In this tutorial, you will learn how to easily create a cinematic preset using the preset management tools built into Color Finale Pro.

What You’ll Need

• Final Cut Pro
• The latest version of Color Finale 2 Pro Presets help to quickly and easily apply color correction to any of your clips. This technique enables you to do detailed color work while also saving time.

Step 1: Apply Color Finale Pro

Place your clip on the timeline and apply the Color Finale Pro plugin. As a starting point, create a baseline color correction by adjusting the exposure and white balance. Open the Layers panel to begin the color work.

Step 2: Add Adjustment Layers

Add as many adjustment layers as needed. For example:

• Curves
• Six Vectors
• HSL Curves
• Color Wheels (for more precise control over highlights, shadows, and mid-tones)

Step 3: Save Layers as a Preset

After finishing the color correction:

1. Open the menu below the Layers panel to save your layers as a preset.
2. Create a group and give it a name.
3. Press the Add Group button.
4. Choose a name for your preset and save it to the group you just created. You can now delete any previously applied layers.

Step 4: Apply the Preset

To apply your preset to a clip:

1. Open the Presets Gallery and find your newly created preset by name.
2. Note that the preset is saved within the group you previously created.
3. You can also use the search box to locate your group.
4. Apply the preset by pressing the Insert button — all your layers will be transferred over.

Step 5: Test the Preset on a New Clip

Add another clip to the timeline to check how well the preset works with different footage:

• Go to the Layers Panel and open the Presets Gallery.
• Your preset appears in the Recent section for quick access.
• Locate the preset in your saved group, then apply it to the new clip. All layers are applied and typically work well, even if the second clip differs in composition and color.

Bonus: Apply Presets Even Faster

Color Finale 2 Pro also offers a quicker way to apply presets:

• From the Inspector Controls, select your preset from the Recent Presets section.
• The same layers you created earlier are instantly added to your clip.

Why Use Presets?

Using presets is a convenient, flexible, and universal method of applying color correction — much more transparent than using LUT files, which are often black boxes. Presets are like step-by-step recipes that can be reviewed and adjusted as needed.

Get Started with Color Finale Pro

Color Finale 2 Pro can be purchased online. A free 7-day trial is also available, with full access to all features.

Note: Preset creation is only available in Color Finale 2 Pro.

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