Blackmagic Design announces DaVinci Resolve 18 with cloud-based workflows

Blackmagic Design has unveiled DaVinci Resolve 18, a major new cloud collaboration update which allows multiple editors, colourists, VFX artists and audio engineers to work simultaneously on the same project, on the same timeline, anywhere in the world.

DaVinci Resolve 18 supports Blackmagic Cloud for hosting and sharing projects, as well as a new DaVinci proxy workflow. This update also includes new Resolve FX AI tools powered by the DaVinci Neural Engine, as well as time saving tools for editors, Fairlight legacy fixed bus to FlexBus conversion and GPU accelerated paint in Fusion.

DaVinci Resolve 18 is a major release featuring cloud-based workflows for a new way to collaborate remotely. Customers can host project libraries using Blackmagic Cloud and collaborate on the same timeline, in real time, with multiple users globally. The Blackmagic Proxy generator automatically creates proxies linked to camera originals, for a faster editing workflow. There are new Resolve FX such as ultra beauty and 3D depth map and improved subtitling for editors.

The new Blackmagic Proxy Generator app automatically creates and manages proxies from camera originals. Create a watch folder and new media is automatically converted into H.264, H.265 or Apple ProRes proxies to accelerate editing workflows. Customers can extract proxies into a separate folder for offline work.

Users can switch between camera original footage and proxies in a single click. With Blackmagic Proxy generated proxies, DaVinci Resolve knows where in the file tree to find them, instantly linking to the camera originals in the media pool. Edit with proxies, then relink to camera originals to grade.

DaVinci Resolve 18 adds intelligent media location management, so that when users are collaborating they can quickly link media to their unique file paths – they don’t need to manually relink or search for assets when working remotely.

The collaboration update also provides major performance enhancements if customers are using a secure private network. They can get immediate updates of editorial and colour changes when collaborating on a remotely hosted projects and creative decisions can be made in real time based on the latest changes.

DaVinci Resolve 18 also features new tools for colourists. Located in the magic mask palette, the new object mask is able to recognise and track the movement of thousands of unique objects. The DaVinci Neural Engine intuitively isolates animals, vehicles, people and food, plus countless other elements for advanced secondary grading and effects application.

The depth map effect lets users instantly generate a 3D depth matte of a scene to quickly grade the foreground separately from the background, and vice versa. Customers can bring attention to action in the foreground, help interview subjects stand out, or add atmosphere in the background of a scene.

Ultra beauty gives users advanced control over a subject when performing corrective beauty work. Developed with professional colourists, the tool helps to address general imperfections by smoothing skin and then recovering detail to produce natural and complimentary results to the subject.

Subtitle support has been expanded to include TTML and XML timed texts and embedded MXF/IMF subtitles. View and import subtitles from media storage, create regions to support multiple simultaneous captions per track, and set individual presets and text positions when indicating different speakers.

A new 5×5 option in the multicam viewer allows users to view up to 25 different angles in a single multicam clip at the same time. Ideal for large multicam projects, this makes viewing, cutting and switching between more angles easier, rather than moving between pages to see different angles.

In DaVinci Resolve 18, GPU acceleration allows paint brush strokes to be generated and displayed in real time, for a more intuitive approach when performing cover up work or graphic design. Instant visual feedback allows customers to assess their work and make corrections in any stroke style or shape.

Text, text+ and shape templates have improved speed and playback performance in DaVinci Resolve 18. New memory management and data handling means that Fusion templates are up to 200% faster. Customers can see accelerated results in the viewer and put together motion graphic compositions faster than ever.

FlexBus is Fairlight’s flexible audio busing and routing system designed for managing high track counts, extensive plug-in processing, synchronisation and multiple project deliverables. Now users can convert legacy fixed bus Fairlight projects to FlexBus with a single click.

The Dolby Atmos deliverable toolset has been expanded to support rendering of a binaural output from a complex Dolby Atmos mix. A Dolby 7.1.4 mix can be rendered to playback in a pair of headphones while maintaining the immersive sound experience from just two audio channels.

New options in the decompose menu enhance collaboration allowing editors to compile their work to a single timeline. Nested timelines can be decomposed with all track data including FX and automation. Assignments will connect using new busses, existing paths or new tracks can be left unpatched.

DaVinci Resolve supports the latest industry standard audio formats natively, including immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos, Auro 3D, MPEG-H, NHK 22.2, and SMPTE. The space view scope displays a real time view of every object and its relationship to the room and other objects in 3D space.

“This is a major release that totally revolutionises remote project collaboration using cloud-based workflows,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “With Blackmagic Cloud, customers can collaborate on the same timeline anywhere in the world. Imagine editing in Tokyo, while a colourist is grading in LA on the same timeline, at exactly the same time! The new DaVinci proxy workflow makes working with proxy files or camera originals seamless, relinking in just one click. I think it will be exciting to try out the new cloud collaboration workflow and I can’t wait to see how our customers collaborate with each other around the world.”