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Watch the tutorial
Step 1: Add an adjustment layer over your footage
Put your clips on the timeline. In the Project panel, click the New Item button and choose Adjustment Layer, then confirm with OK. Drag the adjustment layer onto the track above your clips and stretch it so it covers every clip you want to give the film look. Because it sits on top, one set of effects will cover all the clips beneath it.
One click with Mako: the free Mako panel adds an adjustment layer over the selected clips, at the playhead, on the first free track, in one click. Get Mako for free
Step 2: Apply ASC CDL
Open the Effects panel and search for ASC CDL. It is under Video Effects > Color Correction. Drag it onto the adjustment layer, then select the layer and open Effect Controls. You will see slope, offset and power controls for the red, green and blue channels, plus Saturation.
Faster with BetterFX: skip the Effects panel. Press your BetterFX shortcut, type the first letters of ASC CDL and press Enter to apply it to the selected clip. Get BetterFX
Step 3: Keep only the red channel
Halation is red, so you want the adjustment layer to show only red. Set Green Slope to 0 and the picture turns purple. Then set Blue Slope to 0 as well and the whole image becomes red. It looks extreme right now, but that is exactly what we need for the next step.
Step 4: Change the blend mode to Lighten
Scroll up to Opacity in the same Effect Controls panel and open the Blend Mode menu. Change it from Normal to Lighten. Now the red only shows up where it is brighter than the footage underneath, so it lands in the highlights and lighter areas instead of covering the whole frame.
Step 5: Blur the red with Gaussian Blur
Real halation glows softly, so it needs a blur. Search the Effects panel for Gaussian Blur, use the one under Video Effects > Blur & Sharpen and drag it onto the adjustment layer, below ASC CDL. In Effect Controls, raise Blur Amount. The video uses around 20, which spreads the red softly around bright edges. Try a higher or lower value to match your footage.
Step 6: Play it back
Move the playhead across your clips and watch the red glow around skin, sand and bright reflections. If it is too strong, lower the Opacity of the adjustment layer a bit. If it is too subtle, raise the blur or the red slope until you like it.
Tips
- Use it on bright shots. Halation shows up most around highlights, so footage with sun, sky or lights suits it best.
- Keep it subtle. A soft glow feels like film, while a heavy one looks like a filter.
- Save it as a preset. Right-click an effect in Effect Controls and choose Save Preset to reuse the look later.
FAQ
What is film halation?
It is a red or orange glow around bright areas that happens when light bounces through film stock. Many editors imitate it to get a cinematic, analog look.
Why use the Lighten blend mode?
Lighten keeps only the parts of the red layer that are brighter than the image underneath, so the glow stays around highlights and does not tint the whole picture.
Can I use Lumetri Color instead of ASC CDL?
You can build a similar look with other color tools, but ASC CDL makes it quick to isolate the red channel with a few values.
Want a faster way to color grade? Check out the Ultimate Premiere Pro Presets pack with over 500 presets.
