Blog Post #4 - Applying Learned Skills and Using DaVinci Resolve

Getting Familiar with the Software

Although I have done a lot of research about DaVinci Resolve, until this week, I hadn’t spent much time actually using the software. As a result, I spent this week practicing the skills I learned through Blackmagic Design’s tutorial videos. I used footage that I have captured from gameplay this keep because there are a variety of different types of clips. This allowed me to sort the files into categories using the tools found in the tutorials. Another reason I used these clips is that they are very casual clips that mostly only require cutting. Moreover, I am quite familiar with the clips that I used, so I was able to practice using DaVinci Resolve's color correction tools with video clips that I have a good reference for. By using clips I was comfortable with, I was able to familiarize myself with the program without becoming overwhelmed.

Figure 1: My timeline of this week's Genius Hour while working with video game clips (Donavan Moore, 2022).

Learning Shortcuts

I also spent some time getting familiar with the different shortcuts that were discussed in the previous week’s tutorial videos. Practicing these shortcuts made them feel much more natural throughout my genius hour and I believe they will really help me with efficiency for my final project. I have a Razer Viper Elite mouse that has multiple editable buttons. By using Razer’s Synapse 3 software, I was able to create a new profile so that I could make macros for my mouse [Figures 2 & 3]. I reassigned my editable buttons to macros that I made for shortcuts that I will often be using, such as switching to the razor tool, zooming in and out of my timeline, or scrolling horizontally in my timeline. Although it took me a while to set this up, I used these tools often and it will improve my workflow so I can spend more time focusing on creativity and refinement in my final project.

Figure 2: Macros for DaVinci Resolve shortcuts created using Razer Synapse. (Donavan Moore, 2022).

Figure 3: Macros for DaVinci Resolve shortcuts created using Razer Synapse. (Donavan Moore, 2022).

Learning New Tools:
While becoming more familiar with DaVinci Resolve, I also learned how to utilize different tools that will help me with my final project. For example, I learned how and when to use the different trimming and blade tools, how to insert and replace clips, linking clips, etc. [Figure 4]. I also learned how to change the speed of the clips, while also ensuring that I do not make changes to the framerate of my timeline or make any changes to the clip's original framerates [Figure 5]. This was initially a struggle for me because I was having pitch shifts in the audio. However, after referring back to the tutorials from the previous week, I learned how to make changes to clip speeds without impacting audio. These are all tools that I will be using frequently while editing my final project. 

Figure 4: Tools found in DaVinci Resolve. (Donavan Moore, 2022).

Figure 5: "Change Clip Speed" tool in DaVinci Resolve. (Donavan Moore, 2022).

Future Processes:
Next Genius Hour, I will be using what I learned from this week and the previous week and applying it to my final project. I will insert my travel clips into DaVinci Resolve and cut the clips to create meaning from them. I would also like to work on color-correcting the travel clips that I have to make them more uniform because many of them were taken at different times and on different devices. I would also like to utilize audio within my edit to inspire my travel video project (such as having cuts go with the music). I will likely need to refer back to the tutorial videos from last week in order to remind myself about useful tools, as well as look for third-party tutorials on YouTube to help me with any troubleshooting or assistance in using the software. I look forward to working on my final project for my next session. 



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