From 60f711686ccae602caaed24faa3e225be6d96b12 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: =?UTF-8?q?Miguel=20=C3=81ngel?= <miguel.sierra@heygen.com>
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2026 16:16:06 +0000
Subject: [PATCH] fix(producer): auto renders with color-graded media stay SDR
 instead of promoting to HDR (#6671)

* fix(producer): auto renders with color-graded media stay SDR instead of promoting to HDR

* fix(producer): keep auto renders SDR when a graded canvas is present
---
 packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.test.ts   | 14 +++++
 packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.ts        |  2 +
 packages/cli/src/utils/projectMedia.ts        |  5 +-
 packages/engine/src/index.ts                  |  2 +
 .../src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts  | 20 +++++++
 .../src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts       | 19 ++++++-
 packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.test.ts         | 12 ++++
 packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.ts              | 16 ++++++
 .../producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts     |  4 +-
 .../src/services/render/hdrMode.test.ts       | 56 ++++++++++++++++++-
 .../producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.ts   | 41 ++++++++++++--
 .../producer/src/services/render/shared.ts    |  1 +
 .../services/render/stages/compileStage.ts    |  1 +
 .../render/stages/extractVideosStage.ts       | 20 ++++---
 .../src/services/renderMediaCollector.ts      |  4 +-
 .../src/services/renderOrchestrator.ts        |  1 +
 16 files changed, 199 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.test.ts
index d2f03a1c35..47906304e9 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.test.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,20 @@ function bundledMedia(videos: string[], images: string[]) {
 }
 
 describe("inspectHdrAutoPromotion", () => {
+  it("reports no promotion when graded media keeps the render SDR, without probing", async () => {
+    const extractMetadata = vi.fn(async () => metadata(HDR));
+    const media = bundledMedia(["assets/source-hdr.mp4"], []);
+
+    await expect(
+      inspectHdrAutoPromotion(
+        PROJECT,
+        { ...media, images: [{ src: "assets/look.png", graded: true }] },
+        extractMetadata,
+      ),
+    ).resolves.toBeNull();
+    expect(extractMetadata).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("reports the local HDR asset that promotes automatic output", async () => {
     const assetPath = resolveProjectRelativeSrc("assets/source-hdr.mp4", PROJECT.dir, PROJECT.dir);
     const extractMetadata = vi.fn(async () => metadata(HDR));
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.ts
index 8a4c63b116..567cfa15b2 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/hdrPromotion.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import {
   extractMediaMetadata,
   findHdrAutoPromotion,
+  gradingKeepsSdr,
   type HdrAutoPromotion,
 } from "@hyperframes/engine";
 import type { ProjectDir } from "./project.js";
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ export async function inspectHdrAutoPromotion(
   media: Pick<ProjectMedia, "videos" | "images">,
   extractMetadata: ExtractMetadata = extractMediaMetadata,
 ): Promise<HdrAutoPromotion | null> {
+  if (gradingKeepsSdr("auto", media)) return null;
   const assets: Array<{
     asset: string;
     colorSpace: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof extractMediaMetadata>>["colorSpace"];
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/projectMedia.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/projectMedia.ts
index 78da4adbfa..20990d76cd 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/projectMedia.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/projectMedia.ts
@@ -7,8 +7,9 @@ import { loadProducer } from "./producer.js";
 
 /** The render's own media list for a project: what it extracts, probes and mixes. */
 export interface ProjectMedia {
-  videos: readonly Pick<VideoElement, "src" | "hasAudio">[];
-  images: readonly { src: string }[];
+  videos: readonly Pick<VideoElement, "src" | "hasAudio" | "graded">[];
+  images: readonly { src: string; graded?: boolean }[];
+  gradedCanvas?: boolean;
   audios: readonly AudioElement[];
   /** The bundled document the lists were read from. */
   html: string;
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/index.ts b/packages/engine/src/index.ts
index 9132c9628c..5aa3868162 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/index.ts
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ export {
 // ── Media processing ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 export {
   parseVideoElements,
+  hasGradedCanvas,
   parseImageElements,
   extractVideoFramesRange,
   extractAllVideoFrames,
@@ -487,6 +488,7 @@ export {
   getHdrEncoderColorParams,
   analyzeCompositionHdr,
   findHdrAutoPromotion,
+  gradingKeepsSdr,
   formatHdrAutoPromotionWarning,
   sanitizeHdrAutoPromotionAsset,
   DEFAULT_HDR10_MASTERING,
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts
index c4d36d6df3..c70421e05b 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.test.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
 import {
   parseVideoElements,
+  hasGradedCanvas,
   parseImageElements,
   extractAllVideoFrames,
   extractVideoFramesRange,
@@ -738,6 +739,25 @@ describe("resolveFrameFormat", () => {
 });
 
 describe("parseVideoElements", () => {
+  it("marks a graded video and image, and only those", () => {
+    const html = `<video id="g" src="g.mp4" data-color-grading='{"preset":"clean-studio"}'></video>
+      <video id="p" src="p.mp4"></video>
+      <img id="gi" src="gi.png" data-color-grading='{"adjust":{"exposure":0.2}}'>
+      <img id="pi" src="pi.png">`;
+    expect(parseVideoElements(html).map(({ id, graded }) => [id, graded])).toEqual([
+      ["g", true],
+      ["p", undefined],
+    ]);
+    expect(parseImageElements(html).map(({ id, graded }) => [id, graded])).toEqual([
+      ["gi", true],
+      ["pi", undefined],
+    ]);
+    expect(hasGradedCanvas(html)).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      hasGradedCanvas(`<canvas data-color-grading='{"preset":"clean-studio"}'></canvas>`),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it.each([
     {
       label: "valueless playback-start",
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts
index 45382f2813..606f6bf833 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/services/videoFrameExtractor.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import { basename, join } from "path";
 import { cpus } from "os";
 import { createConcurrencyLimit } from "../utils/concurrencyLimit.js";
 import { parseHTML } from "linkedom";
+import { HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR } from "@hyperframes/core";
 import { isPathInside } from "@hyperframes/parsers/asset-paths";
 import { resolveProjectRelativeSrc } from "@hyperframes/parsers/asset-resolution";
 import { alphaDecoderFor } from "@hyperframes/parsers/media-alpha";
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ export interface VideoElement {
   loop: boolean;
   hasAudio: boolean;
   hidden?: boolean;
+  graded?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface ExtractedFrames {
@@ -844,6 +846,7 @@ export function parseVideoElements(html: string): VideoElement[] {
       (isAudibleVideoElement(el) && isMemberGroupHidden(groupsById, el))
         ? { hidden: true }
         : {}),
+      ...(el.hasAttribute(HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR) ? { graded: true } : {}),
     });
   }
 
@@ -855,6 +858,14 @@ export interface ImageElement {
   src: string;
   start: number;
   end: number;
+  graded?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function hasGradedCanvas(html: string): boolean {
+  return (
+    parseHTML(unwrapTemplate(html)).document.querySelector(`canvas[${HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR}]`) !==
+    null
+  );
 }
 
 export function parseImageElements(html: string): ImageElement[] {
@@ -894,7 +905,13 @@ export function parseImageElements(html: string): ImageElement[] {
       end = Infinity;
     }
 
-    images.push({ id, src, start, end });
+    images.push({
+      id,
+      src,
+      start,
+      end,
+      ...(el.hasAttribute(HF_COLOR_GRADING_ATTR) ? { graded: true } : {}),
+    });
   }
 
   return images;
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.test.ts b/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.test.ts
index 5ed7d497a1..5addacfca0 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.test.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
   getHdrEncoderColorParams,
   analyzeCompositionHdr,
   findHdrAutoPromotion,
+  gradingKeepsSdr,
   formatHdrAutoPromotionWarning,
   sanitizeHdrAutoPromotionAsset,
   DEFAULT_HDR10_MASTERING,
@@ -224,3 +225,14 @@ describe("HDR auto-promotion reporting", () => {
     );
   });
 });
+
+describe("gradingKeepsSdr", () => {
+  const graded = { videos: [{}], images: [{ graded: true }] };
+  it("keeps auto renders with graded media SDR, never a forced mode or ungraded media", () => {
+    expect(gradingKeepsSdr(undefined, graded)).toBe(true);
+    expect(gradingKeepsSdr("auto", graded)).toBe(true);
+    expect(gradingKeepsSdr("force-hdr", graded)).toBe(false);
+    expect(gradingKeepsSdr("auto", { videos: [{}], images: [] })).toBe(false);
+    expect(gradingKeepsSdr("auto", { videos: [], images: [], gradedCanvas: true })).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.ts b/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.ts
index df0b75744e..9448743d35 100644
--- a/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.ts
+++ b/packages/engine/src/utils/hdr.ts
@@ -142,6 +142,22 @@ export function findHdrAutoPromotion(
     : null;
 }
 
+/** Grading is SDR-only, so in auto mode a composition with graded media renders SDR, as `--sdr` does. */
+export function gradingKeepsSdr(
+  hdrMode: "auto" | "force-hdr" | "force-sdr" | undefined,
+  media: {
+    videos: readonly { graded?: boolean }[];
+    images: readonly { graded?: boolean }[];
+    gradedCanvas?: boolean;
+  },
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    (hdrMode ?? "auto") === "auto" &&
+    (media.gradedCanvas === true ||
+      [...media.videos, ...media.images].some(({ graded }) => graded === true))
+  );
+}
+
 export function formatHdrAutoPromotionWarning(promotion: HdrAutoPromotion): string {
   return `[Render] HDR auto-promotion triggered by "${promotion.triggeringAsset}", output: ${promotion.output.colorSpace} / ${promotion.output.codec}`;
 }
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts
index 48d9bee82f..54a32d482d 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/htmlCompiler.ts
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ export interface CompiledComposition {
   audios: AudioElement[];
   images: ImageElement[];
   droppedMediaIds: Set<string>;
+  gradedCanvas: boolean;
   masterFxChain?: string;
   unresolvedCompositions: UnresolvedElement[];
   /** Assets that resolve outside projectDir. Keys are the path used in HTML, values are absolute filesystem paths. */
@@ -2236,7 +2237,7 @@ export async function compileForRender(
   // within one composition file: two scenes declaring `<video id="clip">` — or
   // two bare `<video>`s, both auto-numbered `hf-video-0` — collapsed into one
   // entry and injected frames onto whichever element came first. See #3340.
-  const { videos, audios, images, droppedMediaIds } = collectRenderMedia(html);
+  const { videos, audios, images, droppedMediaIds, gradedCanvas } = collectRenderMedia(html);
   const masterFxChain = parseMasterFxChain(html);
 
   // Advisory video checks (sparse keyframes, VFR). Fire-and-forget — these spawn
@@ -2294,6 +2295,7 @@ export async function compileForRender(
     audios,
     images,
     droppedMediaIds,
+    gradedCanvas,
     ...(masterFxChain ? { masterFxChain } : {}),
     unresolvedCompositions,
     externalAssets,
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.test.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.test.ts
index 0664a526f6..56922101cd 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.test.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.test.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,14 @@
 
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { ExtractionResult, VideoColorSpace } from "@hyperframes/engine";
-import { findRenderHdrAutoPromotionTrigger, resolveEffectiveHdrMode } from "./hdrMode.js";
+import {
+  findRenderHdrAutoPromotionTrigger,
+  rendersSdrOnly,
+  resolveEffectiveHdrMode,
+} from "./hdrMode.js";
+
+const NO_MEDIA = { videos: [], images: [] };
+const GRADED_VIDEO = { videos: [{ graded: true }, {}], images: [] };
 
 function makeLog() {
   return { error: vi.fn(), warn: vi.fn(), info: vi.fn(), debug: vi.fn() };
@@ -37,9 +44,41 @@ const HDR_PQ: VideoColorSpace = {
 };
 
 describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
+  it("keeps an auto render with graded media SDR when an HDR source would promote it, and says why", () => {
+    const log = makeLog();
+    const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: GRADED_VIDEO,
+      hdrMode: "auto",
+      outputFormat: "mp4",
+      extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
+      imageColorSpaces: [],
+      log,
+    });
+    expect(result).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(log.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("color grading is SDR-only"));
+    expect(log.warn).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("auto-promotion"));
+  });
+
+  it("keeps --hdr with graded media HDR and warns that the grades are SDR", () => {
+    const log = makeLog();
+    const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: { videos: [], images: [{ graded: true }] },
+      hdrMode: "force-hdr",
+      outputFormat: "mp4",
+      extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
+      imageColorSpaces: [],
+      log,
+    });
+    expect(result).toEqual({ transfer: "pq" });
+    expect(log.warn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("graded elements are graded in SDR"),
+    );
+  });
+
   it("returns undefined when force-sdr is set, regardless of HDR sources", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: "force-sdr",
       outputFormat: "mp4",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
@@ -53,6 +92,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
   it("auto-detects HDR from video sources when format=mp4", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: undefined,
       outputFormat: "mp4",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
@@ -71,6 +111,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
   it("auto-detects SDR with no HDR sources", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: "auto",
       outputFormat: "mp4",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([]),
@@ -84,6 +125,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
   it("force-hdr without sources falls back to HLG and warns", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: "force-hdr",
       outputFormat: "mp4",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([]),
@@ -99,6 +141,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
   it("force-hdr uses the dominant probed transfer when sources are HDR", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: "force-hdr",
       outputFormat: "mp4",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
@@ -113,6 +156,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
     for (const fmt of ["webm", "mov", "png-sequence"] as const) {
       const log = makeLog();
       const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+        media: NO_MEDIA,
         hdrMode: "auto",
         outputFormat: fmt,
         extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
@@ -135,6 +179,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
   it("downgrades auto-detected HDR on hls with an SDR-only reason, not the alpha one", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: "auto",
       outputFormat: "hls",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([HDR_PQ]),
@@ -154,6 +199,7 @@ describe("resolveEffectiveHdrMode", () => {
   it("force-hdr without sources + non-mp4 format: still downgrades, two warns fire", () => {
     const log = makeLog();
     const result = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
+      media: NO_MEDIA,
       hdrMode: "force-hdr",
       outputFormat: "webm",
       extractionResult: extractionWith([]),
@@ -202,3 +248,11 @@ describe("findRenderHdrAutoPromotionTrigger", () => {
     ).toBe("assets/hero.png");
   });
 });
+
+describe("rendersSdrOnly", () => {
+  it("is true for an auto render with graded media, so HDR sources are tone-mapped before the grade", () => {
+    expect(rendersSdrOnly({ hdrMode: undefined, format: "mp4" }, GRADED_VIDEO)).toBe(true);
+    expect(rendersSdrOnly({ hdrMode: "auto", format: "mp4" }, NO_MEDIA)).toBe(false);
+    expect(rendersSdrOnly({ hdrMode: "force-hdr", format: "mp4" }, GRADED_VIDEO)).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.ts
index 7e2d4c6f0e..9160e021ba 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/render/hdrMode.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import {
   analyzeCompositionHdr,
   formatHdrAutoPromotionWarning,
+  gradingKeepsSdr,
   HDR_AUTO_PROMOTION_PIPELINE,
   isHdrColorSpace,
   sanitizeHdrAutoPromotionAsset,
@@ -21,8 +22,10 @@ import type { ProducerLogger } from "../../logger.js";
 import type { RenderConfig } from "../renderOrchestrator.js";
 
 type EffectiveHdr = { transfer: HdrTransfer } | undefined;
+type RenderMedia = Parameters<typeof gradingKeepsSdr>[1];
 type HdrModeInput = {
   hdrMode: RenderConfig["hdrMode"];
+  media: RenderMedia;
   outputFormat: NonNullable<RenderConfig["format"]>;
   extractionResult: ExtractionResult | null | undefined;
   imageColorSpaces: (VideoColorSpace | null)[];
@@ -69,18 +72,41 @@ export function findRenderHdrAutoPromotionTrigger(input: {
   return input.images.find(({ id }) => input.nativeHdrImageIds.has(id))?.src;
 }
 
+/** Warns when grading decided the output or will be wrong in it; true when it kept an HDR source's render SDR. */
+function logGradingResolution(
+  input: HdrModeInput,
+  hdrMode: NonNullable<RenderConfig["hdrMode"]>,
+  effectiveHdr: EffectiveHdr,
+  hasHdrSource: boolean,
+): boolean {
+  const keptSdr = hasHdrSource && gradingKeepsSdr(hdrMode, input.media);
+  if (keptSdr) {
+    input.log.warn(
+      "[Render] HDR source detected, but color grading is SDR-only, so rendering SDR: HDR sources are tone-mapped before the grade. Use --hdr to force HDR output (grades stay SDR).",
+    );
+  } else if (effectiveHdr && [...input.media.videos, ...input.media.images].some((m) => m.graded)) {
+    input.log.warn(
+      "[Render] HDR output with graded media: color grading is SDR-only, so graded elements are graded in SDR and placed in the HDR output.",
+    );
+  }
+  return keptSdr;
+}
+
 function logHdrResolution(
   input: HdrModeInput,
   hdrMode: NonNullable<RenderConfig["hdrMode"]>,
   effectiveHdr: EffectiveHdr,
   forcedHdrWithoutSources: boolean,
+  hasHdrSource: boolean,
 ): void {
+  const keptSdrForGrading = logGradingResolution(input, hdrMode, effectiveHdr, hasHdrSource);
   if (forcedHdrWithoutSources) {
     input.log.warn(
       "[Render] HDR forced by --hdr flag, but no HDR sources were detected, defaulting to HLG. SDR-only compositions may look perceptually wrong on HDR displays.",
     );
   }
   if (!effectiveHdr) {
+    if (keptSdrForGrading) return;
     input.log.info(
       hdrMode === "force-sdr"
         ? "[Render] SDR forced by --sdr flag"
@@ -111,8 +137,15 @@ function formatCarriesHdr(format: NonNullable<RenderConfig["format"]>): boolean
   return format === "mp4";
 }
 
-export function rendersSdrOnly(config: Pick<RenderConfig, "hdrMode" | "format">): boolean {
-  return config.hdrMode === "force-sdr" || !formatCarriesHdr(config.format ?? "mp4");
+export function rendersSdrOnly(
+  config: Pick<RenderConfig, "hdrMode" | "format">,
+  media: RenderMedia,
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    config.hdrMode === "force-sdr" ||
+    gradingKeepsSdr(config.hdrMode, media) ||
+    !formatCarriesHdr(config.format ?? "mp4")
+  );
 }
 
 export function resolveEffectiveHdrMode(input: HdrModeInput): EffectiveHdr {
@@ -126,7 +159,7 @@ export function resolveEffectiveHdrMode(input: HdrModeInput): EffectiveHdr {
   let effectiveHdr: EffectiveHdr;
   let forcedHdrWithoutSources = false;
 
-  if (hdrMode === "force-sdr") {
+  if (hdrMode === "force-sdr" || gradingKeepsSdr(hdrMode, input.media)) {
     effectiveHdr = undefined;
   } else if (hdrMode === "force-hdr") {
     if (info?.hasHdr && info.dominantTransfer) {
@@ -144,7 +177,7 @@ export function resolveEffectiveHdrMode(input: HdrModeInput): EffectiveHdr {
     effectiveHdr = undefined;
   }
 
-  logHdrResolution(input, hdrMode, effectiveHdr, forcedHdrWithoutSources);
+  logHdrResolution(input, hdrMode, effectiveHdr, forcedHdrWithoutSources, info?.hasHdr === true);
 
   return effectiveHdr;
 }
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/render/shared.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/render/shared.ts
index 40e87c1bc2..1b7e64d60d 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/render/shared.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/render/shared.ts
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ export interface CompositionMetadata {
   videos: VideoElement[];
   audios: AudioElement[];
   images: ImageElement[];
+  gradedCanvas?: boolean;
   masterFxChain?: string;
   width: number;
   height: number;
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/compileStage.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/compileStage.ts
index f9bfda8d75..08957fcdb3 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/compileStage.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/compileStage.ts
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ export async function runCompileStage(input: CompileStageInput): Promise<Compile
     videos: compiled.videos,
     audios: compiled.audios,
     images: compiled.images,
+    gradedCanvas: compiled.gradedCanvas,
     masterFxChain: compiled.masterFxChain,
     width: compiled.width,
     height: compiled.height,
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/extractVideosStage.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/extractVideosStage.ts
index 1eccb4281e..c6db11b456 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/extractVideosStage.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/render/stages/extractVideosStage.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *   - `perfStages.videoExtractMs` is set at the same end-of-stage point.
  *   - `materializeExtractedFramesForCompiledDir` is still called once
  *     when `extractionResult.extracted` is non-empty.
- *   - `force-sdr` mode still skips ALL ffprobe overhead.
+ *   - `force-sdr` mode, and auto mode with graded media, still skip ALL ffprobe overhead.
  *
  * New for distributed mode:
  *   - `materializeSymlinks` (default `false`) — when `true`, the stage
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import {
   detectTransfer,
   extractAllVideoFrames,
   extractMediaMetadata,
+  gradingKeepsSdr,
   isVideoPastTimelineEnd,
   isHdrColorSpace,
   rebaseVideoToWindow,
@@ -418,12 +419,14 @@ export async function runExtractVideosStage(
 
   // Probe ORIGINAL color spaces before extraction (which may convert SDR→HDR).
   // This is needed to identify which videos are natively HDR vs converted-SDR
-  // for the two-pass compositing path. Skipped only in force-sdr mode to
-  // avoid ffprobe overhead when the user has explicitly opted out.
+  // for the two-pass compositing path. Skipped when the render is SDR anyway:
+  // force-sdr, or auto mode with graded media (grading is SDR-only).
+  const probesHdr =
+    job.config.hdrMode !== "force-sdr" && !gradingKeepsSdr(job.config.hdrMode, composition);
   const nativeHdrVideoIds = new Set<string>();
   const videoTransfers = new Map<string, HdrTransfer>();
   let hdrProbeTransientRetries = 0;
-  if (job.config.hdrMode !== "force-sdr" && composition.videos.length > 0) {
+  if (probesHdr && composition.videos.length > 0) {
     log?.info("Probing video color spaces...", { videoCount: composition.videos.length });
     const probeFailures = await Promise.all(
       composition.videos.map(async (v) => {
@@ -473,14 +476,13 @@ export async function runExtractVideosStage(
 
   // Probe images for HDR color spaces (16-bit PNGs tagged BT.2020 PQ/HLG).
   // Mirrors the video probe loop above so image-only compositions can
-  // trigger HDR output without any video sources present. Skipped only in
-  // force-sdr mode to avoid ffprobe overhead when the user has explicitly
-  // opted out.
+  // trigger HDR output without any video sources present. Skipped when the
+  // video probe is.
   const nativeHdrImageIds = new Set<string>();
   const imageTransfers = new Map<string, HdrTransfer>();
   const hdrImageSrcPaths = new Map<string, string>();
   const imageColorSpaces: (VideoColorSpace | null)[] = [];
-  if (job.config.hdrMode !== "force-sdr" && composition.images.length > 0) {
+  if (probesHdr && composition.images.length > 0) {
     const probed = await Promise.all(
       composition.images.map(async (img) => {
         // Same shared resolver as the video probe above — a percent-encoded
@@ -522,7 +524,7 @@ export async function runExtractVideosStage(
         fps: job.config.fps,
         outputDir: join(compiledDir, "__hyperframes_video_frames"),
         format: job.config.videoFrameFormat ?? "auto",
-        toneMapHdrToSdr: rendersSdrOnly(job.config),
+        toneMapHdrToSdr: rendersSdrOnly(job.config, composition),
         timelineEnd: composition.duration,
         maxTransientRetries: extractionPolicy.maxTransientRetries,
         collectProbeFailures: extractionPolicy.failureMode === "enforce",
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/renderMediaCollector.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/renderMediaCollector.ts
index e14aa059a2..bcd89aa6ff 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/renderMediaCollector.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/renderMediaCollector.ts
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {
 } from "@hyperframes/core/media-timing";
 import {
   parseVideoElements,
+  hasGradedCanvas,
   parseImageElements,
   parseAudioElements,
   isSelfOrAncestorHidden,
@@ -211,6 +212,7 @@ export interface RenderMedia {
   images: ImageElement[];
   /** Ids of clips in the document that never play; the browser probe must not add them back. */
   droppedMediaIds: Set<string>;
+  gradedCanvas: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -261,7 +263,7 @@ export function collectRenderMedia(html: string): RenderMedia {
     else droppedMediaIds.add(elementId);
   }
 
-  return { videos, audios, images, droppedMediaIds };
+  return { videos, audios, images, droppedMediaIds, gradedCanvas: hasGradedCanvas(html) };
 }
 
 function placeAudio(audio: AudioElement, window: HostWindow): AudioElement | null {
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/renderOrchestrator.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/renderOrchestrator.ts
index f36478e5fa..b4bee80f17 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/renderOrchestrator.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/renderOrchestrator.ts
@@ -3557,6 +3557,7 @@ async function executeRenderPipeline(input: {
     });
     const effectiveHdr = resolveEffectiveHdrMode({
       hdrMode: job.config.hdrMode,
+      media: composition,
       outputFormat,
       extractionResult,
       imageColorSpaces,