How to Handle Log and HDR Footage in Premiere Pro

Log and HDR footage gives editors far more flexibility than a standard Rec.709 recording. A flat log image preserves highlight and shadow detail for grading, while HDR formats can display a wider brightness range and richer colour on compatible screens. The extra information is valuable, but it also means Premiere Pro needs a deliberate colour-managed workflow.

Many problems blamed on a camera, LUT or export setting actually begin with an incorrect interpretation. Log clips may appear grey and washed out, HDR material can look excessively bright, and a sequence may mix several colour spaces without making the difference obvious. Correcting these issues early is much easier than trying to rescue a finished timeline.

Australian creators also need to account for local production habits. Cameras are commonly set to 25 frames per second because Australia uses the 50 Hz PAL system, while a Sydney corporate shoot, a Melbourne short film and a remote Western Australian documentary may all have different delivery requirements. Streaming, broadcast and social platforms do not always treat HDR in the same way.

A reliable workflow therefore combines correct media interpretation, sensible sequence settings, calibrated monitoring and a controlled export. Whether the source is a mirrorless camera, cinema camera, iPhone or converted archive file, the aim is to preserve the original image data until the creative grade is complete.

Identify the recording format before editing

Start by checking the camera metadata and production notes. Terms such as S-Log3, C-Log, V-Log, D-Log, LogC, HLG, HDR10 and PQ describe different capture or display standards. A log profile is usually a gamma curve designed to store a broad dynamic range; it is not automatically an HDR master. HLG and PQ, by contrast, are transfer functions intended for HDR display and delivery.

In Premiere Pro, inspect the clip properties and use the Modify or Interpret Footage controls where appropriate. Confirm the colour space, bit depth, frame rate and whether the file is full range or video range. Ten-bit files are preferable for demanding grades because they reduce visible banding, especially in skies, skin tones and smoothly lit backgrounds.

Do not apply a random “cinematic LUT” simply because the preview looks flat. A technical conversion LUT should match the camera log profile and the intended working space. For example, an S-Log3 clip recorded with a particular gamut requires a transform designed for that gamma and gamut combination. Applying an S-Log3 LUT to C-Log footage can create crushed shadows, strange skin tones and clipped highlights.

Mixed-camera projects deserve special attention. A Sony log camera, an iPhone in HDR mode and a standard Rec.709 drone clip may all sit beside one another in the bin. Label the media by source and colour space, then test a representative shot from each camera before building the entire grade.

Set up a colour-managed Premiere sequence

Premiere Pro’s colour management has changed across versions, so the exact menu names may differ. The principle remains consistent: establish whether the project is being finished for SDR or HDR, then make the sequence, monitor and export agree. A Rec.709 sequence is suitable for most conventional web, television and corporate work. An HDR sequence is appropriate when the final platform, client and viewing equipment genuinely support HDR.

For an SDR finish, convert log footage into a Rec.709 viewing space before judging contrast and saturation. This can be done with an official camera LUT, a colour-space transform or a carefully built Lumetri grade. Once the image is normalised, adjust exposure, white balance, contrast and colour creatively. Keep an eye on the waveform rather than relying solely on a bright laptop display.

An HDR sequence requires different monitoring expectations. PQ-based HDR10 and HLG are not interchangeable, and HDR graphics need controlled brightness so titles do not appear painfully intense. A practical HDR workflow uses a 10-bit-capable display, correct operating-system settings and a measurement device where possible. Without a suitable monitor, it is difficult to judge highlight roll-off or verify whether a bright window is detailed or simply clipped.

When a project contains log, HDR and SDR media, decide which format is the master. For many small Australian productions, SDR remains the safest delivery target because clients may watch on office monitors, older televisions or mobile devices. If HDR is required, create a deliberate HDR master and make a separate SDR trim pass rather than trusting an automatic conversion to preserve the intended appearance.

Grade log material without damaging the image

A useful grading order is technical correction first, creative decisions second. Begin with exposure and white balance, then apply the log-to-display transform, followed by contrast, saturation and selective colour work. Some workflows place the transform at the end of the chain; either approach can work if scopes and adjustments remain predictable. The important point is to avoid stacking multiple transforms unknowingly.

Use Lumetri Scopes to evaluate the image. The waveform reveals exposure distribution, the vectorscope helps assess skin tones and saturation, and the histogram shows whether information is being pushed against either edge. Log footage often contains noisy underexposed shadows, so lifting blacks aggressively may reveal chroma noise that was less visible in the original recording.

Skin tones are a reliable reference, particularly in interviews and documentary footage. A face filmed under mixed daylight and fluorescent lighting may need local correction rather than a global temperature change. In Australia’s strong summer sun, outdoor footage around Brisbane, Perth or Darwin can contain hard highlights that a LUT cannot repair. Reduce exposure or highlight intensity before attempting to add a stylised look.

For a more controlled process, use adjustment layers for broad creative grades and keep shot-specific corrections on the clips themselves. This makes it easier to compare versions, disable a look and create a second delivery. Save custom Lumetri presets only after testing them on several cameras, since a preset that suits one log profile may be unsuitable for another.

A production reference can also help when shaping a visual style for branded or independent work. Browsing visual storytelling examples can be useful when deciding whether a project needs a restrained documentary grade, a glossy commercial treatment or a more expressive film look.

Manage HDR, SDR and phone footage together

HDR clips often look wrong when imported into an SDR project because their brightness and colour values are being displayed through the wrong interpretation. Check the clip’s assigned colour space before changing the grade. If Premiere recognises the media correctly, use the project’s colour-management controls to convert it to the sequence space. If it does not, manually assign the appropriate space rather than compensating with arbitrary exposure adjustments.

HLG is frequently used for television-oriented workflows because it can be displayed acceptably on some SDR equipment, although the result is not identical to true HDR. PQ is more dependent on correct mastering and metadata. HDR10 commonly uses a 10-bit HEVC file with static metadata, while platform-specific requirements may vary. Always check the current delivery specification instead of assuming that an “HDR” label guarantees compatibility.

Phone footage adds another layer. Recent iPhones may record Dolby Vision or HLG HDR, while other clips are standard Rec.709. If an iPhone file is also being used as a source for an editing project, this iPhone MP4 workflow explains the type of media-preparation issue that can arise before colour correction even begins. Transcoding software such as Pavtube can help create edit-friendly intermediates or proxies when a device format is awkward for a demanding timeline.

Do not confuse transcoding with colour correction. A conversion may change the codec, wrapper or frame rate without making the image visually correct. Preserve the original camera files, generate high-quality intermediates when necessary, and compare the converted clip against the source before deleting anything. For long-form work, ProRes or DNx-based intermediates can provide smoother playback than heavily compressed phone or camera files.

Export a master that matches the delivery platform

Before exporting, watch the complete programme on the intended type of screen. Check bright skies, white clothing, practical lights, subtitles and graphics. HDR can expose problems that remain hidden in an SDR preview, while an SDR conversion may make a carefully balanced HDR image look dull. Examine the first and last shots as well as visually complex scenes.

For an SDR master, export in the chosen Rec.709 settings with consistent frame rate and levels. For HDR, select the correct HDR transfer characteristics, colour primaries and bit depth, then use a codec and container supported by the destination. HEVC is common for HDR delivery, but the platform may require a particular profile, metadata arrangement or audio format. A technically valid file can still be rejected if its settings do not match the platform’s specification.

Create a high-quality mezzanine master before making smaller web versions. That master should retain enough information for future edits, subtitles, recrops and alternate deliveries. Then make platform-specific encodes for YouTube, television, client review or social media. A short vertical cut for Melbourne or Sydney audiences may need different framing and brightness treatment from a cinema-style landscape master.

Titles and promotional graphics deserve a final check because HDR brightness can make white text uncomfortable to view. This matters for entertainment campaigns and online promotions, including content connected with free spins information, where small text, legal disclosures and animated graphics may be displayed across many types of screens. Keep essential text within safe areas, use sufficient contrast and verify the result on a standard SDR device as well as an HDR display.

Finally, document the project’s camera profiles, transforms, sequence colour space, monitoring conditions and export settings. This record saves time when a client requests a new version months later or when the same footage must be delivered in both HDR and SDR. With the technical choices written down, Premiere Pro becomes much easier to manage, and the creative grade remains consistent from the edit suite to the viewer’s screen.