writing with a camera

Transition to Resolve

Transition to Resolve Train the Trainer Workshop

Thrown together by David Tamés, June 3, 2026

This page is a working draft and subject to change

Description

In this two-hour workshop for editing instructors with experience teaching with Adobe Premiere, we will cover the process of editing a short video using DaVinci Resolve. Emphasis will be placed on examining how DaVinci Resolve differs from, and is similar to, Adobe Premiere.

Outline

The Workshop outline provides a detailed topic outline. Given the short time frame, we will not cover the Cut page (streamlined editing similar to Final Cut Pro X), the Fusion page (node-based compositing, visual effects, and motion graphics environment) and the Fairlight page (audio editing and mixing environment similar to ProTools and Reaper). Basic titles, transitions, effects, and audio editing may be accomplished in the Edit page.

Workshop prerequisites

  • Watch Ultimate Beginners Tutorial DaVinci Resolve - Media, Edit, Color, Fusion and Cloud Introduction (Team 2 Films, 38 min., YouTube) before the workshop and write down any questions you have after watching.
  • A laptop with DaVinci Resolve installed, configured for 1080p editing, and tested that meets the requirements documented in the “Computer requirement” section below
  • Reference and sample media downloaded and “Resolve Transition” folder on the Desktop created as described in the “Reference and sample media” section below

Learning outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Navigate DaVinci Resolve’s page-based architecture and articulate how it differs from Premiere’s panel/workspace model.
    • Set up a project’s settings and user preferences, move fluently among the Media, Edit, Color, and Render pages, and explain to students why Resolve organizes the post-production workflow as discrete task-based pages rather than a single configurable workspace.
  2. Complete an end-to-end edit of a short video entirely within Resolve.
    • Ingest and log footage on the Media page, assemble and refine a sequence on the Edit page using basic transitions, effects, and audio editing, and produce a finished file on the Render page, demonstrating the full ingest-to-delivery round trip without leaving the application.
  3. Translate familiar Premiere concepts, terminology, and techniques into their Resolve equivalents.
    • Map common Premiere operations (importing and bins, the source/program model, applying transitions and effects, basic audio adjustments, and export presets) to the corresponding Resolve tools and vocabulary, and identify the points where the two applications diverge conceptually rather than merely cosmetically.
  4. Evaluate the pedagogical implications of teaching editing with Resolve and identify how Resolve will benefit students who continue their studies in media production and postproduction.
    • Perform a basic primary color correction and grade on the Color page, and use that and the broader workflow to anticipate which differences (page-based structure, the node-based Color page, the free/Studio model) are likely to benefit students in contrast to a Premiere-oriented curriculum.

Computer requirement

  • Your computer must meet the minimum system requirements listed in Minimum system requirements for DaVinci Resolve
    • Download DaVinci Resolve 20.3.3 (not Studio!) and install, configure, and test it before the workshop. Download this version from the Blackmagic Design Support Page and follow the steps outlined in The DaVinci Resolve 20 Beginner’s Guide
    • Wired headphones or earbuds are required for audio editing
    • A three-button mouse with a scroll-wheel is highly recommended

Reference and sample media

  • Our primary reference will be The DaVinci Resolve 20 Beginner’s Guide (Blackmagic Design) download PDF
  • Create a folder on the Desktop called “Resolve Transition”
  • Download the lesson media files from the DaVinci Resolve Training Page; on this page, scroll down the page until you locate Training Books ⇒ The Beginner’s Guide to DaVinci Resolve 20 and click on “Lesson Files, Part 1” to download the sample media which is packaged as a Zip archive, “R20_Beginners_Guide.zip” (4.7 GB)
  • Unpack the Zip archive and move the “R20 Beginners Guide” folder to the “Resolve Transition” folder
  • Place a copy of The DaVinci Resolve 20 Beginner’s Guide (PDF) in the “Resolve Transition” folder

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