High Contrast — Free Bold Cinematic LUT
A punchy, high-contrast grade with deep blacks and bright highlights that adds raw visual impact to any footage. Free to download for DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, Final Cut, and CapCut.
Some footage needs to hit hard. This LUT crushes the blacks, opens up the highlights, and adds the kind of tonal punch that makes a frame feel like a still from a feature film.
What it looks like
Blacks are pushed deep — shadows clip intentionally in dark areas, which creates a graphic, high-contrast look. Highlights are bright but controlled, with detail preserved in skin and sky. The mid-tones are slightly narrowed, creating a steep S-curve feel that adds visual intensity. There's no colour cast — this is pure contrast and tone, so it works with any subsequent colour work layered on top.
What it's good for
- Music videos and performance — commanding presence, every frame feels intentional
- Documentary and interview — adds gravitas and urgency
- Action and sport — fast movement reads more dramatically with increased contrast
- Night and low-light scenes — dark areas become graphic negative space
- Black and white base — pairs perfectly with the Classic B&W LUT if you want a punchy monochrome look
How to use it
Download the .cube file and load it into your editor:
- DaVinci Resolve → Color page → LUTs panel → right-click to import
- Premiere Pro → Lumetri Color → Creative → Look → Browse
- Final Cut Pro → Effects → Custom LUT → assign the file
- CapCut → Adjust → LUT → import
This LUT is aggressive by design. If it's too strong, reduce the intensity using your NLE's LUT opacity/blend slider (available in DaVinci and Premiere). Start at 70–80% and dial it in from there.