HDR in Post-Production: How Industry Veterans Are Surviving – and Thriving

Mixing Light Roundtable – HDR yesterday, today, and leading into tomorrow

Mixing Light’s Patrick Inhofer hosts a panel of experts – special guests Bram Desmet and Tashi Trieu, Mixing Light Contributors Zeb Chadfield, Peder Morgenthaler, and Joey D’Anna – to unpack the role of High Dynamic Range (HDR) in post-production. Inspired by cinematographer Steve Yedlin’s critique of HDR, this Office Hours LIVE! discussion distills a decade of professional experience into actionable lessons for colorists, editors, and filmmakers. You’ll learn how to leverage HDR’s potential, navigate its challenges, and apply these insights to enhance your career and inform your workflows.

Mastering HDR Workflows

HDR, nearing its 10th anniversary, offers a transformative approach to post-production with its expanded luminance and contrast, creating visuals that feel closer to real life. The panel emphasizes starting projects in HDR to streamline deliverables like SDR and cinema trims, especially using tools like Dolby Vision. This approach saves time and ensures consistency across formats, a critical advantage for professionals juggling tight deadlines. For your career, adopting an HDR-first mindset can position you as a forward-thinking creative, ready for the industry’s shift toward this standard.

However, HDR’s learning curve can be steep. Early adopters faced skepticism, questioning why brighter displays alone weren’t enough. The lesson? HDR is a transitional technology, bridging current and future display capabilities. By mastering its complexities—like balancing luminance for easier SDR conversions—you can deliver polished results that meet client expectations while showcasing your technical expertise.

Overcoming Adoption Barriers

Simplifying Multi-Format Delivery