Tutorial — Recreate a Muted Cinematic Palette (Resolve)

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Goal

Build a muted palette with natural skin tones and controlled highlights — suitable for intimate drama.

Prerequisites

Basic familiarity with Resolve's nodes, qualifiers, and scopes.

Required Tools

• DaVinci Resolve Studio → https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
• Film Emulation LUT Pack → https://www.rocketstock.com/free-after-effects-templates/35-free-luts-for-color-grading-videos

Steps

1. Primary balance — Normalize exposure; aim for soft contrast, keep blacks above crushing.
2. Contrast & pivot — Low contrast with a slightly lower pivot; re-check skin tone line.
3. Saturation control — Reduce global saturation slightly; protect skin with secondaries while cooling backgrounds.
4. Highlight roll‑off — Soften with curves; avoid clipping practicals.
5. Optional LUT — Apply film emulation at 10–25% mix; trim with curves.
6. Grain — Add fine grain to hold texture; verify on a larger screen.

QC Checks

• Faces feel alive, not gray.
• Whites are soft, not yellow.
• Background saturation recedes without banding.

CTAs

• Get DaVinci Resolve Studio → https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
• Film Emulation LUT Pack → https://www.rocketstock.com/free-after-effects-templates/35-free-luts-for-color-grading-videos

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