Teal & Orange LUTs

The Look

Teal & Orange is the most-used color grade in modern cinema. The technique is simple in concept but precise in execution: push shadows toward teal, push skin tones and highlights toward orange. The two hues sit opposite on the color wheel, which makes faces pop off the background and gives every frame a built-in sense of depth. It's been the default look for blockbusters since Michael Bay's Transformers made it mainstream, and it's only gotten more refined since. Marvel, the John Wick series, Sicario, and most major TV dramas all lean on some version of it.

Best For

• Narrative shorts and features
• Music videos with cinematic ambition
• Travel and lifestyle content where skin tones need to pop
• Commercial work that needs to look premium
• Wedding videos that need to feel like film

Color Notes

These LUTs assume Rec.709 input. Apply after any log-to-Rec.709 conversion. Watch your shadows: too much teal push on already-cool footage will read as a color cast rather than a grade. The matte variants are the safest starting point; the punchy ones are best for action and music videos.