Deliver

Working in the Deliver Page

The deliver page in DaVinci Resolve is designed to accommodate various workflows, allowing for the creation of output files ranging from low-resolution proxies to high-quality master files. It offers flexible options for batch-rendering multiple files in different resolutions, compression formats, and destinations, all within the same page. Despite the variety of options, the deliver page is user-friendly.

In this lesson, you'll learn to use the deliver page to create two separate outputs: one optimized for web streaming and another as a high-quality movie file from part of the timeline.

Rendering Out a Web Streaming File

Most projects end up on web-streaming services, often as promotional material. DaVinci Resolve includes easy setups and presets for the most common file-based output formats, which configure all the necessary parameters for your selected output type.

1. Open the Project: Double-click the Wyoming Cattle Ranch project you used earlier for grading.

2. Select the Timeline: Choose the Secondaries Timeline in the project. The currently displayed timeline is what you'll prepare for export on the deliver page.

3. Open the Deliver Page: Click the Deliver button at the bottom of the DaVinci Resolve window to open the deliver page, which is divided into five areas: Render Settings, Output Viewer, Render Queue, Thumbnail Preview, and Timeline Display.

4. Choose a Preset: In the Render Settings, click the Vimeo preset at the top. This automatically configures the Render Settings to meet Vimeo's requirements.

5. Set File Name and Location: Enter the name of the file (Wyoming Cattle Ranch) and click the Browse button to choose a location for the output file. Click OK in the dialog box.

6. Adjust Resolution: Set the Resolution to 1280 x 720 HD 720P, which matches the current timeline's resolution. The Vimeo preset sets QuickTime H.264 as the format and AAC as the audio codec, which are common for web-streaming videos.

7. Add to Render Queue: Click the Add to Render Queue button at the bottom of the Render Settings panel. The job is added to the Render Queue on the right side of the window, where you can queue multiple jobs for output.

Although you could render this file immediately, it's useful to prepare another job for the queue before proceeding.

Creating a Custom Preset

For high-quality files for client previews or final delivery, rendering a master file is useful as it allows for later transcoding to different formats or uploading to streaming platforms for their transcoding.

1. Select Custom Settings:

   • At the top of the Render Settings, click "Custom". This enables all options in the Render Settings for selection.

2. Name the File:

   • Click the File tab and name the file "Wyoming Cattle Ranch HQ".

3. Output as a Single Clip:

   • Below the Location field, click the "Single Clip" button to output a single movie file.

4. Set Video Format and Codec:

   • Click the Video tab.

   • Under Format, select "QuickTime" (if not already selected).

   • Under Codec, select "DNxHR".

   • Under Type, choose "DNxHR 444 10bit".

5. Adjust Resolution:

   • Set the resolution to 1280 x 720 HD 720p.

6. Save Custom Preset:

   • Click the options menu in the top-right corner of the Render Settings window and choose "Save As New Preset".

   • Save as "HQ Render". This setting will now appear as an option in the Render Settings menu.

7. Add to Render Queue:

   • Add the file to the render queue.

By following these steps, you will have a high-quality master file setting saved for future use, making it easier to produce consistent outputs for various needs.

Backing Up Project Libraries in DaVinci Resolve

Backing up a project library in DaVinci Resolve is a convenient way to save all your projects, bins, clips, and timelines, though it does not include your media files. Here’s how to back up your project library:

1. Select the Project Library:

   • In the list of project libraries, ensure that "traininglibrary" is selected.

2. Access Library Details:

   • Click the Details button to the right of the project library name.

3. Initiate Backup:

   • Click the Back Up button.

4. Choose Backup Location:

   • Navigate to the hard drive or cloud-based storage where you want to back up your library and click Save.

5. Return to Project Libraries List:

   • Once the save is completed, click the back arrow to return to the Project Libraries list.

6. Locate Database (Optional):

   • If you are unsure of where your database is stored, go into the Details and choose "Reveal in Finder" to show you the folder where the database is stored.

7. Close Project Manager:

   • Click close to close the Project Manager Window.

After saving a backup, a .resolve.diskdb file is created. This file contains your entire project library. You can copy this file to another drive, and on a new computer, use the "Restore" button in DaVinci Resolve to open and use the database.

Summary Steps

1. Select the project library.

2. Click the Details button.

3. Click the Back Up button.

4. Save to the desired location.

5. Return to the Project Libraries list.

6. (Optional) Reveal the database folder in Finder.

7. Close the Project Manager window.

By following these steps, you can ensure your project libraries are backed up safely and can be restored on another computer if needed.