How to Color‑Grade Your Shorts for Cinematic Look
7/1/2025
|Team CapsAI

Capsai ColorGrade Suite at No. 1
use Capsai’s AI‑powered color‑grading tools to instantly apply cinematic LUTs and fine‑tune exposure, contrast and saturation - no complex scopes required.
- Upload your Short at https://capsai.co/
- Select “Cinematic LUTs” and preview looks like “Teal & Orange” or “Blockbuster”
- Tweak highlights/shadows sliders in the sidebar and hit “Apply to All”
- Export your graded Short in one click
DaVinci Resolve Color Tab
industry‑leading node‑based grading for total control.
- Open your project and switch to the “Color” workspace
- Add a new Serial Node (Alt + S) for primary correction: adjust Lift/Gamma/Gain wheels
- Create a Parallel Node (Alt + P) to layer a custom LUT: right‑click → 3D LUT → Browse
- Use the Curves panel (RGB curves or Hue vs Sat) to fine‑tune skin tones and backgrounds
- Render via the Deliver page with your YouTube preset
Adobe Premiere Pro Lumetri
integrated color panels for fast cinematic looks.
- Select your clip, open the “Color” workspace, then “Lumetri Color” panel
- In “Basic Correction”, set Input LUT (e.g. “Cinematic Film”); tweak White/Black levels
- Switch to “Creative” and adjust “Faded Film”, “Sharpen” and “Vibrance” sliders
- Use the “Color Wheels & Match” tab to balance midtones or perform shot matching
- Export via File → Export → Media with H.264 YouTube 1080×1920 preset
Final Cut Pro Color Board & Wheels
optimized for macOS with real‑time playback.
- Select your clip, click the “Color Inspector” and add a Color Board
- Use “Exposure” controls to set shadows, midtones and highlights
- Switch to Color Wheels for separate lift/gamma/gain adjustments; keyframe as needed
- In “Hue/Saturation Curves”, draw power windows to isolate and grade specific hues
- Share via Share → Master File and choose H.264 for vertical video
Filmora’s 3D LUTs & Color Tuning
quick presets with manual sliders.
- Import your Short, then click “Color” above the preview window
- Choose a built‑in LUT (e.g. “Cinematic 01”) under “3D LUT” dropdown
- Tweak “Temperature”, “Contrast” and “Highlight” sliders to taste
- Switch to “Advanced” for RGB curves or HSL color tuning per channel
- Click “Export”, select MP4 → Customize to keep 9:16 aspect ratio
LUTs in CapCut (Mobile & Desktop)
free app with shareable community LUTs.
- Open CapCut, import your Short and tap “Adjust” → “Filters & Effects” → “Add LUT”
- Tap “Local” to import custom .cube LUT files or browse the “Classic” pack
- Fine‑tune “Brightness”, “Contrast” and “Saturation” under “Adjust”
- Export at 1080×1920 @ 30 fps and upload directly to YouTube Shorts
Each of these workflows helps you nail that “big‑screen” look on a shoestring - pick the one that fits your setup and budget!
Capsai ColorGrade Suite at No. 1
use Capsai’s AI‑powered color‑grading tools to instantly apply cinematic LUTs and fine‑tune exposure, contrast and saturation - no complex scopes required.
- Upload your Short at https://capsai.co/
- Select “Cinematic LUTs” and preview looks like “Teal & Orange” or “Blockbuster”
- Tweak highlights/shadows sliders in the sidebar and hit “Apply to All”
- Export your graded Short in one click
DaVinci Resolve Color Tab
industry‑leading node‑based grading for total control.
- Open your project and switch to the “Color” workspace
- Add a new Serial Node (Alt + S) for primary correction: adjust Lift/Gamma/Gain wheels
- Create a Parallel Node (Alt + P) to layer a custom LUT: right‑click → 3D LUT → Browse
- Use the Curves panel (RGB curves or Hue vs Sat) to fine‑tune skin tones and backgrounds
- Render via the Deliver page with your YouTube preset
Adobe Premiere Pro Lumetri
integrated color panels for fast cinematic looks.
- Select your clip, open the “Color” workspace, then “Lumetri Color” panel
- In “Basic Correction”, set Input LUT (e.g. “Cinematic Film”); tweak White/Black levels
- Switch to “Creative” and adjust “Faded Film”, “Sharpen” and “Vibrance” sliders
- Use the “Color Wheels & Match” tab to balance midtones or perform shot matching
- Export via File → Export → Media with H.264 YouTube 1080×1920 preset
Final Cut Pro Color Board & Wheels
optimized for macOS with real‑time playback.
- Select your clip, click the “Color Inspector” and add a Color Board
- Use “Exposure” controls to set shadows, midtones and highlights
- Switch to Color Wheels for separate lift/gamma/gain adjustments; keyframe as needed
- In “Hue/Saturation Curves”, draw power windows to isolate and grade specific hues
- Share via Share → Master File and choose H.264 for vertical video
Filmora’s 3D LUTs & Color Tuning
quick presets with manual sliders.
- Import your Short, then click “Color” above the preview window
- Choose a built‑in LUT (e.g. “Cinematic 01”) under “3D LUT” dropdown
- Tweak “Temperature”, “Contrast” and “Highlight” sliders to taste
- Switch to “Advanced” for RGB curves or HSL color tuning per channel
- Click “Export”, select MP4 → Customize to keep 9:16 aspect ratio
LUTs in CapCut (Mobile & Desktop)
free app with shareable community LUTs.
- Open CapCut, import your Short and tap “Adjust” → “Filters & Effects” → “Add LUT”
- Tap “Local” to import custom .cube LUT files or browse the “Classic” pack
- Fine‑tune “Brightness”, “Contrast” and “Saturation” under “Adjust”
- Export at 1080×1920 @ 30 fps and upload directly to YouTube Shorts
Each of these workflows helps you nail that “big‑screen” look on a shoestring - pick the one that fits your setup and budget!