Based off my experience with Davinci Resolve, I have to say my relationship is a love/hate one. I currently only use it for transcoding Red footage into HD proxies and then again for going back to 4K. From this process alone I've found that it works somewhat differently between editing programs. So in this blog I'll list a few MUST DO's in and for Resolve, and then about bringing your .AAF/.XML of your finished edit back into Resolve for the actual online process.

MUST DO #1:

Setting up your Resolve Master Project Settings is key when transcoding with Red files. This should ensure success with relinking your proxies back to it's native 4K, 5K, etc.

Worst case scenario would be to not specify any conform options, transcode your files, finalize an edit and then have Resolve not relink back to your native master files. This scenario sucks on many levels with one being when you have a deadline nearing with an edit timeline TRT that's over 20 minutes long. Only upside is when this happens to me on commercial projects it's not the end of the world since the TRT is usually under 1 minute and manually onlining doesn't take very long.

Here's a screen shot of my basic settings. As you will see the first shot is all pretty basic when transcoding to HD Proxies. Its the second screen shot you'll want to pay the most attention to:

If you scroll down your Master Project Settings tab you'll see the conform options. I've found that using the "Assist using reel names from the: Embedding in the source clip file" works the best and most often. I say most often because even if you set your project up correctly Resolve still might have relinking issues (hence the love/hate relationship).

Now hit "Apply" and carry on and make sure all your footage is loaded in the Media Pool and put on timelines for exporting!

MUST DO #2:

Skipping ahead to when you're about to start transcoding, I've found that having the "Use Source Filenames" has saved my butt when Resolve decides it wants to be moody. See below:

Here's why: Let's say you do the transcoding process, edit with your HD proxies and are ready to online back in Resolve. You now go to export out your .AAF/.XML from your edit program and import that into Resolve. Resolve gives you this dialogue box that says something like this "Timecode extents do not match any clip in the media pool" and your timeline is all offline. Now at this point I will link my "offline reference clip" to the offline .AAF/.XML timeline and start going one clip at a time with force conforming the offline clips with it's master clips in the media pool based off matching clip name. Like below:

Left hand side (woman in sunglasses) of the viewer window is where the offline reference clip shows and the right hand side (black screen) is the browser window.

After force conforming the clip, I'm at ease seeing the browser window is matching and good to continue on.

MUST DO #3:

When bringing in an .AAF or .XML you must clean up your timeline in whatever editing program you're using!

What do I mean by "clean up"?

Condense your tracks down to two at the most but one is ideal
Take off any color correction, filters, etc.
Take off dissolves
Speed ramps or slow downs will not translate in Resolve
Commit any multi clips to the chosen angle (this is specifically for Avid but good to make a practice of)
Color solids or titles will not translate in Resolve

MUST DO #4

Assuming you've followed #3, lets bring in your .AAF or .XML into Resolve. If you're using Premiere or FCP7 you will want to export an .XML, and if you're using Avid you will want an .AAF.

Once you've selected your file for import into Resolve, make sure you have these settings:

If you're project settings are already set up for the onlining resolution then you can uncheck the "automatically set project settings" box like I did. If not, check the box and the "Set timeline resolution to" section will highlight and become customizable. Then make sure the "use sizing information" box is selected, which keeps any push ins or outs you've put on your clips in the edit. Then press OK and you'll get this window:

This is where you can select which folders of footage or assets you've made in your Media Pool area for the .AAF or .XML to relink with.

Nine times out of ten I get another dialogue box after the one above that tells me what Resolve couldn't import or translate correctly. It's worth scrolling through and seeing if it's anything major since this is where it tells you of any clips that couldn't relink.

Not really a must do, but here's a good practice:

Now that your timeline is imported and hopefully all online, there a few things I like to do to double check everything looks how it should.

Use your offline reference clip and go clip by clip down your timeline, making sure everything matches
If you're delivering a final product from Resolve this means your timeline has to have all those effects we stripped off of it back on. There's a few different ways to do that since Resolve can be somewhat limiting as far as re-creating effects (other than color correction tools):
- Re-create your speed ramps, titles, dissolves and color solids
- Bring filters in as Alpha's
- If you have any animations or graphics for the edit you might want to have your VFX people export them as hi-res DPX's or .MOV's (with alpha if necessary) and lay them back in manually
- Make sure all your audio stems or clips are all online as well

Feel free to email me if you're having trouble! I love helping!

Good luck!

Featured