SCENE 01 / LOOK DEVELOPMENT
Look Development in Saudi Arabia
Creative visual style development and LUT creation for distinctive cinematic aesthetics that define your production's unique identity.
Here is how this works in practice. Look development sets up the visual style and color aesthetic of a production before principal photography starts. Through testing with cameras, lenses, lighting, and LUTs, look development creates reference images and tech specs that guide the entire production toward an unified look.
Here is the short of it. We support look development by setting up camera tests, LUT creation, and joint work between your cinematographer and colorist. Our team arranges testing facilities and tech resources to make sure your production's visual look is defined, logged, and ready to guide steady image capture from day one.
Capabilities
Visual Style Development Excellence
Create distinctive visual aesthetics through comprehensive look development, custom LUT design, and detailed style guides.
01
Creative Design
Unique visual aesthetics that define your production's identity and enhance storytelling.
Distinctive
02
LUT Creation
Custom look-up tables for on-set monitoring and post-production workflows.
Technical
03
Style Guides
Comprehensive documentation ensuring consistent implementation across all phases.
Consistent
04
Workflow Integration
Seamless look management from production through final delivery.
Seamless
Creative Services
Technical Deliverables
Our Look Development Process
We follow a collaborative creative process that ensures your visual vision is fully realized and documented for consistent implementation.
Creative Discovery
We talk about your vision, gather references, and analyze your footage to know the aesthetic goals.
Look Exploration
We develop many look options on key scenes, presenting variations for your review and feedback.
Refinement
We refine the chosen direction, perfecting the look and creating all tech deliverables.
Implementation
We deliver LUTs, style guides, and records for seamless production and post integration.
Why Us
Why Choose Our Look Development
01.
Creative Vision
Innovative aesthetic design that elevates visual storytelling.
02.
Color Science
Advanced tech expertise in color workflow design.
03.
Collaborative Process
Close partnership with filmmakers across development.
04.
Complete Solutions
From start to finish look management from concept to delivery.
On Location
On-set LUT design and look development across AlUla, NEOM, Riyadh, and Jeddah — ACES IDT/ODT setup, DIT cart integration with Pomfort Livegrade, monitoring LUTs for Cooke and Zeiss anamorphic packages, finishing partnerships with ARRI Rental.
We pair shoots with senior colorists for pre-production look development sessions. Sessions run at MBC Studios Riyadh and Pixomondo Riyadh's LED Volume site. For Saudi-Emirati cross-border work, Image Production House Dubai also hosts.
Look dev starts with reference grading on plate stills or pre-light footage. We build a project LUT and ASC CDL packs that ship to set with the DIT cart. DIT software is mostly Pomfort Livegrade or Colorfront On-Set Dailies.
Here is how this works in practice. For AlUla and NEOM features, look dev expects several specific lighting conditions. These have magic-hour sandstone gold, midday high-contrast desert sun (heavy ND ratings), and blue-hour cool rim light from the AlUla cliffs. We build separate LUTs for each. That way DPs can dial coverage always across long shoot days.
ACES color running is standard. Per-camera IDT covers Alexa LogC4, RED IPP2, Sony S-Log3, and Canon Cinema RAW Light. A creative LMT applies the project look. ODT outputs cover Rec.709 client review, P3 D65 theatrical, and Rec.2020 PQ Dolby Vision when streaming HDR is the target.
Here is the short of it. Saudi Arabia's look-development heritage tracks the rapid post-2018 expansion of global features. Several major shoots wrapped at AlUla and NEOM. Examples have Kandahar (2023, Gerard Butler), Desert Warrior (2024, Anthony Mackie), Cherry (Apple TV+, partial AlUla), and Hellraiser 2022 plates.
Here is the breakdown. These shoots all needed look dev that expected global finishing. Finishing partners have ARRI Rental London, Goldcrest, and Firm 3. We hand off CDL data, project LUTs, and reference frames in a clean ACES Common Lookup Format pack.
Here is what that looks like on the ground. Domestic narrative work has shaped a distinctive Saudi aesthetic. Examples have Telfaz11's Sattar (2022), Haifaa al-Mansour's Wadjda (2012) and The Perfect Candidate (2019), and Shahad Ameen's Scales. The aesthetic combines warm Riyadh courtyard tones with restrained skin-tone palettes.
NEOM XR Lab Unreal Engine 5 shoots need LED Volume-specific look dev. ICVFX color science has to account for Sony Crystal LED panel gamut and DCI-P3 reproduction inside Unreal. We deliver final look LUTs in 33-cube DCI-compatible .cube format. Dolby Vision LMT, HDR10+ trim metadata, and Rec.709 fallback all get baked at finishing. Billing is in SAR, with 15% VAT and a Sunday-Thursday workweek.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When should we start look development?
Here is the breakdown. Ideally during pre-production. Early look development allows you to use tracking LUTs on set, make sure steady dailies, and align all departments on the visual direction. However, we can also develop looks during post-prod if needed.
What do you need to create a look?
Here is what that looks like on the ground. We work best with sample footage from your camera tests or early production, visual references (films, photographs, artwork), mood boards, and a discussion of your creative goals. The more context we have about your story and vision, the better we can serve your project.
How do LUTs work in production?
Here is how the picture comes together. We create tracking LUTs that can be applied to camera feeds and dailies, giving all on set a preview of the intended look. These tech LUTs are optimized for different display types and viewing conditions while preserving full dynamic range in your RAW footage.
Can you match a specific film or reference look?
Here is what we have to work with. We can analyze and recreate aesthetic qualities from references, though we develop unique interpretations rather than exact copies. Our goal is to know what you respond to in references and create a distinctive look that serves your specific story and footage.
Related Services
Productions in Saudi Arabia that need this often pair it with Color Correction Services, Color Grading Services, and Online Conform & QC Services for full coverage. Most projects also draw on Narrative & Documentary Editing and Foley Recording Services.
On Set
Ready to Define Your Visual Style?
Let's create distinctive looks that make your production unforgettable.