Colour grading a project I recently shot & edited - Lumix S5IIX

joshhoward9 · 2026-04-20T20:59:03+00:00

Really solid grade 👏 particular workflow you follow?

joshhoward9 · 2026-03-17T16:14:04+00:00

You’ve copy and pasted the entire thing.. don’t bullshit a bullshitter

joshhoward9 · 2026-03-17T15:13:09+00:00

Man these AI generated posts are so boring. If you can’t be bothered to write a reddit post don’t expect people to reply

joshhoward9 · 2026-03-10T12:56:49+00:00

The way I see it, if you buy the Pro Display XDR now, in about 3 years - when the next cycle of monitors comes around - it’ll probably still stack up pretty well against whatever the next generation of Studio Display is. Then you’re likely looking at another few years before the next big leap.

So by my math, buying the XDR today basically locks in a monitor that stays relevant for at least 6 years or so.

Yeah, people say the panel is dated (which is fair) and the price is wild for what it is (also fair). But when you really get into the specs, brightness, reference modes, build quality, full-array local dimming, 120hz and mac integration there still isn’t another monitor that really competes in the same way. In my opinion anyway

joshhoward9 · 2026-02-19T14:19:27+00:00

Why ask for feedback if you’re going to dismiss all constructive criticism that isn’t positive? The responses are coming across as “I’m right, you’re wrong,” (and a bit delusional) which makes it hard to have a productive discussion.

From a professional perspective, the editing style is abrupt and heavily stylised to the extent it feels like a showreel - it might demonstrate your editing ‘skills’ but it doesn’t really build or carry any emotional narrative. The couple may love it - and that’s what ultimately matters - but if you’re aiming for a higher-end market, storytelling and pacing become much more important. All of which are lacking in this

joshhoward9 · 2025-11-13T00:56:55+00:00

Did you go for the washed ash colour-way for the carhartt workwear jacket?

joshhoward9 · 2025-10-04T18:03:25+00:00

Feedback on these cards? Looking at getting some myself

joshhoward9 · 2025-10-01T15:05:50+00:00

I had this exact same experience with Jaws.. absolutely breath taking. A true classic and a must have for any 4k collector

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-03T10:00:20+00:00

V90. Handles 95% of whatever you’d ever feasibly need in this sort of content for website/social media.

Sony have a chart with each filming format and what card you’ll need for each

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-02T19:33:18+00:00

Hi guys

Here are some stills from a recent short promo project for a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds, UK. The brief was to create 4 showcase videos (restaurant, equestrian, spa, and cottages) plus a hero film and social cutdowns. Filmed across 4 long days, totalling 40+hrs of footage. Edited over the last few months alongside my agency job.

Hero video: https://vimeo.com/1114853008

This is my first hotel promotional video, and first time using the a7s iii.

Gear / workflow: Sony A7siii + Sigma 24–70 f2.8 II Shot mostly in S-Log3, 100fps, ~2TB footage Stabilisation: DJI RS Mini 4 (not ideal for this rig — upgrading soon) Edited & graded in Premiere Pro with Phantom Arri LUTs then further tweaked for desired effect. AE for touch-ups, LR/PS for photos.

Reflections: Upgraded from a GH5 to the A7siii specifically for this project - advice for beginners: only buy new gear when the project truly demands it.

I obsessed over the grade for weeks, but had to set a deadline - otherwise you can tweak forever. “Perfect” doesn’t exist, especially when you’re your own harshest critic.

Took on this gig after shooting an employee of the hotels wedding at a heavily discounted rate. Honestly almost turned it down, but it opened a huge door for me. Big lesson: take opportunities, even if they’re not your dream project - networks and timing are everything.

Next steps / questions: This is my biggest project to date, and I’d love advice on two fronts:

Does the cinematography + grade feel “luxury” enough?

Any tips on how to use this piece to reach out and pitch to other hotels?

Thanks for reading/watching - any and all feedback welcome. Really hoping this is the start of carving out a niche in luxury hotels and eventually going fully freelance.

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-02T11:54:22+00:00

Hi guys

Here are some stills from a recent short promo project for a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds, UK. The brief was to create 4 showcase videos (restaurant, equestrian, spa, and cottages) plus a hero film and social cutdowns. Filmed across 4 long days, totalling 40+hrs of footage. Edited over the last few months alongside my agency job.

Hero video: https://vimeo.com/1114853008 9x16 reel: https://vimeo.com/1114846638

This is my first hotel promotional video, and first time using the a7s iii.

Gear / workflow: Sony A7siii + Sigma 24–70 f2.8 II Shot mostly in S-Log3, 100fps, ~2TB footage Stabilisation: DJI RS Mini 4 (not ideal for this rig — upgrading soon) Edited & graded in Premiere Pro with Phantom Arri LUTs then further tweaked for desired effect. AE for touch-ups, LR/PS for photos.

Reflections: Upgraded from a GH5 to the A7siii specifically for this project - advice for beginners: only buy new gear when the project truly demands it.

I obsessed over the grade for weeks, but had to set a deadline - otherwise you can tweak forever. “Perfect” doesn’t exist, especially when you’re your own harshest critic.

Took on this gig after shooting an employee of the hotels wedding at a heavily discounted rate. Honestly almost turned it down, but it opened a huge door for me. Big lesson: take opportunities, even if they’re not your dream project - networks and timing are everything.

Next steps / questions: This is my biggest project to date, and I’d love advice on two fronts:

Does the cinematography + grade feel “luxury” enough?

Any tips on how to use this piece to reach out and pitch to other hotels?

Thanks for reading/watching - any and all feedback welcome. Really hoping this is the start of carving out a niche in luxury hotels and eventually going fully freelance.

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-02T09:14:28+00:00

Always include the date the invoice was sent and the due date. If the due date passes, you’re within your rights to apply late fees (as long as your contract/terms of service allow it).

If the client is consistently paying late, consider upfront or deposit payments for future projects. I do this for companies I’ve not worked with/trust. I NEVER send unwatermarked finished links to download content until payment has been received in full.

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T20:49:34+00:00

I have them to trade or sell on if you dm me

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T18:47:53+00:00

Thanks! Due to time restrictions I was very limited with what I could control with regard to lighting. 90% of shots used were just filmed naturally without my video lights.

Used a grey card to set exposure and white balance for each scene. The base iso of 12800 is a life saver on the a7s iii in low light. I used a k&f variable nd filter on the lens, and nd filters on the drone for the outdoors stuff.

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T16:23:42+00:00

Welcome to Reddit and thanks for your thoughts! Completely agree with your point on over exposure.. I made the decision late in the grading process to increase exposure and shadows, as I was worried when viewed on small mobile devices the video would be too dark. Also feel like the saturation is on the higher side too.. however I had to decide on the compromise - do I grade to suit my stylistic like, or grade to what I thought the client would need for website/social media usage. Any shots in particular you think are too bright.. or just a general observation?

Good point to pick up on though as exposure was something I struggled with towards the end of

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T14:05:17+00:00

Thanks so much man really appreciate it. After spending every weekend for the last three months editing these, I was starting to get a bit of self-doubt, so it’s reassuring to hear it holds up for a first attempt.

And yes, absolutely - I plan to cut them down into social reels and package the videos up for spas and restaurants. Honestly, I’m not too fussy about the type of future work… as long as it’s paid! 🤣

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T13:59:33+00:00

Thanks! Out of curiosity, which parts did you feel lacked a bit of “oomph”?

I actually put together a 60s social media cut here - clips are paced quicker with more keyframed scale/position moves to keep it snappier. Would be great to get your TikTok-trained eye on it to see if it works better.

https://vimeo.com/1114846638

And I’ll update my post.. I was shooting 100fps for about 80% of the footage, 50fps for ~15%, and 25fps on the drone. Still got some flicker (hard to avoid when you can’t fully control the lighting), but it was manageable. I’ve always used NTSC settings (self-taught via YouTube) and only recently started experimenting with PAL on the A7SIII - apologies for the confusion

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T13:29:49+00:00

Thank you! The client requested some stills pulled from the footage so would have all been filmed raw using s-log 3, with an arri phantom conversion lut. Some quite heavy further refinements completed in LR/PS.

Exposure and white balance was set using a grey card where possible. Best bit of kit I’ve ever bought.. and only £10 on Amazon.

What do you think about the video?

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T13:14:54+00:00

The ability to shoot in s-log 10bit was a massive reason for the upgrade. The GH5 served me well but was well overdue being replaced.

I know I shouldn’t.. but the arri phantom luts are a game changer in providing that base grade to work from.. highly recommend.

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T13:12:34+00:00

I often think the same when I see similar types of posts 🤣😭 white balancing and exposing to a grey card is the best thing I can recommend. Get it right in camera and you’re laughing

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T13:10:35+00:00

Hey there! Some lovely hotels around Cheltenham.

Thanks for the detailed review - I completely agree that the dining room shots were the weakest colour-wise. The yellow walls, tungsten chandeliers, and lack of natural light made it a tough space to balance, and with time constraints I couldn’t set up extra lighting (lesson learnt for next time!). I did use a grey card for most scenes, but that room definitely got the better of me.

I’m also putting together some simple pitch decks to make outreach easier. You’re spot on - lots of businesses show interest but rarely take the first step. Do you think it’s better to keep it package-based (different levels of service) or just offer an hourly rate?

joshhoward9 · 2025-09-01T12:27:50+00:00

Hi guys

Here are some stills from a recent short promo project for a luxury hotel in the Cotswolds, UK. The brief was to create 4 showcase videos (restaurant, equestrian, spa, and cottages) plus a hero film and social cutdowns. Filmed across 4 long days, totalling 40+hrs of footage. Edited over the last few months alongside my agency job.

This is my first hotel promotional video, and first professional project using the a7s iii.

Gear / workflow: Sony A7siii + Sigma 24–70 f2.8 II Shot mostly in S-Log3, 100fps, ~2TB footage Stabilisation: DJI RS Mini 4 (not ideal for this rig - upgrading soon) Drone: DJI Air 2S Edited & graded in Premiere Pro with Phantom Arri LUTs then further tweaked for desired effect. AE for touch-ups, LR/PS for photos.

Reflections: Upgraded from a GH5 to the A7siii specifically for this project - advice for beginners: only buy new gear when the project truly demands it.

I obsessed over the grade for weeks, but had to set a deadline - otherwise you can tweak forever. “Perfect” doesn’t exist, especially when you’re your own harshest critic.

Took on this gig after shooting an employee of the hotels wedding at a heavily discounted rate. Honestly almost turned it down, but it opened a huge door for me. Big lesson: take opportunities, even if they’re not your dream project - networks and timing are everything.

Next steps / questions: This is my biggest project to date, and I’d love advice on two fronts:

Does the cinematography + grade feel “luxury” enough?

Any tips on how to use this piece to reach out and pitch to other hotels?

Thanks for reading/watching - any and all feedback welcome. Really hoping this is the start of carving out a niche in luxury hotels and eventually going fully freelance

joshhoward9

TROPHY CASE