Easy Fix for HLG Footage Not Displaying Correctly in Premiere Pro
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If you're working with HLG footage in Adobe Premiere Pro and noticing strange color shifts or oversaturation, you're not alone. This issue popped up with Premiere Pro version 22 (released around November 2021) and it’s something I’ve encountered myself. Fortunately, there’s an easy fix to get your footage looking correct again. In this post, I’ll walk you through the solution step-by-step!
Why Does This Happen?
The issue arises due to a color management feature introduced in Premiere Pro version 22. When you import HLG footage (such as from a Sony A7 III or A7 IV), Premiere might display the colors incorrectly, especially if you're not working within an HDR (High Dynamic Range) workflow. This is because Premiere Pro interprets HLG footage as Rec 2100 HLG color space by default, but in many cases, you may just want to use standard Rec 709 color space, particularly if you’re not delivering HDR content.
How to Fix It
Here’s how you can adjust the settings to get your HLG footage displaying properly in Rec 709:
Right-click on your HLG clip in the timeline or project panel.
Select Modify > Interpret Footage.
In the dialog box that appears, you'll see that your footage is set to Rec 2100 HLG. Change this to Rec 709.
Click OK, and your footage will now display correctly in Rec 709 color space.
That’s it! Premiere Pro will now show the correct colors for your footage in standard workflows.
Don’t Forget About Your Sequence Settings
It’s also important to ensure your sequence settings match your footage. If your sequence is set to Rec 2100 HLG color space, even after adjusting the footage, the colors may still look off. Here’s how to adjust that:
Right-click on your sequence in the timeline.
Select Sequence Settings.
Under Video, make sure the Working Color Space is set to Rec 709.
If the sequence color space is set to Rec 2100 HLG, it might cause inconsistencies with the way your footage displays, especially if you've converted your footage to Rec 709.
With both your footage and sequence set to Rec 709, everything should look natural again.
Fixing Phone Footage Issues
You might also run into similar issues with phone footage, such as from an iPhone 13. In the source monitor, the colors may appear desaturated, and once you bring it into the timeline, you might see overblown highlights or other color discrepancies.
To fix this:
Right-click on your phone footage in the timeline or project panel.
Go to Interpret Footage and change the color space to Rec 709.
If you want to work in a wider color gamut, you can also select Rec 2020 as the color space.
This quick tweak should correct the color issues you’re seeing in Premiere Pro.
Final Thoughts
Color management in Premiere Pro can be a bit tricky, but once you know how to adjust the color space settings, it's a pretty straightforward process. Whether you’re working with HLG footage from your camera or phone, these simple fixes will ensure that your footage displays accurately, saving you time and frustration.
If you found this tutorial helpful, check out my other posts for more tips and tricks. Or visit my Youtube channel for the visuals. See you in the next one!
