Practical Workflow Advice for Beginner Video Editors in DaVinci Resolve
Summary:
This video offers essential workflow wisdom for beginner video editors, drawing from 15 years of industry experience. Key advice includes:
- Practice Consistently: Build editing skills by repeatedly practicing small projects, like 30-second films, until tasks become second nature and even "mind-numbingly boring."
- Use Run-Throughs for Films: Before shooting a major project, create a rough draft or "run-through" using basic equipment to identify potential issues and gather feedback early, making mistakes quickly and cheaply.
- Optimize File Formats: Avoid over-relying on the highest resolutions (e.g., 12K Raw) and complex codecs, as they often strain computer systems and slow down workflow without significant visual improvement; use manageable formats like 4K ProRes or 1080p, and leverage proxies for smoother editing.
- Work in Passes: Approach editing, effects, and color grading in sequential passes—first assembling a rough cut of the entire project, then fixing major problems, then medium, and finally small details, to ensure a complete, functional product is available sooner.
- Don't Take It Too Seriously: Remember that video production is about entertaining and informing, not life-or-death; take a step back and enjoy the creative process without undue stress.
I. Practice Your Skills [0:22]
The speaker emphasizes that consistent practice is crucial for developing video editing skills, likening it to "hacking" your experience by getting many repetitions in a short amount of time. He suggests focusing on building experience with the tools and techniques.
Start Making Small Films [0:57]
- Shoot 30-Second Short Films: Anyone can do this with basic equipment like a smartphone, regardless of gear.
- Take Baby Steps: If your goal is to make an award-winning short film, start with the absolute first step.
- Get a camera (or phone) and shoot a single shot (e.g., someone looking into a field). [1:37] [Image 1]
- Bring it into DaVinci Resolve, edit, color correct, and render it out. [1:46]
- Repeat this process: shoot two shots, then three shots, and continue. [1:52]
- Reshoot the same content 10 times, practicing until it feels "ridiculous" and "mind-numbingly boring." [2:04]
- This repetitive practice builds core skills and comfort with the editing process.
II. Do a "Run-Through" for Movies [2:23]
When embarking on a larger film project, the speaker highly recommends conducting a "run-through" as a preliminary step. This involves shooting a rough draft of the entire movie before the actual production.
Benefits of a Run-Through [2:41]
- Shoot a Rough Draft: This doesn't require final actors or locations; use whatever is available (even a phone). [2:55]
- Edit the Rough Version: Bring these rough shots into your editing software and edit them together.
- Identify missing shots or shots that would improve the story, allowing for early adjustments. [3:10]
- Make all your mistakes quickly and inexpensively during this rough stage. [3:25]
- By the time you shoot with real actors and locations, you'll have already "made the movie" multiple times, gaining valuable experience. [3:30]
- Early Feedback: Show the rough cut to friends or colleagues to get feedback on the story, shots, and pacing when it's still easy to make changes. [3:48]
- Examples of run-through shots from a short film: [4:15] [Image 5] [Image 6]
- Avoid Surprises: Test out complex techniques or visual effects early to understand their true difficulty, preventing issues during the final production. [4:44] [Image 4]
- Test Shots and Renders: Conduct small tests to ensure everything looks as intended and your workflow functions efficiently. [5:41]
III. Some Things Aren't Worth It (High-End Formats) [6:00]
The speaker advises careful consideration of high-resolution footage, codecs, and camera formats. While tempting, often these high-end options create more problems than benefits.
Performance vs. Perceived Quality [6:05]
- Resource Drain: Shooting in 12K Raw might seem "sexy" but can severely tax your computer system, leading to slow playback, software crashes, and workflow friction. [6:13]
- Compounding Delays: Even minor hiccups in playback (e.g., dropping a frame every few seconds) add up, making the editing process frustrating and time-consuming. [7:17]
Questioning the Need for Highest Resolution/Raw [7:54]
- Resolution: For viewing on a 4K monitor, the visual difference between 12K and 4K footage is often negligible to the human eye. [8:07]
- Raw vs. Log: While Raw offers extensive control, shooting in a Log format (like ProRes Log) often provides 99.999% of the same post-production control, especially for adjusting ISO and exposure, without the massive file sizes and processing demands. [8:22]
- Practicality: Do you need that extra fraction of control from Raw if it means a significantly harder workflow?
- Higher codecs might offer marginally better green screen keys, but often require "a ton more work" for minimal practical difference. [9:23]
- Optimizing Your Workflow:
- Shoot Smart: Choose formats that make sense for your project (e.g., compressed H.264/H.265 for vlogs, or 4K ProRes for more demanding projects). [9:59]
- Transcode: Convert high-resolution raw footage to more manageable formats like 4K ProRes or even 1080p ProRes for editing. [10:17]
- Use Proxies: DaVinci Resolve's proxy workflow is excellent and can dramatically improve editing responsiveness, saving time and frustration. [10:39]
IV. Work in Passes [11:03]
This technique involves breaking down the editing process into multiple full passes over the entire project, rather than perfecting one small section at a time.
The Passes Approach [11:09]
- First Pass: Rough Edit: Go from beginning to end, putting all necessary clips into the timeline. Don't worry about trimming or making them look perfect; just get the story laid out. [11:13]
- Subsequent Passes: Continue making full passes over the entire project.
- Increasing Pickiness: With each pass, you can become incrementally more detailed and picky. [11:36]
Benefits of Working in Passes [11:39]
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP): You get a watchable version of your video as soon as possible. If you run out of time or need to deliver early, you have something presentable. [11:41]
- Avoid Bottlenecks: This prevents getting stuck on an opening shot or intro for weeks, only to realize later that you need a pickup shot from a shoot that's long past. [12:01]
- Universal Application: This method works effectively for editing, visual effects, color grading, and audio mixing. [12:37]
V. Don't Take It Too Seriously [12:45]
The most important piece of advice is to maintain perspective and enjoy the creative process.
- Relax: Video production is not "heart surgery" or a military operation. [13:18]
- Purpose of Media: We make videos to entertain, inform, or make people laugh. [13:08]
- Enjoy the Process: If you're stressed out or not having fun, it might be time to take a step back and remember why you started. [13:28]
- Studio Motto: The speaker shares his studio's motto: "It's a good thing we're just making movies," to diffuse tense situations and remind everyone of the true nature of their work. [13:34]