Guide

How to apply a LUT in Avid Media Composer.

Updated November 6, 2026

In Avid Media Composer, free-standing .cube looks are installed through Color Management, then applied either as a source Color Encoding adapter (User Installed LUTs) or as the Color LUT effect on a timeline segment. Labels shift slightly by version, so use the Color Management / Source Settings / Effect Palette path your build shows rather than hunting for a Resolve node graph or Premiere Lumetri panel inside Media Composer.

Before you start

• Use Avid Media Composer desktop (not a cut-down viewer that cannot install Color Management LUTs).
• Unzip the download so Media Composer sees a real .cube file (not a .zip).
• If the footage is log, convert to Rec.709 first, or reserve a technical LUT only for that conversion. See Log vs Rec.709.
• Prefer 33-point cubes for everyday social and YouTube work; keep a 65-point copy if soft gradients matter.
• Decide Project vs Shared: Project keeps the LUT with this project; Shared (and the Avid ColorManagement/LUTs folder) makes it available more broadly.

Step 1: Install the .cube in Color Management

1. Open File → Settings, open the User tab, and select Color Management (some builds expose Color Management under Settings without the User tab label—use the Color Management settings your version shows).
2. Choose Project, Shared, or Both for where the LUT should be available.
3. Click Select LUT File, browse to the unzipped .cube, and open it.
4. Confirm the LUT appears in the installed list. Format notes: What is a .cube file?

Step 2: Apply via Source Settings or the Color LUT effect

1. Source Settings path: right-click the clip in a bin or on the timeline → Source Settings → Color Encoding → set Color Adapter Type to User Installed LUTs → choose the Filmsilk look → Apply.
2. Effect path: open the Effect Palette, find Image → Color LUT, drag it onto the timeline segment, then in the Effect Editor choose the installed LUT from the LUT File control.
3. If nothing changes, confirm the LUT was installed into the same Project/Shared scope you are browsing, that Apply was clicked for Source Settings, and that the effect is enabled on the correct segment.
4. Do not invent a missing Resolve node tree or Premiere Lumetri panel inside Media Composer—stick to Color Management + Source Settings or Color LUT for that version.

Step 3: Rec.709, order, and A/B

• Keep exposure and white balance sensible before the creative LUT; do not stack two heavy creative looks.
• Order of operations that usually stays honest: technical log→Rec.709 (if needed) first, then the creative Filmsilk look, then light secondary polish—not the reverse.
• Toggle Source Settings / the Color LUT effect off to A/B a bright exterior, a dark interior, and a face close-up before you export.
• If you need Shared LUTs in other projects, follow Avid's ColorManagement/LUTs folder notes for your OS rather than emailing loose .cube files without installing them.

Role of each tool: LUT vs color grade.

Step 4: Export a short test

• Export a few seconds at your delivery resolution and check on a second screen if you have one.
• Watch for crushed blacks, neon skin, and titles or graphics that pick up the look too hard; pull the creative LUT back (or grade under it) before fighting with secondaries.
• Save the project so the installed LUT and Source Settings / effect stay with the sequence.

Preview any .cube on your own still in the free LUT previewer (nothing uploads). HitFilm steps: How to apply a LUT in HitFilm. Premiere steps: How to apply a LUT in Premiere Pro. Resolve steps: How to apply a LUT in DaVinci Resolve. General notes: How to use a LUT.

FAQ

Does Avid Media Composer support .cube LUTs?

Yes. Media Composer accepts .cube (and .lut) files through Color Management. Avid's documented install path is File → Settings → User → Color Management, then Select LUT File for Project, Shared, or Both. After install, the LUT appears under User Installed LUTs in Source Settings Color Encoding, and you can also apply the Color LUT effect from the Effect Palette (Image) onto a timeline segment.

Source Settings vs Color LUT effect—which should I use?

Source Settings Color Encoding applies the LUT at the clip/source level (common for camera / technical conversions and consistent monitoring). The Color LUT effect (Effect Palette → Image → Color LUT) sits on a timeline segment so you can toggle, reorder, and keep creative looks separate from source color. For Filmsilk creative Rec.709 looks, the Color LUT effect is usually the clearer creative layer; keep technical log→Rec.709 conversions on Source Settings or ahead of the creative look.

Should I apply a creative LUT on log footage?

No. Convert log to Rec.709 first (or use a technical conversion LUT only for that step), then apply a creative Rec.709 look. Filmsilk looks expect Rec.709 input.

Why is my installed LUT missing from the list?

Confirm the file was unzipped and ends in .cube, that you installed it under Project and/or Shared (not only the other scope), and that you clicked Apply after choosing User Installed LUTs in Source Settings. Shared installs live under the Avid ColorManagement/LUTs folder; project installs live with the project. Restart Media Composer if a freshly copied Shared LUT does not appear.

Where Filmsilk fits

Filmsilk ships standard 3D .cube looks for Rec.709 that load wherever your editor accepts .cube—including Avid Media Composer after Color Management install, HitFilm, VEGAS Pro, Filmora, CapCut, Premiere, Resolve, Final Cut, After Effects, and Photoshop. Try every look on your own frame before you buy. The Collection is $29 one-time; Filmsilk Complete is $39 with Studio export.