You’re asking about The Subtle Art of the Sauce by Shortstache, and whether it’s the right move for your color grading. On paper, it’s a color grading mini-course focused on teaching you how to apply 5 LUTS for your film needs. It’s built for lifestyle scenes, weddings, and drone footage, targeting videographers, filmmakers, and content creators. The main thing to know upfront is that it’s a mini-course, not a thorough video editing tutorial, and you’ll need some familiarity with Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve to get going. Here’s my take on what’s inside, based on the creator’s published details for this Subtle Art of the Sauce review.
What’s Inside Shortstache’s Color Pack
The core of this product is its set of 5 custom-designed video LUTS, crafted by Garrett, the creator known as Shortstache. He’s a well-known lifestyle photographer and videographer, so you can expect these LUTS to reflect his unique color aesthetic and storytelling style. Beyond just the LUTS, you also get a color grading mini-course that focuses specifically on how to apply these 5 LUTS effectively. It’s not just a dump of files; there’s instruction on how to actually use them.
A notable inclusion is a set of conversion LUTS. These are crucial if you shoot in flat color profiles, like SLOG-2 or SLOG-3, which many Sony shooters do. These LUTS help bring your log footage to a more standard Rec.709 space before applying the stylistic grades. For DaVinci Resolve users, the pack also includes a translated Powergrade. This is a pre-built node tree in Resolve that can streamline your workflow and ensure consistent results by applying a complex grade with a single click. The creator also mentions that the course covers thorough color correction techniques and smooth stylistic grading, all aimed at workflow efficiency. What the creator doesn’t publish, though, are the specific file formats for the LUTS themselves (like .cube, for example), or any details about the mini-course’s runtime, resolution, or how it’s delivered.
Where This Pack Fits in Your Grading Workflow
From what’s published, The Subtle Art of the Sauce is designed to integrate into a few popular professional video editing suites. It’s compatible with Adobe Premiere Pro, Blackmagicdesign DaVinci Resolve, and Apple Final Cut Pro. This broad compatibility is good, meaning most people already using one of these won’t need new software.
The inclusion of “conversion LUTS” and “thorough color correction techniques” suggests a structured approach. Typically, you’d apply a conversion LUT first to normalize your flat log footage, then perform your primary color correction (white balance, exposure, contrast adjustments), and finally, apply the stylistic LUTS or Powergrade for the final look. The mini-course is there to guide you through this process. If you’re already familiar with the basic interface and tools in Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, you should be able to follow along. This isn’t for a complete beginner who’s never opened a grading panel before, but if you’ve done some client work and understand nodes or adjustment layers, you’re likely in a good spot.
The Powergrade for DaVinci Resolve is a strong point here, particularly for those who prefer Resolve’s node-based workflow. It implies a more solid and flexible grading solution than just a simple LUT, allowing for more fine-tuning and control within the Resolve ecosystem. If you shoot on a Sony A7S III in S-Log3 and deliver projects in Resolve, this part alone could make your workflow much quicker.
What Footage and Mood It Suits
Shortstache’s aesthetic is pretty distinct, and this pack is built to match it. The creator explicitly states it’s made for lifestyle scenes, weddings, and drone footage. This tells me the LUTS are likely designed to enhance natural light, subtle skin tones, and expansive landscapes, which are common in these types of shoots. Garrett’s background in lifestyle photography and videography certainly supports this focus on a unique color aesthetic and storytelling.
If you’re shooting a wedding film and want a consistent, refined look across all your drone shots, ceremony footage, and reception scenes, this pack could provide that unifying “sauce.” Similarly, for travel vloggers or content creators who focus on visually appealing lifestyle content, the LUTS are probably geared towards a clean, slightly muted, yet vibrant style that’s popular for a modern, cinematic feel. It’s not going to give you a heavy vintage film look, judging by Shortstache’s known work, but more of a polished, contemporary film aesthetic. The course teaches “stylistic grading,” so it’s all about achieving that specific, appealing mood.
Cameras, Log Profiles, and What Happens If Yours Isn’t Listed
This is where the compatibility details really matter. The Subtle Art of the Sauce is explicitly designed for footage shot in SLOG-2 and SLOG-3 flat color profiles. If you’re a Sony shooter using cameras like the A7S series, A7 III/IV, or even some of their pro camcorders that output these log profiles, then this product is directly compatible with your workflow. The inclusion of dedicated conversion LUTS for these profiles is a huge plus, ensuring your footage is properly prepared before applying the stylistic grades. If you’re working with Sony S-Log3 Cinematic LUTs, this pack integrates well.
What if your camera isn’t Sony or doesn’t shoot SLOG-2/3? The creator doesn’t explicitly mention compatibility with other log profiles like Canon C-Log, Panasonic V-Log, or ARRI Log C. While you might technically be able to apply the stylistic LUTS to footage from other cameras, you would likely need to do your own log conversion and color correction beforehand to get a good result. The included conversion LUTS are specific to SLOG-2 and SLOG-3. Without explicit support for other profiles, you might find yourself doing extra work, or the LUTS might not behave as intended. If you shoot Blackmagic RAW or ProRes RAW, for example, you’ll need to develop your own base conversion to Rec.709 before applying these stylistic LUTS.
Limits and Who Should Skip It
The biggest thing to understand about The Subtle Art of the Sauce is that it’s a “mini-course” and “not a full breakdown on video editing.” This isn’t a program that will teach you how to cut a wedding film, create a documentary, or even fully master Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve from scratch. It’s focused solely on color grading, specifically the application of the included LUTS and related techniques.
So, you should definitely skip this product if:
- You’re a complete beginner to video editing and color grading software. The requirement for “some familiarity with Premiere Pro and/or DaVinci Resolve” is important.
- You’re looking for a thorough video editing masterclass. This isn’t it.
- Your primary camera does not shoot in SLOG-2 or SLOG-3, and you’re not comfortable doing your own log conversions.
- You already have a specific color grading workflow that doesn’t align with Shortstache’s aesthetic.
Also, the creator doesn’t provide any information on the duration of the mini-course, its resolution, sample rate, or the delivery method. This lack of detail makes it harder to judge the depth or production quality of the instructional content. If you need to know exactly how many hours of video you’re getting, that information isn’t published.
So, Should You Get It?
If you’re a videographer, filmmaker, or content creator who frequently shoots lifestyle, weddings, or drone footage with a Sony camera using SLOG-2 or SLOG-3, and you appreciate Shortstache’s color aesthetic, then The Subtle Art of the Sauce looks like a solid pick. The dedicated conversion LUTS and DaVinci Resolve Powergrade are strong selling points for efficient post-production. However, if you’re new to editing software, looking for a full editing education, or don’t shoot in the supported log profiles, you’re better off looking elsewhere.
Questions people ask
What software is compatible with Subtle Art of the Sauce?
It's compatible with Adobe Premiere Pro, Blackmagicdesign DaVinci Resolve, and Apple Final Cut Pro.
How many LUTS are included in the pack?
The pack includes 5 custom-designed video LUTS by Shortstache, along with additional conversion LUTS.
Is this course suitable for beginners?
Some familiarity with Premiere Pro and/or DaVinci Resolve is required. It's not suitable for complete beginners to video editing software.
Does it include tools for flat color profiles like SLOG-2?
Yes, it provides conversion LUTS specifically for footage filmed in flat color profiles like SLOG-2 and SLOG-3.
Prefer to buy directly from Shortstache at full price? See the official page.
