How to Color Grade a Video: Step-by-Step Guide

Color grading gives your visuals a makeover. It completely transforms raw footage into more cinematic and polished clips. In this guide, you'll learn how to color grade video using three popular software — UniFab AI Video Colorizer, Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. From understanding key color grading elements to hands-on tutorials, this article will help you create stunning visuals easily through color grading.

What is Color Grading in Video?

Color grading means creating a color tone for content, whether a warmer, reddish hue or a cooler, bluish one. This process lets you make stylistic choices to enhance the visual. Color grading is different from color correction. Color correction is used for accuracy to ensure that colors are accurately shown in the footage, while color grading is used to create a specific style.
During color grading, you can change the color, hue, saturation, and contrast of footage to create a specific vibe and look. A well-graded video can make an average clip cinematic and emotionally triggering. To effectively color grade video, you must know these grading elements.

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  • White Balance: White balance is the foundation for every shot. Adjusts the overall color temperature so whites look natural.
  • Contrast: Contrast means the level of brightness and darkness that should be in balance so your footage doesn't look washed out.
  • Saturation: Saturation defines the intensity of colors. It adjusts overall color vividness.
  • Hue: It fine-tunes specific colors and changes the overall temperature of the scene.
  • Curves: Adjust tonal range and control each RGB channel for more precise contrast.
  • Gamma: Gamma correction controls the brightness of midtones for balanced luminance.
  • Shadows and Highlights: Keep a balance between darker and lighter areas to help enhance detail.

Understanding these terms helps you move beyond filters. Spend some time experimenting with these many elements if you are new to this post-production procedure. Make minor modifications until the desired appearance is achieved.

Why Do We Color Grade Video?

Color has the power to influence perception. We do color grade video to transform mundane footage into a cinematic masterpiece. Color grading sets the mood, tone, and emotion of the scene for the audience. In post-production, color grading is used for the following reasons.

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  • Enhance Visual Appeal:  Color grading helps correct unbalanced colors. It improves the overall appearance and make your video visually more appealing.
  • Creates a Cinematic Look: Color grading transforms raw footage into vibrant visuals that look professional.
  • Set the Mood: To set the tone and mood we want for the video, we color grade video A color's hue can evoke a range of emotions.
  • Ensure Consistency: Color grading ensures consistent color schemes throughout the video. You can create smooth and natural transitions ensuring color consistency.

Check out the section below to learn about how to color grade video step by step.

How to Color Grade Video in UniFab?

UniFab AI Video Colorizer is an AI-powered video colorizer software that can colorize black and white video into realistic color in one click. It uses artificial intelligence to automatically detect and enhance color, tone, and lighting frame by frame. UniFab AI Video Colorizer offers multi-scene colorization.
This video colorizer gives you four unique color styles, which you can choose to create cinematic tones, vibrant colors, or a softer, vintage feel. Using this software, you can restore family memories, enhance historical footage, or revive classic films in minutes.

Step-by-step guide on how to color grade a video using UniFab.

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Step 1

Download and install UniFab software on your PC.

Open the software and select the "Colorizer" tool. Upload your video file and click "Capture" to capture the source color. Once click this button, you will see four different styles on the page.

Step 2

Choose your color grading style, click "Start", and let AI handle the grading automatically.

Step 3

Once the video is processed, download it.

Verdict: UniFab offers one-click grading with four different color styles. It is smart, easy to use, and capable of producing professional-looking color grades in minutes.

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How to Color Grade Video in Premiere Pro?

Adobe Premiere Pro is a color workspace designed for users who want more control and flexibility. It has the Lumetri Color panel which offers a powerful set of color grading and correction tools. With simple slider adjustments, you change parameters such as hue and contrast highlights, shadows, and white balance to refine your footage's visual aesthetics.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to color grade video in Premiere Pro.

Step 1

Launch Premiere Pro and import your video.

Next, switch to the Color Workspace and open the Lumetri Color Panel.

Step 2

For basic color correction, adjust exposure, contrast, highlights, and white balance.

Step 3

Balance highlights and shadows to fine-tune your color using the "Curves".

Step 4

Use the "HSL Secondary" feature for targeted refinements.

Once you have done so, export your color-graded video.

Verdict: Premiere Pro is a versatile software. It gives both manual controls and one-click presets for fast results without compromising quality.

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How to Color Grade Video in Davinci Resolve?

DaVinci Resolve is another sophisticated software that uses a node-based system for color grading. Through serial and parallel node arrangements, it simplifies complex color adjustments. It enables you to make precise adjustments for precise grading by extracting specific elements such as backgrounds, eyes, or skin tones.
Step-by-step guide on how to color grade video in DaVinci Resolve

Step 1

Launch the software, import your video, and open the Color Page.

Add Nodes for layered color adjustments while using each feature.

Step 2

Adjust Settings

Adjust lift, gamma, grain, offset, shadow, midtones, and highlights by using se the "Color Wheels" and "Log Wheels". 

Step 3

Adjust Curves or use Qualifier-HSL to fine-tune colors precisely.

Verdict: DaVinci Resolve makes color grading easy with layered adjustments and gives you complete creative control.

Before Vs After Color Grade Video in DaVinci Resolve.jpg

Which Software is Best for Color Grading Video?

Each software has its own advantages. You can choose the best color grading software based on your workflow and level of competence. Although Premiere Pro and Davinci Resolve are very professional, they are also quite complex.

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But if you want something quick, smart, and easy to use, UniFab AI Video Colorizer is the best all-in-one option. It is an AI-powered software, so it automatically enhances your footage with just a few clicks. You still get professional-quality results. You don’t need to spend hours learning complicated tools. UniFab is the convenient way to achieve polished, studio-level color grading in minutes.

Conclusion

When you color grade video, it brings your footage to life, sets the tone and mood of your visual story. DaVinci Resolve and Premiere Pro both offer professional manual color grading, but they demand advanced editing skills. UniFab is very smart and delivers professional-level performance conveniently. It offers auto-color grading that makes it suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Try UniFab AI Video Colorizer today and color-grade video like a pro to make it look cinematic and vibrant.

FAQs

How to do color grading on video?

You can use AI tools like UniFab to color grade video for quick results. For manual color grading, use Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve.

What program to color grade video?

There are many programs you can use to colorize video. UniFab AI Colorizer, Premiere Pro, and DaVinci Resolve are top-notch programs to color grade video. You can use UniFab for free for 30 days.

Where can I color grade videos for free?

You can use DaVinci Resolve Free or UniFab’s trial to color grade without cost.

How to color grade videos in CapCut?

To color-grade a cinematic look in CapCut, go to Filters and import LUTs. Use the Color Wheel to modify brightness, contrast, and saturation. Make an HSL adjustment to enhance specific colors. You can also apply a subtle vignette effect to color grade video.

Can AI color grade my video?

Yes, AI can color video. You can use AI-powered tools like UniFab to auto-colorize black and white footage, enhance tones, exposure, and colors.

ChloeMore >>
I am interested in all new things and particularly obsessed with AI products. I enjoy exploring and delving deeper, and I have a profound understanding and research of AI. My articles can help you better understand everything in the field of technology.