Creating a cinematic look: LUTs, colour science, and the grade that holds

What does "cinematic" actually mean?

"Cinematic" is not a filter or a LUT. It is a combination of technical and aesthetic decisions that, together, produce images that read as "film-quality" to a viewer.

The key components:

• —Contrast structure — deep shadows, controlled highlights, a specific midtone roll-off
• —Colour palette — intentional, limited, with complementary or analogous hues
• —Grain structure — organic noise rather than digital noise
• —Aspect ratio — usually 2.35:1 or 2.39:1 for anamorphic, or at minimum 2:1
• —Lens character — slight vignetting, controlled aberration, not clinical modern sharpness