When the time comes that you want to start clipping data in the highlights and shadows, as part of
a creative look, the Soft Clip controls let you introduce a subtle or large roll-off, compressing the
extremes of the signal so that what clipping you do is softer and more pleasing.
For more information about the Video Scopes, see Chapter 6, “Using Video Scopes.” For more
information about the Soft Clip controls, see Chapter 6, “Curves.

Never Stop Experimenting
So now that you’ve gotten an extremely brief overview of the grading process as seen through the
toolset of DaVinci Resolve, we invite you to use this manual to explore Resolve more thoroughly.
You may discover that, the more you work with the different features that are available, the more
unexpected uses you’ll find for different controls that you thought you knew well.
Have fun.

In this chapter, you’ll get a quick tour of the DaVinci Resolve interface, and learn the fundamentals of
where everything is. Working in DaVinci Resolve 9 can be as simple as following three simple steps;
import your media in the Media page, grade it in the Color page, and render it using the Deliver
page. Obviously, Resolve accommodates many more complex workflows, but the essence of any
workflow is to import, grade, and deliver.
Starting Resolve and Opening a New Project
When you first open DaVinci Resolve, the Log In screen lets you either create a new user account
with which to manage your projects, or you can log in quickly as the admin by simply double-clicking
on the admin icon. This lets multiple colorists use the same system in facility environments

After you log in, the Project window appears. Double-clicking the Default Project icon opens a
brand new project.

The Media Page
When you open a project, you’re immediately taken to the Media page, which is the first of the five
pages in the main DaVinci Resolve user interface.

The Media page is where you can import media that’s not associated with a previously edited
project. For example, if you’re grading media that’s coming straight from a shoot, in order to
generate digital dailies for editing, you would import all of the project’s camera original media into
the Media page first, in order to begin working with it.
The Media page consists of the Library, where you find media on disk to import; the Media Pool,
which lists all of the media that’s been added to the current project; the Viewer, where you can see
and play individual clips; the Metadata Editor, where you can edit information associated with each
clip, and the audio meters, which let you evaluate each clip’s audio levels.
In this example, the tutorial media you downloaded has been opened up in the Library and added
to the Media Pool by selecting the clips and dragging, or simply double click. Once in the Media
Pool it’s ready for you to begin working on it.

The Conform page consists of the Timelines list, which shows all of the Timelines within the current
project; the Media Pool as you saw on the Media page, where you can select media that you want
to edit into a Timeline; the Effects Pool, which shows all of the different video transitions that can
be used within Resolve; the Source and Record Viewers, which let you perform simple editing tasks;
and the Timeline, which shows you whatever is selected in the Timelines list.
In the current example, the Master Timeline is selected in the Timelines List, which displays every
single clip in the Media Pool, ready for you to work on.

The Color Page
The Color page is the heart of DaVinci Resolve, and it’s where all of the image adjustment tools and
functions are located.

The Color page consists of the Viewer, where you can see what you’re working on in the absence
of an external video monitor, and where you can sample the image and adjust various on screen
controls; the Gallery, where you can save reference stills and their associated grades for future use;
the Node Editor, where you add and manage the various adjustments that go into making a grade;
the Timeline, which lets you navigate your project and keep track of which clips have been worked
on; and finally the various palettes that let you make color, contrast, and effect adjustments.
Clicking the Color Wheels palette at the far left of the toolbar reveals the traditional lift, gamma,
and gain controls that you may be familiar with from other applications.

Clicking the “A” button at the bottom left of this palette lets you make an automatic grading
adjustment to neutralize the color and maximize the contrast.

Clicking the second clip in the Timeline. A rainbow indicator underneath the first clip shows that it’s been graded.

Clicking the second clip in the Timeline automatically updates every control in the Color page to
the settings used for that clip. Since it’s not yet been graded, all of the controls are at their neutral
default positions.
To make an adjustment to the contrast of this image, lightening it for example, you could drag the
Gamma Master wheel to the right, to lighten the midtones of the image, and drag the Lift Master
wheel to the left, to lower the darkest shadows again. The result is stretched contrast and an overall
lighter image.

Now, if you wanted to alter the color of the image, you could adjust one of the Color Balance
controls, for example the Gain control, pulling it towards blue to rebalance the lighter part of all
three color channels at once, “cooling” off the image.

Adjusting the Gain Color Balance control by dragging the balance towards blue