Along with straight up creative cutting, I also online edit and color correct.  This started years back when I started using FCP. The show I was on had a preliminary color pass to show the network…PROVE to the network, that we could mix the full sized tape based Panasonic Varicam, and the newly introduced HVX-200.  That grade was done on a full scale, tape to tape DaVinci system. I looked at what was done, and said, “I can do that.”

Now, I’m no stranger to online and color correction, not at that point. I was an assistant online editor for many shows, and I learned from talented people. This was the first time I decided to take it on myself. At that time, I used the simple 3-way color corrector and a little product by Red Giant software…Magic Bullet Editors.

From onlining and grading a special here and there, I landed a full year job grading two series and a handful of specials. At that time I used Apple Color. I still used that from time to time, on every FCP job that landed on my desk. But I also started digging into Avid Symphony…as more and more jobs coming my way were Avid based.

But now I have a job coming my way that’s shot on 4K, but needs a 1080p finish…with the ability to revisit it later at 4K.  The network stated that Resolve would be the better solution for the task, so now I’m learning DaVinci Resolve.

And it’s about time!  I’ve had it in my tool belt for a couple years now….Resolve 9.  I won a copy of it a couple summers back doing the first #Postchat scavenger hunt. And I’ve sat on it, never needing to use it. I always kept referring to Color or Symphony. I never needed to use Resolve to convert footage, or do a final grade. Sure, I COULD have…but I’ll admit, I was lazy…other tools did the job just fine. But now I needed to use Resolve…I just needed to figure out how to use it.

For that I turned to the Ripple Training tutorials of my friend Alexis Hurkman.  In a few hours, spread over a couple days, I got up to speed. It’s about time.

OH…and while I had DaVinci Resolve 9…a couple years old of an app…I was able to upgrade to Resolve 11…FOR FREE.  And when Resolve 12 comes out…another free upgrade.  And Resolve Lite, that tops out at 1080 support, is still free.