How to install LUTs in After Effects

Installing LUT presets vary depending on which host application you are using. Here are installation instructions for popular applications:

Adobe Premiere Pro

Recommended method for installing multiple LUTs in Adobe Premiere Pro 12.1 (CC 2018+) and above:

Navigate to the following directory:

macOS: /Users//Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common

Windows: C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common

Within the “Common” directory, create a new folder called “LUTs“.

Within this new “LUTs” folder, create two new folders called “Creative” and “Technical” (make sure the folder names are spelled exactly like this, as they are case-sensitive)

Copy all your LUTs into the “Creative” folder. If you have any utility or technical LUTs (like LOG to Rec.709 conversion LUTs), you can copy them into the “Technical” folder.

Restart Adobe Premiere Pro. Once restarted, you will be able to load your LUT in the Lumetri color panel for color grading. Make sure you’re in the “Creative” tab of Lumetri.

Note: Premiere Pro CC 2015 uses legacy .LOOK files, which we do not support.

Final Cut Pro X

The following instructions are for Final Cut Pro X 10.4 and above (which natively supports LUTs). If you’re using an older version of FCPX, you will need to use a 3rd party plugin like mLUT.

Apply the “Custom LUT” effect (under the Color category within the Effects Browser) to your clip.

Access the effect in the Video Inspector, use the Custom LUT popup menu and select “Choose Custom LUT…” to browse and select the LUT you want to use.

DaVinci Resolve

Open your Project Settings (click the cogwheel on the bottom right of the application)

Navigate to the Color Management section, then scroll down to select the “Open LUT Folder“.

Copy all your LUTs into this folder (it can be individual .cube files or folders of .cube files).

Click “Update Lists” in DaVinci Resolve to reload your new LUTs.

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom CC 7.5 and above:

Go to the “Develop” tab and select the Profile Browser icon button.

Click the + icon, then click on “Import Profiles“.

Browse and select all your LUTs you want to install. They should be .xmp files only.

Your LUTs will now appear in the Profile Browser to be used.

Lightroom CC 7.3 and 7.4:

Close Adobe Lightroom if opened

Copy your LUTs (.xmp profiles) to the following directory:

macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/Settings/

Go to Finder, click the “Go” menu item, then click “Go To Folder…” to quickly navigate to this directory. Many times the “Library” folder is hidden by default.

Windows: C:\Users\[Username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\CameraRaw\Settings

Launch Lightroom, your installed LUTs will now appear under the Profile Browser for use.

Lightroom CC 7.2 and earlier:

Lightroom CC 7.2 and earlier do not support the newer .xmp profiles, and require the use of .icc profiles, which have inconsistent and limited functionality. We do not support these earlier versions of Lightroom.

Adobe After Effects

Apply the “Apply Color LUT” effect to your footage, then browse and select the LUT you want to use.

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In this article

Things to Know Before Using LUTs in After Effect

Do you ever wonder why some Adobe After Effects videos look so great? Regardless of your experience with the software, here are the points to consider when using LUTs in After Effects.

1. Check your white balance settings

If you are questioning why there lies your first challenge. You need to check the white balance of your creations because colors appear differently, depending on the lighting you use. As such, you need to adjust your white balance to suit conditions similar to when you made the video. For example, your settings should be between 4000 – 5000K if your light source is fluorescent.

Here is how you get the correct white balance when using Adobe After Effects.

1. Open the image you want to edit in the program.
2. Next, from the Layer dropdown menu, click on New, and then select Solid.
3. Once the menu opens, select a section of your image that should be white, as your solid color, and click Ok. This will only work if your brightness value is at 100. For example, the ceiling in the picture is white.
4. Select Divide from the Transfer menu, and the result is an image with a perfect white balance.

2. Match your editing with the source material

Can you get to Mars with $30? Unless you have Martian buddies, it is highly unlikely. You should always consider your equipment’s capabilities when creating photos or videos. Factors like exposure, lighting, and lens type are crucial to producing quality content.

For example, you need a wide-angle lens to have more depth in your videos. Therefore, always ensure you limit your LUT usage to the source material.

Most creators often fail because of after effects luts overuse. Other factors to consider when creating are the location and timing. Your filming environment changes constantly. As such, you should always expect to make adjustments to ensure quality output.

3. Settle on a creative style.

What makes David Fincher famous? His consistent use of desaturated and monochromatic colors in movies to perfection. Similarly, you need to choose a consistent theme for your creations. As such, you get better at it with subsequent creations.

How to import LUTs in After Effect?

Do you remember the thing about being unique earlier? You can import LUTs if you feel the presets are not to your standard. Plenty of custom ones are available as free downloads but more on that later. This is how to import LUTs in After Effects.

• Load the clip you want to edit to Adobe After Effects.
• Then, go to the Effects and Presets menu option on your workspace. In case it is missing, check whether it is active from the Window tab located at the top of your main menu. Alternatively, you can always press CTRL + 5 to open it.
• Next, launch Apply Color LUT to open your File Explorer. It should be one of the options in the Effects and Presets window. Alternatively, you can search for it by typing the same in the text box.
• Once it opens, drag it into your workspace for you to apply the custom LUT to your clip.
• Locate the custom LUT, by navigating to the directory you downloaded the preset.

Alternatively, you can have all your custom LUTs at the ready by adding them to the After Effects LUT directory. Here is the process.

• Open the directory where all your custom LUTs are on your device.
• Then, use the Select All and then COPY functions of your device. Press CTRL + A, then CTRL + X on your keyboard if you are a Windows User. Use the COMMAND - A, then COMMAND – X functions if you use it on Mac.
• Finally, paste the files in your Adobe After Effects installation directory.
  For macOS
  /Users//Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/LUTs/Creative
  /Users//Library/Application Support/Adobe/Common/LUTs/Creative
  For Windows
  C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common\LUTs\Creative
  C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Common\LUTs\Technical
• The custom LUT files will be available to you as presets next time you launch Adobe Effects. The process only works if you are the primary user. Furthermore, ensure you put each copy in the relevant directories.

How to use LUTs in After Effects

Now that you have a variety of Adobe After Effects LUTs at your disposal, here is how you apply them.

1. Launch the program and select the video or photo you would like to edit.
2. Then, open the Effects and Presets panel to launch the Apply Color LUT utility. You should notice a significant increase in LUTs available if you did the above correctly.
3. Now, drag and drop the Apply Color LUT utility onto the clip you want to edit. This is the only way your adjustments will work. Additionally, you should make the application on the timeline.
4. A dialogue box should now be open, with the location of your LUT presets as the default.
5. Choose the LUT you want and press Open to apply the change.
6. You can edit the LUT using the Effect Control Panel. The functions you need are on either side of the video.

Adobe After Effects allows you to use LUTs on multiple clips. However, you need an adjustment layer for this to work. Here is how you enable the function.

• Right-click on the area of your timeline that you want to edit.
• Select New from the pop-up menu, and click on the Adjustment Layer option.
• Then, follow steps one through five to add the LUT.

● As you can see, Adobe After Effects give you lots of leverage when using LUTs. And with the information above, you are ready to unleash your full creative potential. Keep checking with us for more insightful guides on video and photo editing.

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