Davinci Resolve Day 2: Fusion

Objectives

  • Node system
  • Node Effects
  • Merge Nodes
  • Masks
  • Keyframes

Practice Files: Davinci Day 2 Files

Outline

The Fusion Tab

  • Fusion is the way Davinci does effects but swaps out Premiere’s Layer system for a more complicated but also more powerful node system
  • Fusion can be used to add graphics, text, effects, compositing, etc.
  • Go to fusion tab to work from timeline clips OR right click in edit tab media pool and add “new fusion composition” then go to fusion to work from scratch
  • Top two panels: BOTH viewer panels (unlike edit tab)
  • Bottom panel: Node Graph

Editing Nodes

  • Davinci interprets the effects applied to a clip through flowcharts
    • Yellow triangle: Input
    • Grey square: Output
    • Blue triangle: Mask input
  • Each node is an instruction to fusion
    • for example:
    • “Media in” = grab clip from timeline
    • “Media out” = render
  • Add nodes to flowchart by dragging and dropping from toolbar or effects panel
    • Does nothing yet because it is not connected to flowchart
  • Break connection by clicking on right side of yellow/blue line
  • Drag from grey square of “media in” to yellow triangle of new effect, connect effect to “media out” the same way
  • Have students add blur node (droplet icon on toolbar) to a clip
  • Effect settings are adjusted in inspector tab on right
  • Adjust blur size
  • When you return to the edit page the changes will be applied

Merge

  • To add multiple effects you have to merge
  • Drag in second effect
  • Add “merge nodes” effect (overlapping rectangles with arrow icon on toolbar)
  • Connect merge between effect 1 and media out
  • Connect effect 2 grey square to merge node green input triangle
  • OR
  • Drag in second effect
  • Connect grey output square of effect 2 to grey output square of effect 1
  • Merge node will be automatically added
  • Have students add text effect on top of blurred clip

Masks

  • What are masks:
    • a way to apply effects to a specific outlined area
  • Add effect (like before)
  • Grab mask shape from toolbar and drag on to graph
  • OR
  • Select node then click mask shape
  • Mask shapes
    • Rectangle
    • Ellipse
    • Polygon
    • B-spline
  • Have students add background effect (merge between ‘blur1’ and ‘text1’)
  • Apply mask in rectangle around text
  • Edit effect in inspector
  • Edit mask in inspector or on viewer
  • Edit effect settings and mask shape

Keyframing

  • What are keyframes:
    • a snapshot that defines the starting and ending points of a smooth animation
  • Diamond on right of settings in inspector = keyframe
  • Move playhead to start of animation
  • Click keyframe and set setting in inspector
  • Move playhead to end of animation and change setting
  • Fusion moves smoothly from start to end
  • Add as many keyframes as necessary
  • Connect one mask to two nodes
  • Have students keyframe rectangle mask to appear from center
  • One mask can be applied to multiple nodes
    • Grab maks output again and drag to new effect input
    • Apply rectangle mask with animation to text so that both appear from center

Spline

  • What is spline:
    • animation curve or graph of how your keyframe animation is changing
  • Go to spline (tab at top right)
  • Bottom right: graph of animation
  • Click zoom to fit button
  • Select keyframe and adjust graph- ease in, ease out, etc
  • Close spline

(Helpful video for lesson prep)