video to achieve a specific aesthetic. Think of them as filters for your video footage, but with far more control and sophistication.

They are designed to save time and effort in the post-production process. Instead of manually adjusting each color parameter, you can apply a preset and instantly achieve a professional cinematic look.

Different presets cater to various styles, from warm and vibrant to cool and moody. Choosing the right preset depends on the subject matter and the desired mood of your video.

⚙️ Software and Tools Required

To apply cinematic presets, you’ll need video editing software that supports LUTs. Some popular options include:

• Adobe Premiere Pro: Industry-standard video editing software with robust color grading capabilities.
• DaVinci Resolve: A powerful tool known for its advanced color correction features and free version.
• Final Cut Pro: Apple’s professional video editing software, offering seamless integration with macOS.
• Filmora: A user-friendly option suitable for beginners, with a wide range of presets and effects.

You’ll also need to acquire cinematic presets. Many websites offer free and paid LUTs, catering to different styles and preferences. Some popular sources include:

• Motion Array: Offers a wide variety of presets and other video editing assets.
• PremiumBeat: Provides high-quality music and sound effects, along with a selection of LUTs.
• FilterGrade: Specializes in filters and presets for both photos and videos.

📝 Preparing Your Drone Footage

Before applying cinematic presets, it’s essential to prepare your drone footage properly. This involves several key steps:

1. Shooting in a Flat Color Profile: When recording with your drone, choose a flat or neutral color profile. This preserves more detail in the highlights and shadows, giving you greater flexibility in post-production.
2. Adjusting Exposure: Ensure your footage is properly exposed. Overexposed or underexposed footage can be difficult to correct later on.
3. White Balance: Set the correct white balance during recording. If this isn’t possible, you can adjust it in post-production, but it’s best to get it right in-camera.
4. Stabilizing Footage: Use your editing software to stabilize any shaky footage. This will improve the overall viewing experience.

Shooting in a flat color profile like D-Cinelike or similar is crucial. This provides a neutral base for color grading.

Proper exposure avoids clipping highlights or shadows, preserving details.

Stabilization removes unwanted camera shake, resulting in smoother footage.

🛠️ Applying Cinematic Presets in Premiere Pro

Here’s how to apply cinematic presets in Adobe Premiere Pro:

1. Import Your Footage: Import your drone footage into Premiere Pro.
2. Create a New Sequence: Drag your footage onto the timeline to create a new sequence.
3. Open the Lumetri Color Panel: Go to Window > Lumetri Color to open the Lumetri Color panel.
4. Navigate to the Basic Correction Tab: Adjust the white balance, exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks as needed.
5. Go to the Creative Tab: Under the “Look” dropdown menu, click “Browse.”
6. Import Your LUT: Navigate to the folder where your LUTs are stored and select the desired preset.
7. Adjust the Intensity: Use the “Intensity” slider to adjust the strength of the preset.

The Lumetri Color panel provides comprehensive color grading tools.

Adjusting the intensity allows you to fine-tune the preset’s effect.

Experiment with different presets to find the perfect look for your footage.

🎨 Applying Cinematic Presets in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve offers even more advanced color grading tools. Here’s how to apply cinematic presets:

1. Import Your Footage: Import your drone footage into DaVinci Resolve.
2. Create a New Timeline: Drag your footage onto the timeline to create a new timeline.
3. Go to the Color Page: Click on the “Color” tab at the bottom of the screen.
4. Add a New Node: Right-click in the node editor and select “Add Serial Node.”
5. Apply the LUT: Right-click on the node and select “LUTs” > “Import LUT.” Navigate to your LUT file and select it.
6. Adjust the Node Opacity: Use the “Key Output Gain” to adjust the strength of the LUT.

DaVinci Resolve’s node-based system offers unparalleled flexibility.

The Key Output Gain controls the intensity of the LUT effect.

Resolve provides a vast array of color grading tools for fine-tuning.

✨ Fine-Tuning and Adjustments

Applying a cinematic preset is just the first step. You’ll often need to fine-tune the settings to achieve the desired look. Consider these adjustments:

• Exposure: Adjust the exposure to brighten or darken the footage.
• Contrast: Increase or decrease the contrast to add or reduce depth.
• White Balance: Fine-tune the white balance to correct any color casts.
• Saturation: Adjust the saturation to make colors more or less vibrant.
• Highlights and Shadows: Adjust the highlights and shadows to recover detail in bright and dark areas.

Subtle adjustments can make a big difference in the final result.

Pay attention to skin tones and ensure they look natural.

Experiment with different settings to find the perfect balance.

🚀 Exporting Your Final Video

Once you’re satisfied with the color grading, it’s time to export your final video. Choose the appropriate export settings based on your intended use:

• Resolution: Export at the same resolution as your source footage (e.g., 4K, 1080p).
• Frame Rate: Maintain the original frame rate of your footage (e.g., 24fps, 30fps, 60fps).
• Codec: Use a high-quality codec like H.264 or H.265 (HEVC).
• Bitrate: Set the bitrate high enough to preserve detail, but low enough to keep the file size manageable.
• Format: Export as an MP4 file for maximum compatibility.

Use a high-quality codec to minimize compression artifacts.

Adjust the bitrate based on the complexity of your footage.

Test your export settings to ensure the video looks good on different devices.