Cut Page Interface

Getting Started in DaVinci Resolve (Part 4)

In this video, we take a look at the DaVinci Resolve Cut Page Interface.

Welcome back to part 4 of my getting started in DaVinci Resolve series.

In this video, we're going to be taking a look at the Cut page interface.

If you've missed the first few parts, you can go back and watch them here

The Cut Page

The cut page is designed for speed and it has everything you need to put a rough edit together quickly.

Not to be confused with the Edit page itself, where you will most likely be doing the majority of your editing.

There are three main areas on the cut page, the Media Pool, the Viewer, and the Timeline area.

Customising the UI

As with other menus in DaVinci Resolve, you are able to customise them to a certain extent to best suit your needs.

You can choose to right-click and select display Icons only in the top navigation menu if you prefer that view.

To change the size of the various panel areas, simply drag the dividing line between them. Alternatively, you can use the timeline handle to the right to adjust the size of the viewer.

You have the option to hide the Media Pool and show the sync bin, transitions, titles or effects menus.

You are also able to do a quick export directly from the Cut page, along with the ability to go full screen and show the inspector menu.

Resolution

It's important to choose the correct resolution for your project before you get started. Fortunately, on the Cut page, there is a quick menu to do this.

All you need to do is click on the drop-down menu to the top right of the viewer and select the desired resolution.

Media Pool

As mentioned in the previous video, The Media Pool will appear on the other pages within DaVinci Resolve, giving you easy access to everything you need for your project.

You have the option to choose how this appears by toggling between the different views:

• Metadata view

• Thumbnail view

• Filmstrip view

• List view

We all have our preferred methods of working with media, so choose the one which works best for you.

You can sort how the media is listed by selecting the drop-down menu to the top right of the Media Pool.

You can also use the search function if you know exactly what you are looking for.

The Viewer

As with other pages in Resolve, the viewer will display any media you select.

You will find the controls for the viewer and timeline just below the viewer itself, these include:

• Fast Review button - This is great for looking through lots of clips quickly.

• Tools button - This give access to several controls to manipulate clips in the timeline such as crop, speed and stabilisation.

• Jog control - This is best used when you need precise control for looking through clips

• Transport controls - These are your standard non-linear editing controls for playing back media.

• Mark In/Out - These buttons are used to mark in and out points for your clips, but I prefer to use the keyboard shortcuts "I" and "O"

• Playhead timecode - The numbers to the bottom right of the viewer are the playhead time code

If you've already done some work to your project, you can bypass Fusion and Color effects by toggling the button to towards the top right.

Audio Meter

To the right of the viewer, you will find the Audio Meter.

Timeline

Below the Media Pool and the Viewer, you will find the Timeline.

This is where you will start to put together your projects.

The timeline on the cut page is split into two sections, an upper and lower timeline.

The upper timeline displays an overview of the entire sequence whereas the lower timeline gives a more detailed display.

Clips can be dragged between the two timelines.

To the left of the timelines, you will find the locked or free playhead buttons.

The locked playhead will keep it positioned in the centre of the timeline and the free playhead option will let you move it around the timeline. There are times when you may prefer one over the other so the option is there should you need it.

Depending on what media you have in your timeline, it will be split into different tracks.

The controls for each track are on the left and you can use these track header controls to choose what track is selected, if the audio is muted or video displayed.

You would normally have your main footage or A-Roll on track 1 and your B-Roll on track 2 or above. The video on the highest track will display over the video on the lower tracks if they overlap.

You can choose to display only the video or audio by selecting the corresponding buttons to the left of the timeline panel.

Finally, below this, you have the timeline controls for snapping, Audio trim, Markers and adding a new track.

We will get into these more in the Editing section of this series.

In the next part, we'll be taking a look at the Edit Page Interface.

I hope you found this video useful, if you'd like to see more on Getting Started in DaVinci Resolve as well as Low Budget Cinematography tips, you can subscribe here if you haven't already.

I'll see you next time, take care.