Project-Led Editing in Da Vinci Resolve Beginner to Advanced

Import a DaVinci Resolve archive to your new database by extracting the archive and choosing restore project archive, which reconstitutes the project and all media for immediate work.

Master the media panel layout in DaVinci Resolve, manage assets with bins and the media pool, preview footage with the monitor and playhead, and import files via the file finder.

Import and organize footage in DaVinci Resolve by creating bins and adding folders to the media pool, and align the project frame rate with your footage.

Learn how to synchronize high-quality audio with video in DaVinci Resolve, using automatic waveform-based syncing and manual clapperboard alignment, in small batches for reliability.

Master the basics of shot angles in editing, including close up, mid (medium) shot, and wide (long) shot, and learn when to use each for emotion, action, and establishing location.

Master metadata and tagging in Da Vinci Resolve to organize clips, fill description fields, and apply scene, slate, and take naming conventions for efficient post-production.

Learn how to tag multiple clips in Da Vinci Resolve with metadata and keywords, using shot and scene fields, description, and custom tags to streamline search and future smart bins.

Explore smart bins and metadata in Da Vinci Resolve to filter clips by scene, description, and keywords. Build queries to show Wayne's close-ups from scene 2, without moving clips.

Mark up your script to map coverage angles—use vertical lines and horizontal brackets to indicate available shots (close up, mid, two shot)—and streamline finding material.

Explore codecs and how encoding and decoding affect edit workflows. Compare h.264, prores, and DNS codecs and their roles in editing, playback, and final delivery to YouTube or Vimeo.

Learn to create optimized media in Resolve to speed up playback using proxies, then set up cache space and choose an optimized media resolution and codec.

Explore the traditional proxy workflow in Resolve 17 for smoother editing with lightweight proxy files. Learn to generate proxies, set resolutions, link media, and migrate projects between workstations.

Explore the edit panel in Resolve, import media into the media pool, use source and program monitors, scrub the timeline with the playhead, and adjust clips in the inspector.

Learn to create a new timeline, set project settings such as 1920 by 10 resolution and 16 by 9 aspect, and organize timelines with naming and two mono audio tracks.

Explore the basics of three-point editing in DaVinci Resolve, mastering I/O points, shuttle shortcuts (J K L), and insert versus overwrite edits to assemble a timeline efficiently.

Explore markers in Da Vinci Resolve to organize footage, mark points of interest and issues, and navigate quickly with color codes, shortcuts, and duration markers.

Apply a full editing workflow from first assembly to second pass, then final pass, with basic audio edits, titles, credits, and picture lock for a two-minute short.

Create a new timeline with one video track and two mono audio tracks, disable data burn in, select takes, make the first cut, and set up a gym montage.

Use a smart bin to isolate workout montage clips by metadata keywords, then refine with trims, speed ramps, and whip pans for a tight first assembly.

Learn how the inductive edit uses a wide-to-close progression to heighten the emotional impact, and explore the circle concept to control personal space and camera proximity for drama or comedy.

Explore scene transitions in the first assembly, using match cuts to carry action from Wayne to the dealer, while planning close-ups, levels of zoom, and inductive editing.

in the first assembly of scene two, learn how to edit in DaVinci Resolve by balancing wide and close shots, timing dialogue, and blade edits for action and reaction.

Create the first assembly of a DaVinci Resolve project by assembling scenes, adjusting timing with close-ups, using cut on action, and planning audio and transitions for a coherent edit.

Review your edit thoroughly with markers and annotations to capture changes for the second pass, and leverage Frame.io-compatible notes for client feedback and clear direction.

Master trim edit mode and ripple edits in Da Vinci Resolve to adjust clip duration and shift surrounding footage with ripple, roll, and slip using the mouse for smoother cuts.

Master rolling edits in Da Vinci Resolve by extending clip while shortening another, using edit points and audio unlinking to create j cuts, aj cuts, and l cuts for dialogue.

Learn slip edits in the final trim to adjust timing without changing duration, moving in and out points while the edit stays fixed on the timeline.

Master trim editing in Da Vinci Resolve with keyboard shortcuts to select the nearest edit point, ripple and roll edits, slip when needed, and precise frame-by-frame playhead control.

Master dynamic trim mode in Da Vinci Resolve to trim with J, K, and L keys, using a display and trim edit mode to create J and L cuts.

Master retiming clips in Da Vinci Resolve by changing clip speed and using speed ramps with speed points to create a kinetic montage while preserving the rest of the edit.

Explore the inspector to adjust a clip’s transform, including zoom, position, and rotation, and learn basic keyframing to create animated zooms with automatic key frames.

Discover how video and audio tracks interact in Da Vinci Resolve, keep edits neat with one to three video tracks, and master insert, overwrite, and source patch edits.

During the second pass, refine the first scene into a metric montage with precise tempo, trims, and speed adjustments to energize the cuts.

Refine Wayne and the dealer's dialogue and montage in the second pass of scene two with dynamic trim, J cuts, and precise audio edits.

Execute a second pass on scene two in DaVinci Resolve, refining timing, overlaps, and breathing room, adjusting audio, trims, edits, and montage zooms to prepare the final scene.

Perform a final second pass on scene three to achieve picture lock by refining timing, audio, and montage, then prepare the project for audio work in the next lecture.

Picture lock marks the point the director signs off on the edit, making the edit final and moving post steps like audio edits, ADR, music, VFX, and metadata forward.

Learn why editors handle foundational audio alongside picture lock, prepare projects for specialists or freelancers, and gain basic audio skills to edit simple interviews and short films.

Learn to mix web audio for YouTube by balancing dialogue around minus 12 to minus 10 dB, avoiding distortion, and keeping peaks below minus 3 dB with real-world checks.

Learn to create a sound list for the edit, distinguishing diabetic and non-diabetic audio, and organizing soundscapes and sound effects to convey location and on-screen action.

Find free sound effects from sites like zap splat, free sound project, sound gator, and sound bible, while noting licenses, attribution, and the need to import into Resolve.

Organize audio efficiently in DaVinci Resolve by creating bins and importing folders with subfolders into the media pool, labeling bins to match your file structure for faster sound design.

Learn the difference between stereo and mono audio, how panning creates depth, and how to set up Da Vinci Resolve timelines with mono for dialogue and stereo for soundscapes.

Learn to monitor audio in the edit panel using mixer meters and the main mix, reading decibels (dBFS) to keep dialogue at the right loudness.

Understand the panning law and how stereo playback affects loudness, including Resolve’s 3 dB mono compensation and level equality when panned to one side.

Master volume control in the Da Vinci Resolve edit panel by adjusting clip volume, applying keyframes, and using fader sliders and nonlinear fades to level dialogue.

Balance dialogue clips by normalizing audio levels using sample peak or ITU-R BS.1770-1 methods, adjusting to minus 10 dB and minus 16 LUFS for consistent pacing.

Master the audio inspector in Da Vinci Resolve, using pitch shift and clip adjustments to fit sounds. Learn looping room tone and cross fades for seamless transitions.

Set up three mono audio tracks and place each character's dialogue on its own track, then position and trim clips to prepare for dialogue editing.

Balance dialogue in Da Vinci Resolve by normalizing audio, targeting peak levels, and using keyframes and fades to achieve consistent vocal levels across scenes.

Learn to set up audio tracks, craft looping room tone, apply three decibel fades, and build a soundscape-driven montage with VFX, drone, and ambient textures in DaVinci Resolve.

Edit the scene one workout montage by layering Foley, water, rope and laces, normalizing to minus seven, and blending room tone for a cohesive audio track.

Design the scene one montage's soundscape in Da Vinci Resolve by layering room tone, breathing, and ambience across multiple tracks, using cross fades and pitch shifts to unify dialogue.

Learn to finalize two-scene audio edit by applying sound design, using a jay cut for transitions, shaping ambient noise, and refining room tone and footsteps for a seamless cut.

Learn hands-on audio editing for scene two, adding foley such as coat noise, wallet and money unfurling, adjusting volume and pitch, and stitching room tone to smooth transitions.

Master final audio polish in da vinci resolve by shaping room tone, reducing background noise, and blending dialogue with fades, then prepare for handover and export.

Export a DaVinci resolve project as an archive to hand over to the next resolve user, including assets, excluding render cache and optimised media, then share via zip.

Export through the deliver panel to create an offline reference file and a baked master, guiding colorists and sound designers; use single clip in QuickTime.

Learn to generate a baked master file for handing off to a colorist. Select the right codec and bit depth, export without audio, and deliver a ready-to-grade file.

Export the project as an aaf or xml for adobe, fcp x, and avid/pro tools, and send media with an offline reference file, noting embedded media limitations.

Export bins and timelines in Resolve 17 to share project structure, not media. Exported timelines support XML, AAF and Eedle file types and a Da Vinci Resolve timeline file.

Sync the graded video with the final audio to complete the delivery in Resolve. Create a basic title and a credits roll with a text scroll.

Export your final project in DaVinci Resolve by configuring the encoder and bitrate—14,000 kbps for 25–30 fps or 18,000 kbps for 50–60 fps—and ensure export audio.

Explore the cut panel in Da Vinci Resolve to build quick first assemblies, adjust pacing for a tragedy, and learn inductive and deductive editing arcs for a short drama.

Discover the cut panel layout in da vinci resolve, including the media pool, bins navigation, and metadata limitations that restrict smart bins and search by clip name.

Explore the new bin dividers and metadata slate view in Resolve 17, which organize clips by scene and shot for quick navigation and at-a-glance metadata.

Master the cut panel's contextual viewer and the source tape to scrub rushes, compare takes, and navigate between timeline, source viewer, and source tape with shortcuts.

Learn how the smart insert in DaVinci Resolve cut panel places edits at the edit point without splitting clips, and why three-point editing is kept on the first video track.

This lecture demonstrates how to append to end of track and use REPL overwrite, emphasizing use on track one to avoid odd behavior on higher tracks.

In the cut panel, apply a close up with a five-second zoom centered on the timeline, adjustable via the inspector; use place on top on a track to hide edits.

Explore dynamic zoom (Ken Burns) to apply a steady zoom and pan across edits, useful for documentary cutaways and interview B-roll.

Master trim and ripple edits in the cut panel of Da Vinci Resolve, using keyboard shortcuts, slip and roll techniques, and first-track ripple rules for precise edits.

Trim using visible audio waveforms in the cut panel to remove echoed lines by clicking and dragging with the audio trim tool in DaVinci Resolve.

Explore applying transitions and effects in the cut panel—dissolve, crossfade, and smooth cut—with adjustable duration, previews, and dip to white or color using the inspector in Resolve 17.

Explore the updated inspector in the cut panel, now fully featured in version 17, to view transform, cropping, stabilizer, and transitions, and to adjust a dip to color to white.

Explore render in place in Resolve 17 to bake effects into clips, improve real-time playback, and manage handles, caching, and decompose to original before export.

Explore audio basics in the cut panel, including where audio appears, how to add dedicated audio tracks, and the limitations of volume only edits before moving to the edit panel.

Demonstrates using the stereo fixer in DaVinci Resolve to fix stereo audio issues by copying the left channel to the right and adjusting gains in the cut panel.

Begin your first pass edit in the cut panel by creating a timeline and organizing assets. Use slow, long takes and a strategic flashback to convey a melancholic, reflective mood.

Explore the deductive arc in editing, starting with a close-up and widening to convey the character’s headspace and provoke surprise through an empathic connection.

Explore a first-pass edit that uses J cuts, close-ups, and pan-scan to reveal George while cheating angles on limited coverage, with notes on audio and transitions for a second pass.

Crossing the line in dialogue edits preserves readability and scene geography when cameras stay on one side between two characters, with line crossing used only for practical necessity or disorientation.

Finish the scene with a first-pass edit in Da Vinci Resolve, selecting and reframing Tom and George shots, shaping emotion via reaction takes and sound design.

Recap the Cup panel for quick first passes and select reels, with audio effects and wind-noise considerations, and look ahead to second-pass techniques, pancake editing, and multiple timelines in PC01.