DaVinci Resolve is an advanced non-linear editor from Blackmagic Design, capable of handling large projects while remaining smooth enough for smaller video tasks.
Professional editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics and audio post production all in one app! That means you get higher-quality images without switching software – meaning more efficient use.
Color Correction
Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve nonlinear editor (NLE), used by top colorists to produce amazing cinematography, can be daunting for newcomers due to its complex workflow and node-based architecture. While mastery may take some time and practice is key when learning Resolve, here are a few basics tips to get you going quickly.
First step to creating the appropriate project settings for your footage. This means setting a suitable timeline frame rate that aligns with most of your footage; configuring media type according to format; and selecting color space settings suitable for your project.
Once your setup is complete, Resolve allows you to import footage. Once imported, apply a base grade as soon as possible; this will serve as the foundation of your entire film and should ensure shots are properly exposed with appropriate tones and atmospheres.
Resolve offers a number of tools for color correction. These include colorist’s primary and secondary tools, the chromatic aberration tool, lens distortion/vignetting/veiling tools as well as curves tool and saturation adjuster. Also widely used is its lookup table (LUT).
LUTs (Look Up Tables) can be applied to clips either in your clip list or timeline and will apply a preset look that will transform the appearance of your footage quickly and effectively. They’re great if you want to quickly achieve specific visual styles or simply alter its look quickly.
Once you have created a basic base grade, it’s time to add more details and refinements to your image. Depending on the footage being edited, this could include altering hue or brightness levels, correcting white balance issues and restoring highlights and shadows. Resolve’s node editor makes it simple to combine multiple corrections while layer nodes allow you to prioritize certain corrections over others.
Editing
DaVinci Resolve is an all-in-one video editor, color corrector and visual effects tool designed for use by multiple artists working collaboratively in one room without needing to export files to separate software tools – thus improving workflow efficiency while decreasing errors caused by having multiple people working on one file at the same time.
Resolve is designed for use by professional editors, colorists and visual effects artists. It provides a range of editing tools such as timeline, cut page and clip browser; compatible with various media formats and can edit both SD and HD footage.
Adobe Premiere Pro is an ideal choice for those seeking to produce cinematic-quality videos and films, but be mindful that its powerful software requires considerable time and dedication for users to master it properly. There are plenty of tutorials online which can assist users in getting acquainted with its various functions and start working within it effectively.
Once your footage is imported, it is crucial that your project is set up appropriately. This will ensure it works at the appropriate frame rate and resolution, and enable you to take full advantage of Resolve’s advanced features.
Once your project is set up, editing can commence. The interface is relatively intuitive and the timeline monitor allows for effortless navigation through footage to easily mark in and out points. After editing is complete, clips can be assembled on the Edit Page with various features available that can speed up assembly processes.
Resolve offers various text tools that can help add titles and captions, from simple text for basic titles to text+ for creating more complex effects such as 3D shapes or particle effects.
Resolve also allows users to easily create animated titles using its Edit Page and its various effects for more dynamic titles. There are even templates available that help create visually appealing titles.
Visual Effects
DaVinci Resolve makes adding effects simple, following the same workflow as importing video clips. While the free version offers only limited effects to get started with, if you need something more extensive you’ll find everything at Fusion (not available in free version). Once your adjustment clip has been added to your timeline you can access its settings by clicking on Fusion icon in Inspector window; here you can tailor settings and choose between Open FX or Studio only Fusion effects (this section of Fusion only offers Studio only effects).
There are various effects you can use to give your videos a cinematic aesthetic, from creating vintage VHS-esque visuals with pixelation, scan lines and glitches using DaVinci Resolve’s free (Open FX) version to cartoon or comic looks by using its built-in “Camera Shake” effect.
Use of light rays effects is another great way to create a stylized aesthetic, giving your video clip an eye-catching and dynamic appearance – it works especially well in music videos and wedding films! It makes any video clip stand out. It can add the finishing touches for music videos and wedding films.
Audio post-production, which you can accomplish on the Fairlight page of DaVinci Resolve, is the final piece in creating quality soundtracks for movies and videos. DaVinci Resolve features professional tools for editing, color correction and visual effects as well as high-quality mastering capabilities – including an inbuilt audio mixer to produce quality soundtracks for films and videos.
DaVinci Resolve’s Cut Page can be daunting for first-time users, making the Edit Page your go-to place before venturing onto the Cut Page. Blackmagic Design provides excellent free training series that can help quickly ramp up to speed.
Audio Post-Production
DaVinci Resolve is the world’s only audio post-production program designed specifically to work within nonlinear video editors, featuring its Fairlight page which is fully integrated into both DaVinci Resolve and Resolve Studio applications, making it possible for editors, audio engineers, colorists and color graders to work at once without leaving the software. Multi-user collaborative features like bin and timeline locking, built in chat, shared markers, customizable user caches monitoring as well as timeline comparison tools make DaVinci Resolve even faster in taking projects from set to screen than ever before!
Fairlight Audio Editor is a full featured DAW, supporting mono, stereo, 5.1 surround, and the latest 3D audio formats. The mixer includes channel strips, 3D panner, 6 effects slots for high-quality audio processing and Fairlight FX plug-ins that can be used for everything from audio repair to creative sound design. In addition, custom effects chains can also be created and saved using standard Mac audio units or even third party Steinberg VST/AU plugins.
DaVinci Resolve provides not only audio editing features, but also an advanced mastering suite to produce beautiful-sounding tracks that will capture audiences. The mastering page is fully integrated with edit and color grading pages so anyone can achieve professional-quality final mixes easily.
DaVinci Resolve Studio features advanced noise reduction tools designed to remove distracting sounds like mouth clicks and background noise, making your production ready for iTunes or Spotify with minimal clipping that detracts from its content. Furthermore, DaVinci Resolve Studio includes loudness normalization tools which help remove unnecessary clipping that detracts from its content.
DaVinci Resolve Studio provides large projects with the tools they need for fast export of video clips or audio only files – perfect for online distribution – using its easy render presets and powerful Atmos mixing and rendering engine to quickly produce immersive Dolby Atmos productions within its application.
