The color-processing setting for a project: This setting changes the way in which color processing works. Set your project to Wide Gamut HDR if you’re considering exporting a wide-gamut HDR project.
The render color space setting for a project: This setting determines the color of images you see in the canvas, as well as the color space and appearance of your exported project (the output media file) when “Use canvas setting” is selected in the Settings pane of the share window. Set your render color space to HDR Rec. 2020 HLG or HDR Rec. 2020 PQ if you intend to export an HDR movie when you complete the project.
When you export a project, you can choose a different render color space in the Settings pane of the share window.
The color-processing setting may affect the appearance of your final render. For example, when the project is changed from Standard to Wide Gamut HDR, the effect of some filters or blend modes may change in appearance.

Important: To view the wider range of HDR colors, it’s recommended that you use a wide-gamut computer display.

Set the color processing for a new project

In Motion, then choose File > New from Project Browser (or press Option-Command-N).
In the Project Browser, select the Blank category in the left sidebar, then click the Motion Project icon.
In the right column, click the Preset pop-up menu, then choose Custom.
Additional properties controls appear.
Click the Color Processing pop-up menu, then choose one of the following:
- Standard: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 709 color primaries, the color space that previous versions of Motion have used. Rec. 709 is the current standard for HDTV projects, including HD cable, Blu-ray discs, and streaming video.
- Wide Gamut HDR: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 2020 color primaries, a color space with a wider range of colors than Rec. 709. Rec. 2020 is useful for 4K and 8K UHDTV and HDR projects.
Set the resolution (width and height), projection type, field order, aspect ratio, frame rate, and default duration for your custom project.
For more information, see Properties Inspector controls in Motion.
Click Open.
A new, untitled Motion project opens using the custom properties you specified.

Set the color processing for an existing project

In the Layers list of the Motion project, select the Project object (or press Command-J).
In the Properties Inspector, click the Color Processing pop-up menu, then choose one of the following:
- Standard: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 709 color primaries, the color space that previous versions of Motion have used. Rec. 709 is the current standard for HDTV projects, including HD cable, Blu-ray discs, and streaming video.
- Wide Gamut HDR: Sets the working color space to linear RGB with Rec. 2020 color primaries, a color space with a wider range of colors than Rec. 709. Rec. 2020 is useful for 4K and 8K UHDTV and HDR projects.
  Note: When you set Color Processing to Wide Gamut HDR, HDR Rec. 2020 PQ is set by default. To change the project’s render color space, see the next task.

Set the render color space for a project

You can choose any of several render color space options for your project.

In Motion, choose View > Render Color Space, then select one of the following settings:
- Automatic: Choose this option to automatically set the render color space based on the Color Processing parameter (in the Project Properties Inspector). When you create a wide-gamut HDR project, HDR Rec. 2020 PQ is set by default.
- Rec. 709: Choose this option to set your project to use the Rec. 709 color space, the current standard for HDTV projects, including HD cable, Blu-ray discs, and most streaming video today. You can also create a project that uses the standard color space with wide-gamut media—for example, if you have wide-gamut media but need to deliver a standard project, or if you need to deliver both standard and wide-gamut versions of a project.
- Rec. 2020: Choose this setting for projects created previously using the Wide Gamut - Rec. 2020 color space. If you intend to export an HDR movie, choose one of the following Wide Gamut HDR options.
- HDR Rec. 2020 HLG: Choose this option if you intend to create an HDR project with the Rec. 2020 color space and HLG transfer function (Rec. 2100 standard), using formats such as HLG or Advanced HDR. HLG, or Hybrid Log-Gamma, was developed by the BBC and NHK broadcasting networks and is compatible with older standard-dynamic-range (SDR) televisions and monitors. Projects created with this color space option in Motion are compatible with HLG HDR televisions and displays.
- HDR Rec. 2020 PQ: Choose this option if you intend to create an HDR project with the Rec. 2020 color space and PQ transfer function (Rec. 2100 standard), using formats such as HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, or Advanced HDR.
Changing the Render Color Space settings does not modify your project’s color processing setting or modify your media’s color data.
By default, when you export a project, it’s rendered using the Render Color Space setting. However, you can override this setting in the Settings pane of the share window by choosing an option from the Color Space pop-up menu. See Intro to sharing Motion projects.
Tip: You can switch the appearance of a project in the canvas (and the appearance of a project when exported). For example, if you’re working in wide-gamut Rec. 2020 and plan to export to a standard-gamut Rec. 709 format, set Render Color Space to Rec. 709 to view any clipping that may occur. (This parameter is most useful if you’re working on a wide-gamut display.)

If you’re building a template for Final Cut Pro X in wide color gamut, you can instruct the template to use the color space setting of the Final Cut Pro library, or to override the color space setting of the Final Cut Pro library. Also, if an imported file’s color profile is missing or incorrect, you can override its color space so that Motion correctly interprets the media’s colors. See Instruct a template to override the Final Cut Pro color space.

For more information, see HDR and Wide Color Gamut in Final Cut Pro X.

Helpful?

Motion User Guide

Use wide-gamut HDR color processing in Motion

Set the color processing for a new project

Set the color processing for an existing project

Set the render color space for a project