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How to Load Custom LUTs onto the ARRI Alexa Mini

Have you ever wondered if there was a better way to view your shots on-set than just toggling between the log image and the REC.709? You must not be alone, because with the Alexa Mini, you can now load any LUT you want into the camera and preview with it in your EVF, send it to video village, or burn it into your footage. But how do you get it in there? Well…

1 - Create Your Own Look

The first step is to make (or find) the look you want. Shoot some quick test footage, and take it into Davinci Resolve. Here you can test out different looks, tweak them as you see fit, and get everything just right. When you’re satisfied, go to the Color timeline and right-click the clip thumbnail to select “Generate 3D LUT (CUBE).” This will export your look in a fairly universal format so that we can move on to the next step:

2 - Convert Your Look to .AML Format

The Alexa Mini uses its own proprietary format to display these looks within the camera,  so we have to make a quick stop in ARRI Color Tool to convert our .cube LUT. Go to File>Open Look/LUT file, then simply “Save As…” to export an .aml file. Make sure the name is 28 characters or less with the extension, and copy the look to ARRI > A-MINI > LOOKFILES on your flash drive and send it off! That is, assuming you formatted the drive already. If not…

3 - Format Your USB Drive

Plug the drive into the camera via the USB port directly below the CFAST slot. Then navigate to Menu>Media>Prepare USB medium and select Confirm. This should give you a message declaring the process a success when it finishes. 

4 - Load the .aml Into the Alexa Mini

Last step. From the main camera menu, press Look > Edit > Add > Select > Back > Set. To assign it to the record channel, the EVF, or the SDI monitor, go back to Look, but this time hit Edit Gamma. That’s it. You did it! You can look at the world through any grade you like!