“Conventional exposure theory would suggest that with a camera like the Alexa that is ISO 800 it will reproduce a mid-grey as a mid-grey but if you set up for that in HDR then you are going to find objects in the frame over exposed. Candle flames, for example, tend to lose their color and can clip out very quickly and look unnatural. So, what I came up with as a solution, specifically because there are candles in every shot, was to expose from the top down. My starting point was not to over expose the candles in the HDR grade and let everything fall in underneath that. Since candles are usually the brightest object in the scene and I wanted to retain detail in them I began by setting the exposure so that the candles weren’t clipping with everything else being lit up to those levels.” – John Brawley on The Great (5 episodes • 2020)
“We’re no longer exposing for middle gray and letting the rest “roll off.” […] Through all of these techniques, it’s important to recognize that our old friend and exposure aid, middle (18%) gray, will be of limited usefulness…” – Art Adams
Clipping of highlights is one of the fundamental differences between SDR and HDR imagery. It might even be considered a feature of SDR, whereas it is seldom encountered in correctly exposed HDR footage. In addition to being unsightly, clipped HDR highlights cannot be recovered in the Dolby Vision derived SDR version. Which is also why exposing for middle gray, as is often done in SDR photography, is not advisable when working in HDR.
In this IG post, Shane Hurlbut describes how he exposed using middle gray on the set of The Perfect Couple:
“As a cinematographer, exposure is everything. It’s the foundation of your film’s look, the backbone of the story you’re telling. When it’s right, it’s magic. To dial it in, you need the right tools, and for me, a solid monitor is key. These aren’t just screens—they’re my visual lifeline on set. They help me assess exposure in real time so I can make the right calls on lighting, camera settings, and composition. It’s about creating an image that’s not only beautiful but also captures the mood and atmosphere we’re after. I rely heavily on false color. It’s a game-changer. It gives you a quick readout of exposure levels, showing what’s underexposed, overexposed, and right on the money. I use it to make fast adjustments and dial in that perfect exposure.”
“In this BTS footage from The Perfect Couple series on Netflix, I’m using a Flanders DM220 monitor to show how I set the gray point for a day exterior scene. By locking in around 45-55, I get a balanced exposure that lets those details shine through, from shadows to highlights. Exposure is a craft, and having the right tools, like a reliable monitor, makes all the difference. It’s about pushing the visual quality of your projects to new heights, making sure every frame tells the story you want it to.”
Hurlbut, who doesn’t have a clue as to what constitutes a good looking HDR image, stooped to paying someone to write a puff piece about how ‘masterful’, ‘breathtaking’ and ‘stunning’ the production was:
“Hurlbut, meanwhile, harnessed light like a painter’s brush, crafting the mood and atmosphere of each scene. His attention to color tones ensured a visual consistency that tied the series together, even across continents and sets.” Source: Shane Hurlbut’s Filmmakers Academy blog.
What self-respecting cinematographer hires someone to write seriously cringeworthy stuff like this about themselves?
The Daejeon Chronicles 
Hurlbut hasn’t made a single compelling image in his entire career.