Video Editing with DaVinci Resolve

Part 1: Overview

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Part 2: Video Basics

1. Understanding track-level controls
   1. Universal controls
      • Lock (padlock icon)
      • Auto-Track Selector(< >): Include with or exclude from timeline-wide actions
   2. Video-only controls
      • Hide/show (filmstrip icon)
   3. Audio-only controls
      • Solo (S): Mute all other audio tracks not having Solo
      • Mute Track (M)
2. Importing & modifying primary video 
   1. Zoom
      • Frame dimensions stay fixed
      • Image behind/through frame multiplied by input x-value (width) / y-value (height)
      • x-/y-values linked by default 
   2. Rotation angle
      • Rotate image clockwise/counterclockwise as needed/desired
   3. Position
      • Moves image behind/through frame, not frame itself
      • x-value: Positive value is rightward shift
      • y-value: Positive value is upward shift
   4. Crop
      • Cuts portion of image from specified edge
3. Understanding proxies
   1. Purpose
      • 'Discount' (lower-quality) versions of imported videos
      • Used for editing to ease burden on computer 
   2. Setup (recommended settings)
      • Half resolution
      • H.264 codec format
      • Same location as media files 
   3. Generating
      • Right-click and select action to generate proxy 
   4. Selecting
      • Select prefer proxies from menu near top of preview area 
4. Understanding essential controls
   1. Playback 
   2. Marking
   3. Zooming in/out 

Quiz: Playback shortcuts 

1. Play:

2. Stop:

3. Fast-forward:
   Fast-rewind:

4. Move ahead one frame:
   Move back one frame:

5. Skip to previous clip-start:
   Skip to next clip-end: 

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Part 3: Audio Basics

1. Modifying primary audio (dialogue) 
   1. Track-level vs clip-level adjustments
      • Clips within audio tracks might require separate adjustments 
   2. Volume slider vs Normalize Audio Levels function
      • Rely on decibel (dB) values in Mixer panel
      • Volume value in Audio tab of Inspector panel represents change to volume 
   3. Ideal loudness
      • Recommended peak/majority volume of –12 dB (+/-  3 dB) 
2. Importing & modifying alternative to primary audio (dialogue) 
   1. Manual alignment vs Auto-Align Clips function
      • Auto-Align function useful for separate yet simultaneous recordings of same audio-source
      • Select all files and Auto-Align by waveform
      • Otherwise, set markers on prominent sounds/phrases and click-drag to align
3. Importing & modifying secondary audio (music) 
   1. Fading in/out
      • Point to top-left/-right corner of audio clip
        and drag polygon shape inward 
   2. Ideal loudness
      • Recommended peak/majority volume of –24 dB (+/- 3 dB) or double magnitude of primary audio level as starting point 

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Part 4: Cuts, Transitions, & Effects

1. Cutting clips 
   1. Edge-dragging vs cutting
      • Blade tool allows cutting with cursor instead of playhead
      • Keyboard shortcut creates cut at playhead for all (selected) tracks/clips (not locked and with Auto-Track Selector enabled) 
   2. Colour-coding
      • Useful for identifying clips of interest for later actions (deletion, effects, B-roll) 
2. Deleting clips
   1. Delete vs Ripple Delete
      • Regular deletion preserves empty space
      • Ripple deletion moves all (selected) tracks/clips (not locked with Auto-Track Selector enabled) leftward to occupy space
3. Adding effects
   1. Transitions
      • Transitions at ends of clips have outside/overlapping/inside options (Transition tab in Inspector panel)
   2. Titles
      • Consider readability of text
      • If applicable use white text with black stroke (border) 
4. Adding B-roll (secondary video/imagery)
   1. Editing on canvas vs marking in/out
      • Marking in/out of clip from Media Pool allows selected section (instead of entire clip) being added to canvas/timeline 
   2. Manual positioning & re-sizing
      • Less precise than changing Position & Crop values
   3. Keyframes
      • Click diamond icon next to attribute to set keyframe/point-of-interest for said attribute
      • Consider marking clip at given frame for easier reference
5. Modifying clips
   1. Speed
      • Select Ripple Timeline for slowed-down/sped-up clip to expand/contract, but unlocked tracks affected
      • Avoid slowing clips too far below (equivalent of) 24 FPS 
   2. Direction 
   3. Freeze-frame
      • Shift + R; cannot freeze frames at very start or very end of clip
6. Enhancing workflow
   1. Copying & pasting attribute values
      • Copy: Select exemplar clip, right-click selection, and select Copy
      • Paste: Select target clip(s), right-click selection, select Paste Attributes ..., and select desired category/categories
   2. Colour-coding clips
      • Select clip(s), right-click selection, select Clip Color and select colour

Quiz: Editing shortcuts

1. Set maker:

2. Cut selected/selectable/unlocked clip(s):

3. Mark-in clip in Media Pool:

4. Mark-out clip in Media Pool:

5. Ripple delete:

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Part 5: Handoff & Delivery

1. Exporting Resolve files
   1. Projects
      • Files with extension .DRP (DaVinci Resolve Project) 
   2. Timelines
      • Files with extension .DRT (DaVinci Resolve Timeline) 
   3. Stills
      • Screenshots of individual frames
2. Importing Resolve files
   1. Accessible through File menu or ‘house’ icon in lower-right corner of interface
   2. Open after importing
3. Re-linking files
   1. Original computer vs different computer
      • Project/Timeline files only reference specific paths to local media (same hard-drive/computer)
      • Opening Project/Timeline files imported to different hard-drive requires re-linking media 
   2. Original media vs proxies
      1. Media: Right-click ‘missing’ file(s) in Media Pool then select Relink Media action or click (red) chain icon
      2. Proxies: Right-click ‘missing’ file(s) in Media Pool then select Relink Proxy Media action
4. Rendering video
   1. Resolution and frame rate
      • Recommended 1920 x 1080 pixels and ~24 FPS (live-action)
      • Avoid higher values than Timeline settings 
   2. Codec
      • H.264 more common/compatible than H.265
   3. Other settings
      • MP4 format for video
      • Quality to Restrict to [80000] kb/s

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Resources

• DaVinci Resolve version 19
• DaVinci Resolve version 20 (beta state as of Apr 2025)
• DaVinci Resolve - Training Videos

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