Level 5 - Davinci Resolve Setting Up to Grade

Setting Up the Edit Suite

Video Settings LG Monitor

For maximum colour quality

Goto Monitor Settings>All Settings>Picture.Additional Settings>HDMI Ultra HD Deep Colour

Make sure it is enabled.

Then in Picture Mode select the ISF Expert picture mode.

Setting Up DaVinci Resolve

Before you start importing your timeline and getting to work here are some important settings to attend to. 


But first open DaVinci Resolve and create a new Project


Preferences>Video and Audio

Use the settings below to have your video output go to the main monitor for colour grading and your audio to the genelec speakers. 



2. Setting these folder locations is important. Set them to your films enclosing folder on Nexis or your hard drive.

Settings>Master Settings>

3. In General Options>Conform Options use these settings

Creating a new project

In the Project select New Project. Make sure you save and name straight away.

Choosing your delivery aspect ratio

Here are the common delivery aspect ratios. Whatever your shooting ratio Resolve will auto resize and position to fit the delivery aspect ratio.

If you start with importing a .xml file the timeline resolution will come from the .xml. You may have to change that.

Selecting your frame rate

Make sure this is correct as it can be difficult to change after you start importing footage. if you import an .xml this will be chosen by the xml.

HD or UHD

DCI

DCI Flat

DCI Scope

Conforming your PP sequence in Resolve

This workflow assumes you are following a shoot to edit workflow.


Select File>Import>Timeline>xml


Select your .xml


Make sure Automatically import source clips is enabled


The sequence is created and the clips imported.

Setting Resolve Scaling

The way Resolve scales images so they fit your chosen aspect ratio and resolution is controlled by how you import your .xml and with Project Settings>Image Scaling


*** If your Premiere Pro sequence has sizing changes and or sizing keyframes you should make sure you select Use Sizing Information in the xml import dialogue. Then select the Project Settings>Input Scaling that works for you.

XML import dialogue

Project Settings>Image Scaling

Setting up for Resolve Color Management

Enabling Resolve Color Management

Goto Setting>Color Management

Use the following selections>>>>>

Selecting your input colour spaces

In the Media Pool right click in the column headeer and make sure Input Color Space is selected

In the Media Pool right click in the column header and make sure Input Color Space is selected.

If your camera colour space is not automatically detected you can manually select it by right clicking your clips

With your colour management set up. You are now ready to grade.