Video Editing with DaVinci Resolve

Part 1: Overview

2. Exploring DaVinci Resolve 
   1. Blackmagic
   2. Standard vs Pro
   3. Apps within app: Edit and Deliver pages essential for general editing 

3. Understanding file management 
   1. Database vs Project vs Timeline: Database has Project(s), Project has Timeline(s)
   2. Bins: Customizable folders inside Projects
   3. Best practices: Store all media files in one location (computer) and have copies somewhere else (cloud server) 

4. Getting started 

5. Exploring Edit interface 
   1. Menu bar: Has all actions, keyboard shortcuts (where applicable)
   2. Panels (Media Pool, Effects, Mixer, Inspector)
   3. Preview
   4. Timeline (playhead vs skimmer): Resolve doesn’t have skimmer for cursor
   5. Tracks vs Clips: Tracks are horizontal lanes containing clip(s) 

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Part 2: Video Basics

1. Importing & modifying primary video 
   1. Zoom: Frame dimensions stay fixed, but dimensions of shown image multiplied by input x-values (width) and y-values (height; x-/y-values linked by default 
   2. Rotation angle: Rotate image clockwise/counterclockwise as needed/desired 

2. Proxies 
   1. Purpose: Lighter versions of videos used for editing to ease burden on computer 
   2. Setup (resolution, codec format, location): Recommendation of half resolution, H.264 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 

3. 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 (only) 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. Color-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 delete moves all (selected) tracks/clips (not locked with Auto-Track Selector enabled) leftward to occupy space 

3. Adding effects 
   1. Transitions: Outside vs overlapping vs inside: Transitions at ends of clips have outside/overlapping/inside options (Transition tab in Inspector panel); difference is start/end of effect 
   2. Titles: Consider readability of text; if applicable use white text with black stroke (border) 

4. Adding 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. Zoom: Consider original resolution (dimensions) of image/clip; avoid zooming-in/expanding too much 
   3. Position: Positive x-value moves image to right, positive y-value moves image upward 
   4. Crop 
   5. Keyframes: Click diamond icon next to attribute 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 to anything 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: Select exemplar clip, right-click selection, and select Copy; then 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: Accessible through File menu 
   1. Projects:  Files with extension .DRP (DaVinci Resolve Project) 
   2. Timelines: Files with extension .DRT (DaVinci Resolve Timeline) 
   3. Stills:  

2. Importing Resolve files: Accessible through File menu or ‘house’ icon in lower-right corner of interface; open after importing 

3. Re-linking media files: 
   Project/Timeline files only reference linked specified media; opening Project/Timeline files imported to different computer requires re-linking media; 
   right-click ‘missing’ file(s) in Media Pool then select Relink Media action or click (red) chain icon 

4. Rendering video 
   1. Resolution [and Frame rate]: Recommended 1920 x 1080 pixels and 24 FPS (live-action), but avoid higher values than Timeline settings 
   2. Codec: H.264 
   3. Other settings: MP4 format for video, set Quality to Restrict to [80000] kb/s 

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