DaVinci Resolve is free to download and use as an NLE. They’ve uploaded tutorial videos in the past, but in the last few weeks, they’ve uploaded in-depth tutorials that make it much easier to understand what you’re doing when you start changing the parameters of a clip’s color. Here are the color-grading tutorial videos.
Resolve is used for professional color work. It is one of the industry-standard pieces of software that colorists use to deliver final video back to the editor. Black Magic is doing incredible work for the industry. They make exceptional cameras and gear, like the Speed Editor Keyboard or the Micro Panel, but they also make powerful, robust software with tools that Premiere Pro and Final Cut don’t have.
Here are the videos:
I’ve edited videos on Premiere and Final Cut. I’ve tried Resolve, but I am contemplating doing a deep dive so I know the app like I do the others. I think doing the edit and the color in a single application can save time, reduce mistakes that can happen with round-trips from Premiere to Resolve and back, and give you the edge and skill-set of color management in post-production in a highly competitive industry.
When I was debating adding video to my skill set, I spent days trying to get started with Final Cut and Premiere, but decided video was not for me, as the learning curve was way too steep. Luckily, the very next week I heard about Resolve, and found it completely intuitive, and was up and running the same day. I still mostly shoot stills, but the ease of use of Resolve has meant that I have still managed to add several months salary from occasional video work. So for anyone in the same boat, I thoroughly recommend giving it a go.
It's funny how my experience with Resolve has been so different than yours. For me, nothing seems logical in Resolve. Even the most basic operation, such as selecting the color grade from one clip and copying it to another requires you to learn a specific command rather than just copying and pasting as you would expect to do from your knowledge of other programs. During editing it is common to resize the timeline frequently but Resolve doesn't allow you to simply pinch a trackpad to zoom in and out as you might expect. There are also really strange things such as the program's default export setting for individual clips is to rename the clips rather than simply keep the original names. It's also hard to understand that if you are in full screen viewing mode and then you go to the deliver page to export your files, you cannot exit the full screen mode. Finally, if you work on Resolve for say, 20 minutes and then attempt to close the program, it will give you a warning that the project has not been saved. We used to see messages like this all the time 20 years ago. Today we just expect that every program is auto saving our work.
I've met several people who use Resolve as their editor of choice but it's truly baffling to me how they deal with the many oddities of the program.
I definitely get that Resolve is a great program. As I mentioned, I know people who love it. And I do think its cool that it has different modules for color, audio and edit and the program makes it very easy to edit these elements in any sequence you desire. In FCPX, I always do the color grade last. In Resolve it would not matter when I did it.
My only real gripe with the program is that I feel it is not intuitive. I've spend many hours trying to learn it, and I've been unsuccessful. I spent close to half an hour just a few days ago trying to figure out how to solve this problem: I have 2 clips next to each other. I want to extend the clip on the right hand side to include more of the beginning of that clip. As I searching for how to expand a clip I'm getting all sorts of slow motion type options. It was frustrating but eventually I learned that using the Trim tool would allow me to do what I want.
It's definitely a good program, it's just not the tool for me.
Copying the color grade: (a) Ctrl-C then Ctrl-V didn't work for you? (b) You can also use the middle mouse click. When you are on (or have selected) the unedited clip(s), middle click over the edited clip you want to copy. It's so much faster.
Resizing the timeline: (a) Shift-Z. (b) Alt + mouse scroll wheel. (c) Ctrl + "+" "-". (d) the slider.
--- "It's also hard to understand that if you are in full screen viewing mode and then you go to the deliver page to export your files, you cannot exit the full screen mode."
I'm not sure how you are getting to the Deliver tab in full screen viewing. The tabs aren't visible. At any rate, Ctrl-F toggles full screen off and on.
My point isn't that things can't be done in Resolve. I'm saying it's not intuitive. I just checked exiting Full Screen mode in the Deliver module, and I am able to press the green plus (on my iMac) and exit the mode. The program absolutely did not function this way at version 16.
In version 17, if you right click a clip in the color mode there is no command to copy the color grade. There is something along the lines of "copy remote grade to local" and "copy local grade to remote". What does that even mean? The previous method of copying a color grade in the right menu click had something that said "append color grade" or something like that. You had to select the clip you wanted the color grade to be applied to first (which is backwards from how we normally copy and paste). And the fact that they use the word, "append" which I have never seen anywhere else is bizarre.
And finally, I don't know anyone who uses a 3 button mouse. I use a trackpad and haven't touched a mouse in years. To the best of my knowledge Apple doesn't even sell a 3 button mouse. And can you name a single other program that puts such a basic operation like copy/paste onto a specialized tool like a 3 button mouse? This is an example of what I mean by saying the program is not intuitive.
I've heard other people say they don't find Resolve intuitive, and I guess intuition is very personal and dependent on your previous experience. I had zero experience of other NLEs which probably helped, so no expectations, and the programers obvious think like I do, which is lucky for me.
Plus I have cut-and-paste on my apple magic mouse right-button.
All those I've introduced Resolve have taken to it quickly, but maybe I just hang out with people who think like I do...
--- "In version 17, if you right click a clip in the color mode there is no command to copy the color grade. "
There is (a) Apply Grade and (b) Append Grade. It's one step instead of two.
https://i.imgur.com/vmTXXAp.png
.
.
Apply Grade = it will copy and paste the node(s). Overwrites.
Append Grade = it will copy and paste the nodes(s) placing at the end.
--- "You had to select the clip you wanted the color grade to be applied to first (which is backwards from how we normally copy and paste)."
How you normally copy and paste takes two steps. Their version takes one step when you use Apply/Append Grade. It's more efficient.
--- "I don't know anyone who uses a 3 button mouse."
I use it. I even use it on Capture One and normal web browsing. And, apparently, developers of Resolve was innovative enough to incorporate it.
--- "I use a trackpad and haven't touched a mouse in years."
And, therein lies the problem. You've hobbled yourself. I don't know of any proficient creator that uses only a trackpad. It's like typing with one finger. Yes, it can be done, but, it's inefficient.
--- "Apple doesn't even sell a 3 button mouse."
Apple is not the end all be all. And, their peripherals are crap. I'm using a gaming mouse, though it's not necessary. You just need a mouse with a wheel that's also clickable.
I appreciate your response.Coincidentally, I sat with my editor for about 5 hours and watched (and learned) as he used Resolve to edit my lates short film. And yes he uses a 3 button mouse.
Nice. Based on what you saw and learned, how would you compare Resolve to what you're using now?
Ps. Man, I wish I could sit down with someone. I think I'd learn a whole lot faster.
The tutoring helped greatly. I had started the edit for the short film in Resolve, and then brought it to my editor for him to finish. I still don't like the program and would still argue that it isn't intuitive. I was impressed at how quickly my editor could accomplish things in the program. He did a lot of unlinking audio from video and then creating J Cuts with the unlinked files. It was very smooth when he did it. I also learned that if I use the Trim tool, then my timeline is more like the magnetic timeline from FCP that I am used to. I'd still much prefer to edit in FCPX, but since I shoot on the BMPCC, it is good for me to be able to color grade and/or edit in Resolve.
Thanks for spreading the word about Davinci Resolve. Really hope more and more editors adopt this powerful app over the subscription based ones.
Brilliant software. I used FCPX for years and went cold turkey to Resolve. Never looked back. Much much better than FCPX and faster too. Helps to have a hardware device for certain operations - I use the Tourbox gizmo and it helps a lot.