Color Adjustments filter in Motion

Adjusts common color and luminance details of an image or clip (such as highlights, exposure, midtones, and saturation) using machine learning (ML) to automatically create a more natural appearance in the clip, with better color balance, brightness, and contrast. You can also manually adjust any parameter.

Adjust this filter using the parameter controls in the Filters Inspector:

Control Range: Sets the scale of the sliders in this filter to the correct luminance range of a clip. Choose an option that matches the color space of the selected image or clip:
- SDR
- HLG
- PQ 1000 nits
- PQ 2000 nits
- PQ 4000 nits
- PQ 10000 nits
For example, to adjust the highlights of a PQ (1000 nits) clip, click the Control Range pop-up menu, then choose “PQ 1000 nits.” This option maps all the sliders in the filter to the PQ clip’s peak brightness of 1000 nits, allowing you to modify the correct luminance ranges of the clip when you adjust the Highlights slider. (In this example, if you set the Control Range pop-up menu to SDR, the sliders are mapped to 100 nits peak brightness, well below the PQ luminance range. Adjusting the Highlights slider would then have minimal or no effect on the clip.)
If you change the project’s Render Color Space setting (in the View pull-down menu) after choosing a Control Range option, you may need to choose the Control Range option again. For example, if you’ve set control range to PQ 2000 nits, then set render color space to HDR Rec. 2020 PQ, the control range is set to PQ 1000 nits.
Tip: To determine a clip’s color space, select the clip in the Media list, then check Color Space in the Metadata area of the Media Inspector. To determine the nits value of an image or clip, you can display HDR luminance values in the Motion canvas.
Enhance Light and Color: Uses machine learning to analyze and adjust the tonal range of an image or clip, removing any visible color cast. When you click this button, the sliders in this filter are automatically set to that analysis and any overall color cast is removed. You can individually deselect the Light button or the Color button to exclude those parameters from the analysis.
Important: For best results when working with RAW or Log formats, use the Custom LUT filter to apply the appropriate camera manufacturer’s LUT to your media before using Enhance Light and Color.
To reset an analysis, deselect Enhance Light and Color, then select it again. (The slider values only change if you move the playhead to a different frame where the image has different tonal values, or when you choose another option from the Control Range pop-up menu.)
Light: Adjusts the tonal range of an image. When you click this button, the six sliders below it are automatically set using machine learning. Manually adjusting a slider deselects the Light button, but retains the other slider values set by the machine learning analysis.
- Exposure: Lightens or darkens the image, revealing more detail at the low end or high end of the image.
- Contrast: Sets the relative amount of contrast between light and dark areas.
- Brightness: Sets the overall of brightness of the image.
  Note: Because increasing brightness affects the entire image (including the shadows), a brightened image may look washed out.
- Highlights: Adjusts color, saturation, and brightness in the lightest regions of the image.
- Black Point: Sets the point at which the darkest parts of the image become completely black (no detail can be seen). Setting the black point can improve the contrast in a washed-out image.
- Shadows: Adjusts the detail that appears in the darkest regions of the image.
Color: Adjusts the color of an image. When you click this button, the seven sliders below it are automatically set using machine learning to remove any overall color cast. Manually adjusting a slider deselects the Color button, but retains the other slider values set by the machine learning analysis.
- Saturation: Adjusts the color (chroma) intensity of the image.
- Highlights Warmth: Adjusts the color temperature in the lightest regions of the image. Increase the value to add warm (orange) tones to the image, or decrease the value to add cool (blue) tones.
- Highlights Tint: Fine-tunes the white balance in the lightest regions of the image by neutralizing green or magenta. Increase the value to add a magenta tint to the image, or decrease the value to add a green tint.
- Midtones Warmth: Adjusts the color temperature in the midtone areas of the image. Increase the value to add warm (orange) tones to the image, or decrease the value to add cool (blue) tones.
- Midtones Tint: Fine-tunes the white balance in the midtone regions of the image by neutralizing green or magenta. Increase the value to add a magenta tint to the image, or decrease the value to add a green tint.
- Shadows Warmth: Adjusts the color temperature in the darkest regions of the image. Increase the value to add warm (orange) tones to the image, or decrease the value to add cool (blue) tones.
- Shadows Tint: Fine-tunes the white balance in the darkest regions of the image by neutralizing green or magenta. Increase the value to add a magenta tint to the image, or decrease the value to add a green tint.
Mix: Sets the percentage of the original image that’s blended with the color-corrected image.

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Motion User Guide

Color Adjustments filter in Motion