Adobe After Effects is a powerful tool used for animations, title sequences, slideshows, and yes, even color grading. If your previous experience with the program is limited to changing settings in After Effects templates, here is a great way to learn a few new tips and tricks. From recreating iconic cinematic styles to adding a vintage color palette, these are some of the best tutorials for color grading with AE.
The Cinematic Look
Since the rise of digital video cameras, indie filmmakers have long sought ways to achieve the same style and look of 35mm film. Getting the right contrast and color depth is no easy task. In this tutorial, Surfaced Studio shows us how to take your footage and color grade it for a unique cinematic style.
Cross-Process Color Grading
Using blending techniques, this walkthrough shows how to add overlays and color gradients to change a clip’s color temperature and add contrast to your footage.
Color Grading Raw
Color grading is all about making your footage look the way you intended before going into production. ZY Productions shows you some examples of how to improve the look of your raw footage in After Effects.
How to Color Grade Your Cinematography with After Effects
In this CineSummit tutorial, we take a look at how contrast can be used to stylize and enhance your video. You can also see how to best utilize adjustment layers in your color grading.
Creating a Vintage Look
Instagram isn’t the only place for retro filters. This look works well in commercials, short films, and wedding videos. It’s very stylized, but in the right context, it can turn a great video into an epic one.
Color Correction to Match Footage
When editing multiple clips together, you might find that each one has a slightly different look. White balance and lighting can be different when filming in multiple locations. Check out some tips on how to color correct to make your footage look consistent.
Stylized Secondary Color Correction
If you’re new to masks and adjustment layers, this tutorial makes for a great intro. Here you will learn how to single out specific colors to tone up or down, as well as how to replace colors.
Color Correcting Nature Landscapes
Nature footage doesn’t always turn out the way it looks in real life. In this tutorial, you can learn a few different techniques using layers and masks to transform flat raw footage into stunning videos.
VFX Color Correction
On the more advanced side, but still accessible to beginners, this tutorial covers secondary color correction techniques like adding fine tuned mask layers, adjusting optical flares, and working with color contrast to bring out the best of your footage.
Advanced Color Grading in Adobe After Effects
By walking through how to create a teal and orange cinematic color grade, this tutorial gives you a glimpse into more advanced techniques using After Effects.
Looking for more After Effects tips and tricks? Check out our Guide to Adobe After Effects. Or explore the hundreds of new After Effect Templates we’ve just added to our Unlimited Library.
