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DaVinci Resolve Edit Page — Layout and Purpose

• 3 mins read

For most of the editors, the DaVinci Resolve Edit Page will be the core workspace. Why so? It’s designed specifically to accommodate a range of editing tasks from basic assembly to complex, layered editing and finishing. Here, you’ll find everything needed to import, edit, trim, and finalize your video projects efficiently.

Summary

  1. The Media Pool
  2. Viewers
  3. Timeline
  4. Additional Features

The Media Pool

On the left side of the Edit Page, you find the browsers, which include the Media Pool. This feature makes organizing and accessing all of the media files and timelines within a project much easier. The Media Pool (which, by default, includes a “Master” bin) displays a hierarchical list of bins that you can keep adding to, to make the organizing part of the work much less painful to deal with. 

Viewers

At the top of the Edit Page, you encounter the dual viewer setup, comprising the Source Viewer and the Timeline Viewer. 

The Source Viewer is used to preview individual clips before they are added to the timeline, making it easier to select the perfect takes. Conversely, the Timeline Viewer shows you the output from the timeline at the position of the playhead, reflecting any edits or color grading applied. A/B testing, fine-tuning figuring out transitions, you name it, are much easier with this dual-view setup.

If a lack of space or one’s preference dictates a simpler setup, that’s not a problem. The Single Viewer Mode will enable itself, as soon as you open another tab (e.g. an Inspector Panel) in the top right corner.

Timeline

The Timeline is arguably the heart of the DaVinci Resolve Edit Page. It’s where all elements of your video are assembled and adjusted to create the final product. The timeline supports a mixture of video and audio tracks that can be independently manipulated. Here, you can perform a range of editing tasks from basic cuts to complex composites and adjustments. Each track has its own set of controls which makes up for precise management of track layers, effects, and overall composition.

The Timeline’s functionality is extended with various tools located in the toolbar above it, which enable different editing operations such as trimming, cutting, and more. Moreover, the Timeline View Options allow customization of how tracks are displayed, which can help in managing complex projects with multiple layers of video and audio.

Additional Features

  • Effects Library: Accessible from the Edit Page, houses transitions, effects, titles, and filters, waking up the creative side of every editor.
  • Inspector: Can be toggled on the right side. It offers detailed control over the properties of the selected clip or effect, providing tools for compositing, transformation, cropping, and more.

The Edit Page in DaVinci Resolve is a dynamic environment that supports a wide range of post-production tasks. Its design is thoughtful, yet not scraped out of powerful tools. You could be editing your first video or your hundredth, it’s a great place to be.

Is this all you have to know? Far from it, but it’s something to get you started.