I am taking EXR files to photoshop for post processing, but I want the filmic color management applied. Is there a different file format I should be using, or is there a way to apply filmic color management to an EXR file?
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Photoshop and other software of its ilk are display referred imaging applications. While PS will load an EXR, it does not possess the quality of controls one requires to properly manipulate scene referred photographic imagery.
To deal with a strictly display referred application and suffer as little quality loss as possible, save to a display referred format such as a 16 bit TIFF using the Filmic Base Log Encoding. It would then be possible to sculpt your own 'S' shaped curve to adjust contrast, or convert the Filmic set to the limited LUT format that Photoshop can understand.
DaVinci's Resolve has the granularity and more industrial tools to properly manipulate EXRs, although it will require a proper chain of nodes to do so. For further explanation along these lines, feel free to check Filmic's issue tracker where some help has been offered regarding the details of such an implementation.
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3$\begingroup$ Other software to explore that will deal with EXR correctly: Fusion, Nuke, and Natron. Those offer proper OCIO support where you can use the filmic-blender transofrms and LUTs on unadulterated EXRs. Also worth exploring: Affinity photo and krita. $\endgroup$– user1853Commented Sep 29, 2017 at 17:48
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$\begingroup$ Related link: docs.krita.org/Scene_Linear_Painting $\endgroup$– user1853Commented Sep 29, 2017 at 18:47
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$\begingroup$ Thanks for the detailed answer, Troy! I have a question about where you said -- It would then be possible to sculpt your own 'S' shaped curve to adjust contrast, or convert the Filmic set to the limited LUT format that Photoshop can understand. -- $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 30, 2017 at 20:54
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$\begingroup$ Do you mean to do this within photoshop? e.g. Adjust the curves in photoshop, or convert to a LUT format within photoshop? Thanks Again! $\endgroup$ Commented Sep 30, 2017 at 20:56
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1$\begingroup$ Photoshop has some supremely limited and rather rubbish LUT support. You could either do a hand done curve using curves (yuck) that maps 0.606060 to 0.5 or you could convert and load the files required. I believe Photoshop can load dot cube files. Look to the attached issue for a sample in Google Sheets. Pipeline would be to save as Base Log, then apply the dot cube file as an adjustment layer. Can you report back on this, perhaps even in the Resolve issue thread? (As stated, Photoshop is rather rubbish at all of this.) $\endgroup$– troy_sCommented Sep 30, 2017 at 21:19