3 Open the Effects panel.

4 Find the Resolve FX Light category and drag the Aperture Diffraction effect onto the
Headlights node.

The result is an optical effect that mimics the diffraction of light. The settings in the
Effects panel allow you to refine the pattern, intensity, and color of the effect.

5 Under Aperture Controls, change the Iris Shape to Square.

TIP In the Output category of the Aperture Diffraction settings, change Select
Output to Diffraction Patterns Alone to get a clearer view of the light patterns
as you adjust the settings. Change the output back to Final Composite to see
the result combined with the original image.

6 Under Compositing Controls, increase the Brightness to 0.600.

7 Increase the Colorize value to 0.200 and use the swatch underneath to change the
color to purple.

Creating a Unifying Look Using the Post-Clip Group Level 259

 8 To reduce the effect intensity, expand the Global Blend parameter at the bottom of the
settings and set Blend to 0.700.

This simple effect dramatizes the final shot of the sequence as the car drives away. A
variety of light-based plug-ins in the Effects panel can similarly help you stylize your
shots and make features “pop” in subtle or exaggerated ways.

Next, you will check the remainder of the garage sequence to ensure that all
shots match.

9 Navigate the timeline and check the clips for consistency.

You can see that the upper midtones in clip 06 are substantially bluer when compared
to the environments in clips 05 and 07. Clip 06 is also darker, making it difficult to see
the man’s face.

10 Select clip 06.

260 Lesson 7 Using Groups

11 Right-click clip 07 and select Wipe Timeline Clip.

12 Ensure that the Node Editor is still in Clip mode.

13 Label node 01 as Match.

14 Switch the Primaries palette to Log Wheels mode and drag the Shadow master wheel
right to brighten the shadows of the image, revealing more data in the background
and in the man’s face.

15 Drag the Shadow wheel control point toward orange.

The overall blue dominance of the shot is reduced, and the man’s face is more
clearly visible.

Creating a Unifying Look Using the Post-Clip Group Level 261

 16 Disable Wipe mode in the viewer.

The convenience of the group grading workflow is that no single stage or node is
permanent. It’s easy to jump between the different group modes and tweak them as
required, all while seeing the final output in the viewer.

Applying Timeline-Level
Grades and Effects
The Timeline level is available in the Node Editor whether or not you use group workflows.
As the name implies, adjustments made at this level affect every timeline clip uniformly.
This functionality can sometimes be useful for image property applications such as color
space transforming, gamut mapping, adding a vignette, or inserting film grain/analog
video effects. It is not as strongly advised for grading purposes but could be effective for
short video projects with consistent base colors.

In this exercise, you will apply an analog video look to your entire project, followed by the
data burn-in details that will make it easier to keep track of timecodes and clip names
during the feedback stage of post-production.

Apply an Analog Video Look

to an Entire Timeline
Artificial film grain and analog video artifacts are occasionally added to digital media for
a variety of reasons. In some cases, the film needs to look outdated as a component of
the storyline (such as flashbacks, home movies, found footage, and so on). Film grain and
damage can also add realism to shots with artificially imposed elements or CGI graphics by
making them appear to have been captured on tape or celluloid film. Finally, film grain and
damage can also be an aesthetic choice.

NOTE This exercise requires DaVinci Resolve Studio to complete.

1 Turn off the timeline filter to show all clips.

2 Switch the Node Editor to Timeline mode.

By default, the Node Editor appears without a node 01, which acts as a useful
reminder that this stage of the grading workflow is optional and can cause significant
repercussions in the appearance of the entire timeline.

262 Lesson 7 Using Groups

3 Press Option-S (macOS) or Alt-S (Windows) to create a new serial node that will already
be connected to the RGB input and node tree outputs.

The blue outline around the node is another visual reminder that you are not in any of
the standard grading node levels.

4 Label node 01 as VHS.

5 Open the Effects panel.

6 Find the Resolve FX Texture category and drag the Analog Damage effect
onto node 01.

7 Press Shift-F to expand the viewer and improve access to the Analog Damage
settings panel.

The top of the panel features a preset pop-up menu with a collection of common
analog looks—B&W and color television transmission signals through the decades,
VHS, and so on. Beneath, individual parameter controls enable you to adjust a wide
variety of damage components such as vignetting, noise, scan lines, chromatic
aberration, jitter, screen curvature and many others.

8 Set the preset to Old VHS.

Applying Timeline-Level Grades and Effects 263

 9 To remove the visible frame on the left, open the Scan category. Adjust the
H-Shift to 0.050.

10 To remove the horizontal black lines running throughout the sequence as it plays,
reset V-Hold to 0.000.

Before After

11 Click Play to review the result. All the clips on the timeline are affected by the VHS look.

12 Press Shift-F to exit the full-screen viewer.

13 Before moving on to the next exercise, bypass the VHS node. The Analog Damage
effect is processor-intensive, so it’s a good idea to disable it until you are ready to
export the project.

TIP The Film Grain effect in the Resolve FX Texture category can similarly be
applied to achieve the look of celluloid film on digital footage. It comes with
a variety of film stock presets (8 mm, 16 mm, 35 mm) as well as a collection
of grain parameters for optimal customization on a timeline or clip-by-clip
basis. In the Advanced Controls, you can enable “Animate on Every Refresh”
to force the grain to move as you grade, giving you an even more accurate
representation of the final look as you work on a clip.

Adding Data Burn-In to the

Viewer and Final Video
Another common feature applied on a timeline basis is data burn-in, which overlays a
timecode, clip data, or any number of designated text metadata over the viewer. It works
independently from the Node Editor, and you can use it in-program for editorial purposes,
as well as for the final delivery of a video.

264 Lesson 7 Using Groups

1 Choose Workspace > Data Burn-In.

The left side of the Data Burn-In window features a list of metadata that you can
superimpose over the video. The right side of the interface changes according to the
selected option and allows you to adjust the placement of text, font, color, and so on.

The Project and Clip buttons at the top of the Data Burn-In window allow you to apply
data across the length of a timeline or on a single instance of a clip. This option can be
helpful when leaving comments or feedback—for example, when communicating with
the audio or VFX department about the requirements of specific shots.

2 Select Record Timecode to display the timeline’s timecode on the video.

3 Select Source Clip Name to display the name of each clip as it plays in the video. Note
that in this case, because all the clips are sourced from a single flattened video file,
they will all have the same source clip name.

4 Select Custom Text1, and in the Custom Output Text field, type PLEASE DO NOT
DISTRIBUTE.

5 In the Data Burn-In options, deselect Gang Render Text Styles. This will enable you to
modify the individual appearances of the data burn-in fields.

In this case, you will use the Custom Text field to act as a form of distribution
protection for your video.

Applying Timeline-Level Grades and Effects 265

 6 Remove the black box behind the text by reducing the Custom Text Background
Opacity to 0.

7 Change the Font to Open Sans.

8 Increase the Text Size (140) to fill the viewer.

9 Reduce the Text Opacity (0.20).

10 Reposition the text to the center of the viewer using the Position Y parameter.

TIP To apply a watermark over a video, use one of the Logo options in the
Data Burn-In interface. You can import a custom image/logo file and adjust its
opacity using the Transform controls on the right.

11 Close the Data Burn-In window.

Data burn-ins can be extremely useful for inserting quick and accurate communications
between departments and clients. Instead of describing clips visually, exact clip source
names can be used in feedback. Likewise, the precise timecodes ensure that your
collaborators are not using the general timecodes of their video players (which usually
lack frame data). Frequently used data burn-in layouts can be saved as presets in the Data
Burn-In options menu.

266 Lesson 7 Using Groups

 NOTE The Data Burn-In window includes fields such as Reel Name, Shot, Take, and
many others that display the information entered into those respective fields in the
Metadata panel of the media page.

In the Custom Text fields, type % to access an even wider range of

metadata options.

By combining the knowledge you gained in previous exercises with the group-driven
workflow of this lesson, you can design more efficient project workflows with clearly
allocated purposes for each group level and node.

Self-Guided Exercises
Complete the following self-guided exercises in the Project 03 - The Long Workday timeline
to gain more experience with groups, primary and secondary grading, and creative grade
construction. Note that these exercises are designed foremost for group grading practice
and not necessarily to produce a single cohesive color narrative.

Home Group
— Create a post-clip group grade on the Home group. Import the GC_Island_Reference.png
image from the BMD 18 CC - Project 03 > References subfolder into the gallery as a
reference. Aim to create a light, warm look with a bit of contrast. Use HSL curves to
emphasize the blue color of the sky and water outside the windows.
— In clip 02 of the Home group, use the Magic Mask to track the man, while excluding his
coat. Invert the mask selection and use Lum vs Sat to desaturate his surroundings. Use
Smart Refine if edges of color remain visible around him.

Highway Group
— Balance clip 02 of the Highway group by reducing the red in the shadows and then
brighten the overall shot. Match clip 01 to clip 02, paying particular attention to the
color of the road in both shots.
— Add the Lens Reflections effect to clip 01 and change the reflection preset to Bokeh.
Adjust the reflecting elements until you have a string of faint, out-of-focus, white
bokehs at the bottom of the screen. Then append this node to clip 02.

Self-Guided Exercises 267

 Office Group
— Add clips 03–05 to a new group called Office.
— Match the lightness of clip 03 to the other clips in the Office group.
— In clip 02, use the Magic Mask to track the man’s face and hands, and then use
adjustment controls to add contrast and detail to the man’s skin.
— Create a post-clip group grade on the Office group. Begin by normalizing the lightness
in the room by spreading the waveform upward. Then create a Look node in which
you add cyan to the lower midtones while maintaining neutral shadows. Return to Clip
mode in the Node Editor to tweak any inconsistencies revealed in the group grade.

Morning Group
— Add clips 16–18 to a new group called Morning.
— Perform contrast and color matching on the clips the Morning group using clip 02 as
the key shot.
— In clip 01, use the Object Mask to select the sea and increase the contrast, pivot, and
midtone detail to make the ripples in the water more pronounced.
— Create a post-clip group grade in the Morning group. Use the Color Warper to gently
tint the mountains red and turn the atmosphere yellow. Return to Clip mode in the
Node Editor to tweak any inconsistencies revealed in the group grade.

When you’ve completed these exercises, open the Project 03 - The Long Workday
Commercial COMPLETED.drp and review Lesson 07 Timeline COMPLETED to compare
your work with this “solved” timeline. If the media appears offline, click the red Relink
Media button in the upper-left corner of the media pool and specify the location of the
Project 03 media on your workstation.

268 Lesson 7 Using Groups

Lesson Review
1 True or false? A clip can belong to more than one group.

2 Which group level is ideal for performing shot matching?

3 True or false? Placing clips into groups allows you to bypass the normalizing/balancing
stages of the grading workflow.

4 Which Magic Mask feature can be used to mask a pair of gym shorts?

5 How is data burn-in enabled?

Lesson Review 269

 Answers
1 False. A clip can have only one pre-clip and post-clip Node Editor mode. Adding a clip
to a group will remove it from any previous group it was in.

2 Clip mode is ideal for performing shot matching.

3 False. If the clips in a group do not match each other, their differences will remain even
when a group grade is applied.

4 Gym shorts will be best tracked using Person Mask set to Features mode, with Clothing
(Bottom) selected in the pop-up menu.

5 Choose Workspace > Data Burn-In.

270 Lesson 7 Using Groups

Lesson 8

Adjusting Image
Properties

Although image colors tend to be Time

a primary concern for the colorist, This lesson takes approximately
there are also many transformative 110 minutes to complete.

changes that can be made in the Goals

color page to better accommodate
Understanding Timeline
the narrative and aesthetic needs Resolutions and Sizing
of a project. Such changes can Palette Modes 272
include alterations to the scaling Using Keyframes
and positioning of the frame, noise to Animate Grades  283

reduction, and the animation of Applying Noise Reduction 291

grades over time. Optimizing Performance
with Render Cache 296
Some of the tools required to achieve
Self-Guided Exercises 304
these transformations can impact the
Lesson Review 305
speed at which your computer is able
to play back the media on the timeline.
For this reason, it’s helpful to leverage
the automated (Smart) and manual
(User) render cache methods to get the
most efficient processing of clips and
nodes across the multiple cache levels
in DaVinci Resolve.
 Understanding Timeline
Resolutions and Sizing
Palette Modes
In the following set of exercises, you will address the variety of ways in which you can
impact the frame of your project in DaVinci Resolve 18. Specifically, you will change the
project resolution, reframe individual shots, and sample portions of an image at the
node level.

Changing Timeline Resolutions

In this exercise, you will change the project resolution to evaluate how doing so impacts
the image quality and secondary grades of the clips in your timeline.

1 Select clip 05 on the Project 03 - The Long Workday timeline.

2 Create a new node called Vignette.

3 In the Window palette, apply the Vignette preset from lesson 3. Reposition and resize
it to focus on the man at the window.

272 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

4 Drag the Gamma master wheel left to darken the edges of the frame and then drag
the color wheel control point toward blue/cyan to give the room a cool atmosphere.

5 Open the Project Settings and choose the Master Settings tab.

6 Change the Timeline resolution to 3840 x 2160 Ultra HD, which is a standardized 4K
resolution with the same aspect ratio (1.77:1) as 1920 x 1080 HD.

TIP When rescaling media to a higher resolution (for example, converting

720p content to a 1080p timeline or 1080p to a 4K timeline), you can activate
a high-quality upscaling feature called Super Scale. To do so, right-click a lower-
resolution clip in the media pool and choose Clip Attributes. In the Video tab, in
the Super Scale pop-up menu, choose 2x (or higher) to double the resolution.
Doing so will substantially improve the method by which the image is upscaled
in higher-resolution projects, although it is a processor-intensive operation that
may compromise real-time playback.

Understanding Timeline Resolutions and Sizing Palette Modes 273

 7 Click Save to exit the Project Settings.

8 If the video appears zoomed in, press Shift-Z to fit the video frame to the viewer panel.

1920 x 1080 3840 x 2160

Compare the difference between the two resolutions. Note that the clip’s frame
and positioning in the viewer has not changed. Additionally, the vignette window is
rescaled to the new resolution while maintaining the placement in relation to the
media clip. The only evidence of change is the new anchor handle length in the center
of the Power Window.

This behavior is one of the most invaluable features of DaVinci Resolve when grading
and applying effects. The program is resolution independent, which allows you to
change the frame size and aspect ratio of a project without affecting the positions
of clips, images, secondary grades, effects, and generators created on the cut, edit,
Fusion, or color pages.

9 Open the Project Settings and reset the Timeline resolution to 1920 x 1080 HD.

10 Delete the Vignette node.

4K to 1080p to 4K Workflow
Switching the timeline resolution is an effective method for optimizing workstation
performance during editing. It ensures that clips are rendered and played in
real time without lag and without altering the quality of the final film. A common
workflow for 4K footage is to set the timeline to 2K or 1920 x 1080 during the
editing process, and then reset it to 4K prior to rendering.

Be aware that the grading potential, as well as the accuracy, of key-dependent

secondary grading tools (such as the qualifier) is reduced at a lower image
resolution. Therefore, you are advised to change the timeline to the full media
resolution before grading.

274 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

Reframing Individual Clips
The Sizing palette becomes an increasingly versatile tool when you take advantage of
its sizing modes. These modes allow you to switch the sizing focus from clips to entire
timelines or to individual nodes. In this exercise, you will rescale and reposition clips on
an individual and timeline basis.

1 Select clip 15.

To ensure good playback during this exercise, you will temporarily disable the
processor-intensive Track node.

2 Select the Track node (node 02) and press Command-D (macOS) or Ctrl-D (Windows)
to disable it.

The Balance node features much lighter primary grading adjustments and can be left
as it is for the reframing exercises.

3 Enter the Sizing palette and set the Zoom value to 1.500 to scale up the image.

4 Select clip 12.

Notice that clip 12 was not affected by the reframing of clip 15. In fact, every clip in the
timeline has remained unchanged because clip 15 was changed at the clip level (Input
Sizing) in the Sizing palette.

5 Return to clip 15 and reset the Sizing palette.

6 In the upper right of the Sizing palette, choose Output Sizing.

7 Set the Zoom value to 1.500 again.

8 Click the other clips in the timeline to verify that they were altered by the
change in scale.

Sometimes, rescaling makes sense on a timeline-wide basis, such as when

appropriating media to a different resolution. However, reframing tends to be much
more specific to the visual content of each shot.

Let’s reframe shots 12 and 15 based on content.

9 Change the Sizing palette mode back to Input Sizing.

10 In clip 15, change Pan to 45.00 and Tilt to 50.00.

Understanding Timeline Resolutions and Sizing Palette Modes 275

 11 In clip 12, change Pan to -70.00 and Tilt to 150.00.

12 Switch between the clips to verify that they have retained their Output Sizing zoom but
have adopted different pan and tilt values.

NOTE Output sizing is also commonly used to adapt footage with a different
aspect ratio to a new standard—for example 4K DCI will appear to have
horizontal blanking (black bars) in a 4K UHD timeline. Output sizing can be used
to quickly fill the frame of the video.

These changes made use of two modes (Input and Output) of the Sizing palette.
Previously, you rescaled and reframed a wiped still using the Reference Sizing mode.

The full list of sizing modes and their impact on the image is as follows:

— Edit Sizing reflects the transform changes applied to a clip in the Inspector of the
edit page.
— Input Sizing applies transform changes to a clip in the color page. It targets clips
on the same level as Edit Sizing but isolates the function to the color page.
— Output Sizing applies to the entire timeline.
— Node Sizing applies to the selected node in the Node Editor.
— Reference Sizing applies to the reference movie or still that is active in the viewer’s
wipe mode.

TIP To apply blanking to your timeline, click Timeline > Output Blanking and
choose an aspect ratio. This method permits you to change the project aspect
ratio while preserving the original video resolution of the timeline.

276 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

 Custom Resolutions and Aspect Ratios
Under the Timeline resolution presets of the Project Settings, you may enter a
custom resolution that will result in a non-standard video resolution at the aspect
ratio of your choosing. Be aware that changing the aspect ratio or resolution to a
non-industry standard could mean that the rendered video may not be playable
on some projectors or video players. When outputting to equipment that only
recognizes standard video formats, it’s safer to use a common (preset) resolution
and apply custom blanking to change the aspect ratio. In either case, the custom
blanking will appear as black bars during playback.

Sampling Visual Data with Node Sizing

The ability to change an image’s sizing data at the node level allows for some interesting
creative (and practical) applications. You could clone an image to display multiple versions
of itself within the viewer or fix continuity errors by sampling portions of the image for
cover-up work.

In the following exercise, you will use node sizing to produce a dynamic layered look
in a shot.

1 Reset the Input and Output sizing data from the previous exercise.

2 Select clip 15.

3 In the Node Editor’s Clip mode, create a new serial node called Backplate.

4 Press Option-L (macOS) or Alt-L (Windows) to create a layer mixer and label the new
node Crop.

5 Open the Window palette.

6 Activate a linear window and reposition the corners to frame the front half of the car.

Understanding Timeline Resolutions and Sizing Palette Modes 277

 7 Change all the Softness values to 0.00 to give the window a sharp edge.

8 Open the Sizing palette and set it to Node Sizing mode. From now on, all changes to
the Sizing palette will affect only the Crop node.

9 Change the Zoom to 2.0 to scale up the linear window and its contents.

The backplate remains unchanged.

10 Pan the window (375.000) until you can no longer see the backplate to the right of
the viewer.

11 Tilt the window upward (300.000) to see more of the road in the scaled-up node.

12 Select the Backplate node.

13 In the Sizing palette, pan the image left (-300.000) to place the car in the left half
of the viewer.

14 Select the Crop node again to begin grading the car close-up.

278 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

15 Drag the Offset wheel toward blue to give the shot a cool metallic look.

16 Drag the Lift wheel toward red to slightly offset the blue in the shadows.

17 Drag the Gain master wheel right to brighten the highlights.

18 Play the clip to view the two versions of the footage simultaneously.

In layer-based compositing systems, this effect would be possible only by creating a

second video track, duplicating the clip over itself, and applying a crop tool. Due to its
less efficient method of reusing video data, layer-based compositing tends to be more
processor-intensive. Nodes provide a much cleaner approach to the duplication and
resampling of RGB signals.

Creating Cover-Ups with

the Patch Replacer Effect
You can also use node sizing for more practical compositing solutions, such as sampling a
portion of the video to cover up an undesirable artifact. This type of painting or cover-up
work is often used to fix continuity errors, conceal visible booms, and improve set design.

In this exercise, you will use the more sophisticated Patch Replacer effect to quickly
perform cover-up work and automatically adjust the grade of the sampled area to match
the destination.

NOTE DaVinci Resolve Studio is required to complete the following exercise.

Understanding Timeline Resolutions and Sizing Palette Modes 279

 1 Select clip 05.

This is a visually interesting shot with good set design and a great choice of
location. However, one minor element is distracting from the luxurious office: the
wall thermostat. Your aim is to remove the thermostat by covering it with a sample
of the wall.

2 Create a new serial node and label it Coverup.

3 Open the Effects panel.

4 From the Resolve FX Revival category, drag the Patch Replacer effect onto the
Coverup node.

Two oval outlines appear in the viewer. The left oval represents the source patch, which
is actively sampling the portion of the video under it. The right oval is the target patch,
which is receiving visual data from the source and actively grading it to match its
surroundings.

5 Drag the target patch over the wall and resize it to outline the thermostat and
its shadow.

6 Drag the source patch over an empty area of the wall near the target.

280 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

7 If necessary, zoom in inside the viewer to refine the placements.

TIP To navigate inside the viewer after zooming in, hold down your middle
mouse button and drag. If you do not have a middle mouse button, you can
Ctrl-scroll (macOS) or Command-scroll (Windows) and Shift-Command-scroll
(macOS) or Shift-Ctrl-scroll (Windows) to move vertically and horizontally in
the viewer.

8 In the Patch Replacer Settings, select Keep Original Detail to assess the position of
the thermostat behind the target window. Ensure that the circle outline completely
encompasses the thermostat and its shadow.

9 Press Shift-Z to fit the video frame to the viewer panel.

The cover-up is successful, but only on the first frame of the clip. As soon as you play
the video, the thermostat moves with the camera while the target patch remains
static. To complete the composite, you will need to track the effect to the motion of
the camera.

10 Drag the playhead to the first frame of the clip.

11 Open the Tracker palette and in the upper-right corner set the mode to FX.

To perform motion tracking, you will need to specify a tracking point. Ideally, you
want to define the element you are covering up or a trackable area that is on the
same plane as that element. In the case of this clip, the original thermostat is an ideal
tracking point.

Understanding Timeline Resolutions and Sizing Palette Modes 281

 12 In the lower-left corner of the Tracker palette, click the Add Tracker Point button.

Blue crosshairs appear in the center of the frame. These crosshairs indicate the area
of the image that will be analyzed for tracking.

13 Drag the crosshairs over the thermostat on the wall.

The crosshairs turn red when the default position is altered.

14 In the Tracker palette, click the Track Forward button to perform the track analysis.

15 After tracking is completed, deselect Keep Original Detail to bring back the target
patch cover-up.

16 If necessary, turn off the viewer onscreen controls to hide the tracking point and
patch outlines.

282 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

17 Play the clip to check the accuracy of the cover-up. Make further adjustments to the
size and placement of the source and target patches, if necessary.

The result is a clean cover-up of the wall that is ready for further editing and grading.

TIP You can also perform this type of cover-up effect using node sizing. With a
backplate node in place, create a layer node and use a Power Window to sample
a clean portion of the video. In the Sizing palette, move the layer node over the
portion of the image you want to cover up. In the case of moving camera shots,
begin the workflow by tracking the video with the standard window tracker before
moving the Power Window over the sample area.

Node-based cover-ups are frequently employed to address the aesthetic needs of a scene
or to resolve issues that were not noticed during the shoot (for example, removal of visible
set equipment). These workflows tend to work best on footage with limited movement and
good sample areas.

TIP Another tool that you can use for cover-up work is the Object Removal effect
(also in the Resolve FX Revival category). Whereas the Patch Replacer samples data
from the current video frame, Object Removal uses the data from surrounding
frames to cover up a moving object. To remove an object, first draw a Power
Window around it and track it through the shot. Then, drag the Object Removal
effect onto that node. Click Scene Analysis in the settings and wait. If the object
you’re removing is in motion, but the camera is locked, enable Assume No Motion.
If enough visual data is available, the object will be successfully removed.

Using Keyframes
to Animate Grades
To understand keyframing, you need only to grasp the concept that you need just two
keyframes to create animation. And those keyframes need to communicate just two things
to the program: their points in time and their values. By placing the keyframes at different
points in the timeline, you indicate the length of time through which the change occurs,
and by giving those keyframes individual values, you specify the nature of the change.

Using Keyframes to Animate Grades 283

 Animating Position Values with
Dynamic Keyframes
Dynamic keyframes uniformly adjust parameter values across frames, creating the effect
of smooth, consistent change over time. In this exercise, you will animate the transform
values and color grade of a clip to imitate a camera move and sunrise effect.

1 Select clip 01.

This video was captured late in the evening and appears very dark. Before you can
begin grading it creatively, you should expand its luminance range to take advantage
of the available colors and contrast. You will use a similar process to the mountain
range exercise in Lesson 1, where you combined color and log wheels to target and
expand a dark range of an image.

2 Label node 01 as Normal.

3 Drag the Gamma master wheel right (0.25) to increase the waveform spread, and then
drag the Shadow master wheel right (0.20) to further brighten the dark foreground.
These steps reveal some substantial digital noise, which will be addressed after the
grade is completed.

The clip is a locked establishing shot. Even though it was captured in real-time, it has a
time lapse feel to it. In the next few exercises, you will use animation to imitate the fast
passage of time.

Your first goal is to create a pan-and-zoom motion starting from the original wide shot
and ending on a close-up of the city skyline.

284 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

4 To the right of the palettes in the color page, open the Keyframes Editor.

The palette currently features two animation categories: the individual controls for
node 01 (Corrector 1) and the Sizing values of the overall clip.

5 Create a new serial node and label it Sunrise. Corrector 2 appears in the
Keyframes sidebar.

Each new node you create will receive its own corrector header and controls in the
Keyframes Editor.

6 Click the disclosure arrow next to Sizing to expand the category controls.

7 Click the diamond-shaped keyframe symbol next to Input Sizing to activate animation
in that parameter.

From now on, any changes you make to the clip will be logged as dynamic keyframes.

8 While on the first frame of the clip, right-click the circular keyframe next to Input Sizing
and choose Change to Dynamic Keyframe to convert the default static keyframe to a
dynamic one.

The circular keyframe becomes diamond shaped.

9 Drag the playhead to the end of the clip duration in the Keyframes timeline.

Using Keyframes to Animate Grades 285

 10 With the Sizing palette in Input Sizing mode, change the Zoom to 1.500, the Pan to
-400.000, and the Tilt to -200.000.

Two new dynamic keyframes are automatically added to the Keyframes timeline—
one for the Input Sizing parameter, and one for the general Sizing header in which it
is contained. Additionally, two dimmed triangles indicate that a dynamic animation has
been generated.

11 Play the clip to watch the animation in action. The shot begins with a wide view of the
city and then zooms in on the skyline in the distance.

TIP If you click the Loop button in the viewer playback controls, the playhead
will play the same clip over and over instead of continuing to the next clip.

Changing Color Values Over Time

with Dynamic Keyframes
Next, to animate the color values of the clip, you’ll target the node’s corrector controls.

1 Drag the playhead to the first frame of clip 01.

TIP Press the [ (left bracket) and ] (right bracket) keys to navigate between
keyframes in the Keyframes palette. This shortcut can save you time when
comparing the different stages of an animation.

2 Select node 02 (Sunrise).

3 In the Keyframes palette, expand Corrector 2.

4 Click the keyframe symbol next to Color Corrector to activate keyframing.

To imitate the look of the sun rising, you will first need to create a pre-dawn look.

286 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

5 Drag the Gamma master wheel left to darken the midtone ranges of the image,
and then drag the Gamma color wheel toward blue to imitate a cool night color
temperature.

6 Reduce saturation to 35.00 to imitate the limited perception of color in

dark environments.

7 Drag the playhead to the last frame of the clip.

TIP You can click the Expand button in the upper-right corner of the Keyframes
Editor to increase the interface size. Doing so will move all other palettes to the
left of the color page, giving you more room to focus on keyframing.

You will now create the post-sunrise look in the same node.

8 Return the Saturation to 50.0 to bring back the original colors to the scene.

9 In the Primaries palette, click the reset arrow in the upper right of the Gamma wheel to
remove the dark blue look.

10 Increase the Contrast (1.300) to create a silhouette effect on the skyline.

Using Keyframes to Animate Grades 287

 11 Drag the Gain color wheel toward yellow to warm up the image.

12 Increase the Highlights (50.00) in the adjustment controls to brighten the sunlight on
the horizon.

TIP The Highlights and Shadows parameters in the adjustment controls

feature unique tonal ranges that are designed for better retrieval of detail
from the highlights and shadows of an image. To study their impact, add a
compounded grayscale generator at the end of the timeline and drag these
ranges to identify their range and overlap.

13 Play the clip to see the colors animate over time.

A common reason for keyframing color grades is to address color temperature

fluctuation. Shoots in which the camera operator might maneuver from indoor
to outdoor locations (documentaries, wedding videography, and so on) benefit greatly
from these types of animated grade workflows.

TIP Resolve FX can also be keyframed. When an effect is added directly to a

pipeline, it will appear under its own name in the Keyframes palette sidebar.
When an effect is dragged onto a regular corrector node, it will appear in the
list under the respective corrector header.

288 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

Applying Dynamic Attributes
The animation in this exercise was created successfully, but the zooming motion appears
a little artificial because of the linear nature of the animation. In this exercise, you will
simulate a more realistic camera zoom by altering the animation speed and style using
dynamic attributes.

1 Drag the playhead to the first frame of clip 01.

2 Right-click the first keyframe in the Input Sizing parameter.

3 Choose Change Dynamic Attributes.

The dynamic attributes interface controls animation behavior from the frame directly
under the playhead to the next frame.

Using Keyframes to Animate Grades 289

 4 Set the Start Dissolve value to 2. The almost-horizontal shape of the line at the start
indicates that the animation will be slow and gradual before it accelerates and finishes
in a linear fashion.

5 Click OK to confirm the change.

6 Play the clip and note the slow start to the animation. This small change makes the
simulated zooming effect more realistic, as if a camera operator was slowly rotating
the lens zoom and then sped it up toward the end.

Keyframe animation can take some getting used to, but in time, and with consistent
practice, generating keyframes and animating changes can become a common part of
your grading workflow.

Using Static Keyframes

When creating a new keyframe in the editor, the alternative to dynamic keyframes
are static keyframes. Static keyframes don’t animate the change between values;
instead, they abruptly change the value when the playhead reaches them.

You can combine static and dynamic keyframes within a single animation, such
as when a change needs to be gradual but then abruptly appear/disappear at the
start or end of the animation—for example, a lightbulb that turns on abruptly and
then gradually increases in brightness and temperature over time.

290 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

Applying Noise Reduction
DaVinci Resolve’s noise reduction feature runs on a powerful video engine that can
distinguish noise from environmental data by performing a temporal analysis of the
video frames. This feature allows for a strong reduction of noise while preserving a
high level of detail in the subjects of an image. Applying the additional spatial method
of noise reduction further cleans up the image by analyzing and removing repeating
noise patterns.

NOTE DaVinci Resolve Studio is required to complete the following exercise.

1 Continue to work on clip 01 in the Project 03 - The Long Workday timeline.

2 Drag the playhead to the last frame of the clip to work on the scene at its brightest.

Because of the low-light conditions in which this footage was captured, the
brightening of the gamma has revealed digital noise in the shadows and midtones.

3 For a better view of the noise detail in the image, increase the viewer Zoom (between
100%–150%).

4 Create a new serial node after Sunrise (node 03) and label it Denoise.

Applying Noise Reduction 291

 5 Open the Motion Effects palette.

This palette is divided into three control areas:

— Temporal NR analyzes the video across several frames to detect moving subjects
and backgrounds. It excludes moving elements from the most aggressive noise
reduction processing to prevent unwanted blurring of vital information.
— Spatial NR softens high-frequency noise while retaining the data in levels of high
detail. This tool is extremely effective for reducing fine-grain noise that Temporal
NR missed.
— Motion Blur is not a noise-reduction tool but uses the same analytical engine
as Temporal NR to produce its results. This tool helps make action shots more
dynamic by adding artificial motion blur to moving subjects.

6 Under Temporal NR, you will first need to choose the number of frames that will be
averaged to separate the subject detail from the noise. For this shot, which features no
camera movement or moving subjects, an analysis of 2 frames is sufficient.

The higher the number, the more accurate the analysis will be, but at the expense of
extra processing time. However, a higher analysis rate could also produce artifacts in
shots with overlapping moving subjects.

7 The Mo. Est. Type (Motion Estimation Type) setting enables you to indicate the method
used to detect motion in the image. A setting of Faster prioritizes speed of output over
quality, whereas Better produces a finer result at the expense of extra processing
time. When there is no movement in a shot, choose None to exclude motion analysis
from the result and apply noise reduction to the entire image.

For clip 01, choose Better. This will prevent the ripples in the water from being too
aggressively denoised and will take into account the Input Sizing animation.

8 Motion Range allows you to indicate the speed at which the subjects are moving to
exclude areas with motion blur from the noise reduction effect.

Clip 01 has almost no motion, so Small is a good choice.

292 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

9 The Temporal Threshold controls how aggressively noise reduction is applied to
luma and chroma levels. By default, these options are linked, but if the image has
monochromatic noise (or vice versa), it’s advisable to unlink the two parameters and
target the luma/chroma noise directly.

This setting will activate noise reduction in the image, so you can begin by entering
any number and then dragging left or right to increase or decrease the effect.

Enter 15.0 as the starting Threshold.

10 To see how much the Temporal NR is affecting the image, you can use the Highlight
tool to assess the pixel difference.

In the viewer, enable Highlight mode.

11 In the upper right of the viewer, click the A/B icon to activate the Difference mode.

The patterns you see in the viewer show the amount of noise that has been removed
from the original image.

12 When you start to recognize the dark outlines of objects in the noise pattern, it is an
indication that the noise reduction has become so aggressive that it is now removing
legitimate visual information.

Drag the Threshold left (5.0) until only noise remains.

Good noise reduction Overly aggressive noise reduction

13 The Motion value acts as a pivot for the point at which moving objects are excluded
from noise reduction. A lower value excludes larger areas of the image, whereas a
higher value assumes less motion and targets more of the image.

Very little motion occurs in the image, so a high Motion value of 60.0 is appropriate.

14 The Blend value allows you to blend the original image back into the noise-reduced
version. This adjustment can be helpful when noise reduction gets too aggressive, and
areas of the image take on a plastic appearance.

Leave Blend unchanged for this clip.

Applying Noise Reduction 293

 15 Disable the Highlight view and toggle the Grade Bypass to compare the image before
and after Temporal NR.

The noise reduction is substantial. However, you still have room for improvement by
reducing the more generic noise patterns in the image.

NOTE Temporal NR avoids aggressive noise reduction in moving elements

by analyzing the content of a scene. For this reason, it is optimal when applied
to locked shots. In a shot with quick pans or handheld camera motion, every
element will be moving, which partially defeats the purpose of the Temporal
NR analysis.

16 Under Spatial NR, set the reduction mode to Better.

As with Motion Estimation Type, this setting is responsible for determining the speed/
quality of the final output; although, in this case, Faster, Better, and Enhanced all refer
to different analysis algorithms.

17 The Radius value indicates the area of the image that is analyzed to determine the
noise type within the frame.

To begin, set the Radius to Small. When reviewing the final result, switch between
Radius sizes to check whether the Spatial NR is substantially improved. With most
noise types, Small is sufficient.

18 As with the Temporal NR, the Luma and Chroma Threshold settings determine the
intensity of the noise reduction.

Change the Luma and Chroma Threshold settings to 40.0 to see a further reduction in
the remaining image noise.

Before noise reduction After noise reduction

294 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

19 Press Command-D (macOS) or Ctrl-D (Windows) to bypass the Denoise node and
compare the image before and after noise reduction. Pay particular attention to the
preservation of the fine detail in the image—like the Ferris wheel spokes and the
windows in the buildings of the skyline.

TIP Noise Reduction is available in the Effects Library under the Resolve FX
Revival category and features all the same settings. You can use it to apply
noise reduction to clips directly in the edit or cut page timelines.

Before moving on, it would be worthwhile to check whether changing the location of
the Denoise node could improve the noise reduction.

20 Select the Denoise node and press E to extract it from the pipeline.

21 Drag the Denoise node to the link between the RGB input and node 01 (Normal).
Doing so will perform noise reduction on the original RGB signal before any grading or
animation takes place.

In this instance, the change softens the impact of the noise reduction and produces a
better visual output.

22 Disable the Denoise node before moving to the next exercise.

It’s always advisable to use a dedicated node for noise reduction. After the noise is
reduced to a satisfactory level, you can opt to disable the Denoise node to reduce the
amount of processing and caching that takes place while you proceed with the rest of the
grading process. Bear in mind, however, that a substantially noise-reduced signal might
have an observable impact on subsequent nodes, especially chroma- and luma-key based
ones like the qualifier. In such cases, it is recommended to keep the Denoise node active to
get a more accurate representation of your final look.

Where Should You Place the Noise Reduction Node?

Applying NR at the start of the node tree is advisable because it analyzes and
affects the original RGB data to reduce noise. However, this placement may
potentially impact the precision of key-based selection tools (HSL curves or
qualifier, for example) or introduce artifacting too early in the node pipeline.

Applying noise reduction at the end of the node tree can bypass these issues (if
they are present) but can also result in a slightly less detailed image. When unsure,
experiment with the placement of the NR node in the Node Editor until you find
the optimal position.

Applying Noise Reduction 295

 Optimizing Performance
with Render Cache
Almost anyone who has done graphic-intensive work on a computer will be familiar with
the frustration of experiencing lag when the workstation is incapable of processing the
data in real time.

DaVinci Resolve offers a variety of methods for improving workstation performance.

For example, by reducing the playback resolution, generating Proxy Media, or using
transcoded media workflows, you can change the size of the footage to ensure faster
playback during editing and grading.

Another powerful method for increasing playback speed is allowing DaVinci Resolve to
render your footage while the application is otherwise inactive. You can then play the
cached media without the need to render effects-heavy clips in real time. The caching
mechanism in DaVinci Resolve is made up of three independent stages that prompt
a render based on various criteria. This allows DaVinci Resolve to monitor each clip
and timeline and only cache renders when they meet one or more of the cache level
requirements. In order, these levels are:

— Fusion Output Caching

— Node Caching
— Color Output Caching (optional)
— Sequence Caching

Enabling Smart Cache

Caching in DaVinci Resolve can occur on the timeline, clip, or even on the node level.
Additionally, cache rendering can occur automatically, if meeting the criteria determined by
the Smart Cache feature, or manually, as determined by the user. You will experience most
of these cache levels in the next few exercises.

1 Enter the edit page.

2 If you have not done so in Lesson 7, enable caching by choosing Playback > Render
Cache > Smart.

The first level at which caching takes place is known as Fusion Output Caching,
previously known as source caching. Its name refers to the position in the video
signal’s order of operations that prompts the cache. After media is imported and
added to a timeline, its signal flows from the edit page to the Fusion page and is then

296 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties

 routed back to the edit page at the end of the Fusion pipeline, prompting this first
caching stage. When in Smart Cache mode, Fusion Output Caches are generated
for processor-intensive video media codecs such as H.265/HEVC and most raw
camera formats.

The Project 03 - The Long Workday timeline uses media compressed in an

intermediary codec (DNxHR) that is already optimized for editing; therefore, the
program is able to play it in real time without triggering Fusion Output Cache. You’ll
have a chance to observe this level of caching in Lesson 9, where you will be working
with raw media.

Generating a Node Cache

Node caching occurs in the Node Editor of the color page after the application of grades
and effects. Like with Fusion Output Caching, when Smart Cache is enabled, rendering
occurs only when DaVinci Resolve deems the node processes to be intensive.

1 Enter the color page.

2 In the interface toolbar, ensure that the Timeline button is enabled. This will display the
Mini timeline, in which you can observe the video tracks and cache processes.

3 Select clip 01 in the Thumbnail timeline.

4 The Denoise node was disabled in the previous exercise. Click the Denoise node name
to enable it.

The timecode above the clip thumbnail turns red to indicate that it is in the process
of caching. In the Node Editor, the Denoise node name and number turn red for the
same reason.

The cache line in the Mini timeline will eventually turn blue as caching is completed.

5 In the Motion Effects palette, raise the Spatial Threshold by 1 point (41.0).

Optimizing Performance with Render Cache 297

 This prompts a re-cache of the entire node. With caching enabled, the smallest change
to any cache-qualifying element will always prompt a re-cache, as the program needs
to produce a new rendered version of the video with the new effect parameters.

NOTE If the node fails to render and turn blue, it’s possible that the project
does not have a cache location. To fix this, enter the Project Settings, and in the
Master Settings, scroll down to the Working Folders. Ensure that the Cache files
location is set up and has write access.

You will now observe how changes to the node pipeline impact cached nodes.

6 Create a serial node after the Sunrise node and label it BW (node 04).

7 In the adjustment controls, drag the Sat value to 0.

Your image retains its sunrise animation, although it is now black and white. The BW
node does not turn red and will not require node caching because the standard
color grading tools in the color page are usually not intensive enough to disrupt
clip playback.

Adding the BW node has also not forced a re-cache of the Denoise node because
the noise reduction tool is not affected by changes made down the pipeline. If you
follow the path of the RGB signal, it is denoised before it is desaturated, so the same
denoised version of the cached render can continue to be used.

8 Click the Denoise node and press E to extract it.

9 Drag the node over the connection line at the end of the pipeline to place it after
the BW node.

The Denoise node turns red as it re-caches the new RGB signal.

298 Lesson 8 Adjusting Image Properties