What Exactly Is HDR Intent, Anyhow?

“It’s really all about the aesthetics, so when I grade my movies for HDR, I make sure that I keep the same feel[ing] that the cinematographer and the director had intended for the movie… it could look the same [as the SDR grade] or maybe just one scene could look different… again you can take advantage of all of [HDR’s available brightness and color] or you can take advantage of none of that… it definitely allows you more creative freedom, that’s for sure.” – Stephen Nakamura, Senior Colorist, Company 3

Is an HDR grade that offers no benefit over SDR truly HDR? And what is HDR intent? The answer is deceptively simple: HDR intent refers to whether the creators deliberately used high dynamic range techniques during production to enhance the visual experience. A somewhat trickier question is whether a viewer can figure out if such intent was present just by watching the content, even if it’s in Dolby Vision.

“You can make images on an HDR screen identical to the range you had in SDR, if you want.” – Thomas Urbye, Colorist

Dolby Vision is a type of HDR, so if the content is in Dolby Vision, that means that technically, it’s already HDR. But that alone does not indicate whether HDR was actively used by the creators or if it’s just a technical conversion without any artistic intent. After all, content can be mastered in HDR but not take full advantage of its capabilities, essentially making it HDR in name only. This not only dilutes the Dolby Vision brand, confusing and alienating viewers, but it also chips away at streamers’ reputations and dampens consumer interest in HDR movies and technology.

Glenn Kiser (host, Dolby Creator Talks Podcast): If you know that something’s going to be finishing in HDR or Dolby Vision, does that affect any of your decisions during production – how you light and shoot?

Adam Newport-Berra (DP, Apple TV+’s The Studio, 2025): To be quite honest, not really. I’m not the most technical DP in the world. For me, it more goes off feelings & vibes & energy than it does technical finishing aspects.

HDR Techniques

Just what are some of these HDR techniques? They include: 

• Selecting a camera capable of high dynamic range. This might seem painfully obvious, but all too many in the industry are quick to dismiss its importance. Choosing a camera with the dynamic range and color gamut necessary for the storytelling is critical. Ideally, the camera’s dynamic range should exceed the static dynamic range of the human visual system, said to be ~13 stops, similar to that of photochemical film (print film has substantially less dynamic range). Consumer cameras typically capture anywhere from 10-12 stops of dynamic range, whereas cinema cameras can capture between 13-15 f-stops.
• Note: Not all cameras with a high dynamic range are capable of recording a correspondingly wide color gamut. “The choice of the tiny color filters on the sensors—whether narrow spectrum or wide band—has a significant effect on the dynamic range and color saturation of the image captured. A wider-band filter leaves the sensor more sensitive to light, yielding a wider dynamic range and higher native ISO. But the color recorded by that wide- band filtered sensor is less true and less saturated.” – American Cinematographer Manual, 10th ed.
• (While a camera’s sensor sets the theoretical limit for dynamic range, it’s important to note that lens choice plays an even greater role. For a deeper dive into how lens flare is often the true practical limit of dynamic range, read our follow-up article here.)

“An HDR grade is so much easier when the DP has set the light values in HDR [during the shoot]. I don’t have to work the digital negative as hard. Monitoring in HDR while shooting is a luxury, and a lot of productions aren’t doing it, but they end up spending more time in color correction trying to mitigate issues of blown-out highlights. Those color correction hours versus having a HDR monitor on set is something to be considered. Ultimately, the images will look better if the DP, DIT and gaffer can work together to create the best HDR version, then dumb down from that for the SDR version.” – Tom Stipan, Colorist, Company 3

• Monitoring in HDR. If the director and DP of an HDR production genuinely want to shape the look of the image from the start, viewing in SDR on set is woefully insufficient. Which may account for the fact that so many HDR productions fail to thoroughly exploit the dynamic range that HDR is capable of – and that viewers have come to expect. Most shows continue to be lit in an SDR environment, they’re monitored in SDR, and the very first time anyone sees their footage on an HDR display is in the grading suite. This late-stage appraisal of HDR can uncover problems that were not apparent during on-set monitoring in SDR, requiring unplanned work in VFX, unexpected redelivery costs, and unintended creative compromise. 

“HDR is its own aesthetic, and […] we must monitor and shoot for it on set, with SDR conversions being accomplished in post production under the supervision of the cinematographer. I believe that we can no more shoot for HDR and SDR simultaneously without serious compromise than we could shoot for 16:9 and protect for 4:3. It just won’t work. I expect to hear complaints about the cost of monitoring for HDR. My response to that is simple: “You’re spending millions of dollars on a production and yet you’re willing to risk it all over the cost of HDR monitoring?” I have a similar response for producers who balk at the extra cost of having the cinematographer present to supervise both the HDR and SDR outputs in post. They’re skipping over dollars to pick-up dimes and I’m going to call it out.” – Steven Poster, ASC, former President, International Cinematographers Guild IATSE Local 600.

• Protecting highlights, as there is no artifact more repugnant than clipped highlights. They cannot be recovered and will require softening with diffusion or halation in post.

• SDR lighting ratios no longer suffice. Choose a single hero format to light and shoot for (i.e., HDR) – don’t bake a compromise between the two into the source material. Footage with a wide variety of contrast and a high contrast range works best. In real life, our eyes adjust to different lighting conditions. HDR can mimic this by having a higher dynamic range. If lighting ratios are too conservative (i.e., as in SDR), the HDR content won’t trigger the same adaptive response in viewers, making the experience less immersive. Failure to leverage the full potential of HDR (i.e., by adhering to SDR lighting ratios) inevitably leads to technical and creative compromises, lessening emotional impact. To fully harness HDR, productions must adopt lighting strategies tailored to its expanded dynamic range and luminance capabilities, ensuring that both technical fidelity and artistic intent are preserved. 

If one is going to finish in HDR, I believe it’s absolutely essential to monitor in HDR on the set, as HDR directly affects lighting ratios and exposure. – Erik Messerschmidt, ASC

• Editing should be performed on an HDR display to judge the effect of adaptation of the human visual system. The human visual system adapts to different light levels over time. Editors need HDR monitors to accurately create and adjust HDR content so that brightness changes align with natural adaptation, enhancing storytelling and avoiding discomfort.
• The grade. The colorist should have a deep understanding of color science, display technology, and HDR workflows.

How is an ordinary viewer to tell whether any or all of these techniques were employed? They can look for signs of HDR intent by observing the use of contrast, color, detail in highlights and shadows, and how these elements contribute to the storytelling. If lighting ratios are too conservative, the HDR content won’t trigger the same adaptive responses in viewers, making the experience considerably less immersive and ultimately less satisfying. If HDR is used with intent, there should be noticeable elements, like better contrast between bright and dark areas and preservation of highlight and shadow detail. The presence of Dolby Vision indicates some level of HDR mastering, but the artistic intent behind it can only be inferred from how effectively the HDR features are utilized in the viewing experience. 

Key Indicators of HDR Intent:

1. Contrast and Dynamic Range:

   – Intentional Use: Scenes exhibit striking differences between bright highlights (e.g., sunlight, reflections) and deep shadows, with preserved details in both. This enhances depth and realism.

   – Lack of Intent: Flat or washed-out scenes with minimal contrast, suggesting HDR was applied passively.

2. Detail in Highlights/Shadows:

   – Intentional Use: Textures in bright skies or dark environments remain visible (e.g., cloud details, shadowy textures in a dimly lit room).

   – Lack of Intent: Clipped highlights (pure white without detail) or crushed shadows (pure black blobs).

3. Artistic Consistency:

   – Intentional Use: HDR effects align with the narrative—e.g., harsh lighting for tension, subtle gradients for realism.

   – Lack of Intent: Inconsistent or gimmicky use of brightness/color, distracting from the story.

Caveats:

– Display Quality: A high-end Dolby Vision-compatible TV is absolutely necessary to accurately judge HDR intent.

– Streaming Compression: Streaming bitrate limitations can obscure fine details, making HDR intent harder to assess. HDR requires high-speed internet; both the app and the TV need to be set up properly.

Conclusion:

A thoughtful viewer can infer HDR intent by analyzing how contrast, color, and detail enhance the storytelling. Dolby Vision’s presence guarantees technical HDR compliance, but artistic intent is revealed through deliberate, cohesive use of its capabilities. If HDR feels integral to the visual narrative—rather than a technical checkbox—it likely reflects the creator’s intent.

Photo credit: HDTVTest