Color Grading Central
Color Grading Central is an online platform that develops color grading software (CineDream), free LUTs, and paid training courses for filmmakers, video creators, and aspiring colorists worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersCashmere, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Color Grading Central does
Color Grading Central is an online education and software platform that serves independent filmmakers, video creators, and aspiring colorists worldwide. Founded in 2011 by Denver Riddle and operating as a bootstrapped LLC (Color Grading Central LLC) with 1-10 employees, the company combines a desktop software product, a curated LUT library, and paid structured training under one brand. Its core product is CineDream, a desktop application that prepares footage in the correct color space and allows users to grade visually by clicking on the image rather than manipulating sliders; supporting products include a 100-LUT collection (Colorist Looks, Film-Inspired Looks, Film Stock LUTs) delivered through CineDream's free installer, a free 1-Hour Color Grading Masterclass tailored to Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro, and the paid Color Grading Academy course delivered via Podia.
The business model is freemium-plus-subscription: free LUTs and the CineDream installer serve as top-of-funnel lead magnets, the free masterclass operates as a mid-funnel nurture, and the Color Grading Academy is the primary monetization layer (pricing not publicly disclosed). Go-to-market is product-led and community-led, with YouTube (415K subscribers, 23.5M+ views) as the cornerstone educational channel, supplemented by Instagram (176K followers) and a Facebook community group (66.8K members). Distribution is fully digital and self-serve via direct website downloads and the Podia course platform, with no geographic restrictions and a horizontally segmented customer base of creators rather than enterprise buyers.
Color Grading Central firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Color Grading Central
- Legal name
- Color Grading Central LLC
- Website
- https://colorgradingcentral.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Color Grading Central is an online platform that develops color grading software (CineDream), free LUTs, and paid training courses for filmmakers, video creators, and aspiring colorists worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Color Grading Central industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Color Grading Software
- NAICS
- Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219), Fine Arts Schools (611610), Motion Picture and Video Production (512110)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Color Grading & Color Management (MPAHAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Color Grading & Finishing (DI, HDR, Deliverables) (MPADAGAB), Photography & Videography Arts Programs (EDAMAAAC)
Keywords
Where Color Grading Central is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cashmere
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Color Grading Central business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Color Grading Academy (Paid Courses): Paid educational courses teaching color grading craft. The Academy provides structured training for colorists, positioning itself as a comprehensive alternative to scattered YouTube tutorials.
- CineDream Software: Free installer for LUTs with premium features for advanced color grading capabilities. The free tier provides LUT preview and export; paid features include advanced grading tools.
- Free LUT Downloads: Free LUT packs serve as lead magnets to drive email signups and software downloads, converting users into the paid Academy and CineDream ecosystem.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free LUTs - 100 cinematic looks for video editors |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | CineDream Free Installer |
| Subscription | Annual | Color Grading Academy |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Color Grading Central product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Color Grading Central develops and distributes color grading software and educational resources for video creators and filmmakers. Its core product is CineDream, a desktop application that prepares footage in the correct color space and allows users to apply cinematic looks visually, supported by a free library of 100 LUTs and a paid Color Grading Academy training course.
Product overview
Color Grading Central is a color grading education and software company offering a platform-plus-products architecture. The core product is CineDream, a desktop application that provides a visual pathway from flat footage to cinematic color. Supporting products include 100 Free Cinematic LUTs (delivered via CineDream's installer) and training offerings such as the Color Grading Academy (a comprehensive course) and the free 1-Hour Color Grading Masterclass. The software products are designed to integrate with Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro video editing platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CineDream: Software application for achieving cinematic color grading without guesswork; converts camera color into a clean cinematic foundation
- Color Grading Academy
- CineDream Free Installer
- Complete Colorist Collection
Products and services
- CineDream Desktop application that converts camera color into a clean, cinematic foundation and lets users grade directly on the image by clicking what they want to change. Prepares footage in the correct color space for consistent LUT results and is compatible with Adobe Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro.
- Free LUTs (100 Free Cinematic LUTs) A collection of 100 cinematic look-up tables (LUTs) delivered inside CineDream's free installer, allowing users to preview looks live on their own footage and export as .cube files. Includes Colorist Looks, Creative Color Recipes, Film-Inspired Looks, and Film Stock LUT categories.
- Color Grading Academy Comprehensive paid training course that teaches filmmakers and aspiring colorists color grading techniques and provides structured education to achieve professional cinematic results.
- 1-Hour Color Grading Masterclass Free 1-hour masterclass offering condensed color grading instruction across major video editors; serves as a funnel into the paid Color Grading Academy.
Quantifiable outcome
- 23.5M+ total video views demonstrate massive reach and influence in the color grading education space
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Color Grading Central
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Color Grading Central technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Color Grading Central partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CineDreamcoreCineDream is the core software product used to deliver Color Grading Central's LUT library and color grading workflow. It appears to be a related product under the same ecosystem, enabling users to preview 100 free LUTs on their actual footage before exporting.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Color Grading Central competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Color Grading Central social profiles
Digital presenceColor Grading Central financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Color Grading Central leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Color Grading Central funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Color Grading Central M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Color Grading Central
What does Color Grading Central do?
Color Grading Central develops and distributes color grading software and educational resources for video creators and filmmakers. Its core product is CineDream, a desktop application that prepares footage in the correct color space and allows users to apply cinematic looks visually, supported by a free library of 100 LUTs and a paid Color Grading Academy training course.
Is Color Grading Central a public or private company?
Color Grading Central is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Color Grading Central founded?
Color Grading Central was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Color Grading Central based?
Color Grading Central is headquartered in Cashmere, United States, in the North America region.
How does Color Grading Central make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Color Grading Academy (Paid Courses) is the primary driver. The others are cineDream Software and free LUT Downloads.
Does Color Grading Central have an API?
No public API is recorded for Color Grading Central.
What industry is Color Grading Central in?
Color Grading Central's product category is Color Grading Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHAAAB, Color Grading & Color Management, with a secondary code of MPADAGAB, Color Grading & Finishing (DI, HDR, Deliverables). Its NAICS code is 51219 and its SIC code is 7812.