davinci-resolve

DaVinci Resolve

Overview

Automate DaVinci Resolve — the professional NLE with built-in color grading, Fusion VFX, and Fairlight audio. This skill covers the Resolve Scripting API (Python and Lua) for programmatic control of projects, timelines, media pools, color grades, render jobs, and Fusion compositions. Build batch workflows, automate repetitive edits, manage render queues, and integrate Resolve into production pipelines.

Instructions

Step 1: Scripting API Setup

Resolve must be running. Scripts run from the Workspace > Scripts menu or the Console need no setup. For a script launched from a terminal, enable it in Resolve under Preferences > System > General > "External scripting using" (Local), and set these variables (values from Blackmagic's README):

# Linux (use /home/resolve instead of /opt/resolve on some ISO installs)
export RESOLVE_SCRIPT_API="/opt/resolve/Developer/Scripting"
export RESOLVE_SCRIPT_LIB="/opt/resolve/libs/Fusion/fusionscript.so"

User scripts placed in ~/.local/share/DaVinciResolve/Fusion/Scripts/Utility (Linux; the macOS and Windows equivalents are in the README) appear under Workspace > Scripts. scriptapp returns None when Resolve is not running or external scripting is off. Studio-only calls (some AI features) return False on the free edition.

Step 2: Project & Media Pool

Step 3: Timeline Operations

Step 4: Color Grading Automation

SetLUT belongs to the node graph, not the clip, and SetCDL takes strings. Node indexes are 1-based.

graph.ApplyGradeFromDRX(path, gradeMode) applies an exported still (gradeMode 0 = no keyframes). There is no ApplyGradeFromTimelineClip.

Step 5: Render Queue & Batch Export

Load a preset first, then override settings, then queue. AddRenderJob() returns a job id string.

Other keys: MarkIn/MarkOut, FormatWidth, FormatHeight, FrameRate, VideoQuality, AudioCodec, ColorSpaceTag. Codec and container: project.GetRenderFormats(), GetRenderCodecs(fmt), SetCurrentRenderFormatAndCodec(fmt, codec). project.RenderWithQuickExport(preset, {"TargetDir": ..., "CustomName": ...}) runs a Quick Export preset on the current timeline.

Step 6: Fusion Scripting & Integration

Timeline import/export:

Examples

Example 1: Batch render all projects in a database folder as ProRes 422 HQ

User prompt: "Write a Python script that loops through every project in the current Resolve database folder, renders each timeline as ProRes 422 HQ to /mnt/renders/harbour-doc/assembly-v1/ (project then timeline name), and prints a summary when done."

The agent will write a script that calls GetProjectListInCurrentFolder(), iterates through each project with LoadProject(), loops over timelines with GetTimelineByIndex(), applies LoadRenderPreset(...) (or SetCurrentRenderFormatAndCodec with a codec from GetRenderCodecs("mov")) and SetRenderSettings and a target directory based on project and timeline names, adds render jobs, collects the ids returned by AddRenderJob(), calls StartRendering(job_ids), polls IsRenderingInProgress() in a loop, and prints completion stats.

Example 2: Apply a LUT and color grade to all clips on the first video track

User prompt: "I have a FilmLook.cube LUT at /home/editor/luts/FilmLook.cube. Write a Resolve script that applies this LUT to node 1 of every clip on video track 1, then bumps saturation to 1.15 and adds a slight warm offset."

The agent will create a Python script that switches to the Color page with resolve.OpenPage("color"), gets all items from video track 1, applies the LUT via item.GetNodeGraph().SetLUT(1, "/home/editor/luts/FilmLook.cube"), then calls item.SetCDL() with "Saturation": "1.15" and "Offset": "0.01 0.005 0.0" (string values) on each clip.

Guidelines

• DaVinci Resolve must be running; scripts connect to the active instance and cannot launch Resolve headlessly. For scripts started outside the app, external scripting must be set to Local in Preferences, and RESOLVE_SCRIPT_API/RESOLVE_SCRIPT_LIB set (Step 1). Treat "Network" as a security risk
• Call pm.SaveProject() (a ProjectManager method) after making changes to avoid losing work if Resolve or the script crashes
• Setting values are strings: project.SetSetting("timelineFrameRate", "24"), and CDL values are space-separated strings. Check every returned Bool; most calls return False or None instead of raising
• Use project.GetRenderJobStatus() in a polling loop with time.sleep() to monitor renders rather than blocking indefinitely
• Fusion scripting coordinates use normalized values (0.0 to 1.0) for position, not pixel values, so Center = {"x": 0.5, "y": 0.9} means horizontally centered and near the bottom