DaVinci Resolve Beginner Blueprint Capstone: Finish a Complete Project From Import to Export

Capstone Overview: Your 60–90 Second Finish

This capstone is a guided, start-to-finish build that combines everything you already know into one repeatable workflow. You will create a 60–90 second video with:

• Consistent color across shots (no obvious exposure/white balance jumps)
• Readable titles (safe margins, sufficient contrast, consistent timing)
• Balanced audio (dialogue intelligible, music supportive, no clipping)
• Two exports: a high-quality master and a lightweight review file

What you need (assets)

• 6–12 short clips (mix of A-roll and B-roll)
• Optional: 1 music track, 1–3 sound effects
• Optional: 1 logo (PNG with transparency)
• A simple script or outline (3 beats: hook → body → close)

Technical targets (use these as your acceptance criteria)

Milestone 1 — Project Setup (Keep It Simple, Keep It Consistent)

You already know how to create projects and set timeline settings. In this capstone, the goal is consistency: pick one format and stick to it so you don’t fight mismatched frame rates, scaling, or color management mid-edit.

Milestone actions

• Create a new project named with a clear pattern, e.g. Capstone_YourName_v01.
• Create one timeline for the final edit (avoid multiple timelines unless you truly need them).
• Confirm timeline resolution and frame rate match your primary camera footage.
• Confirm monitoring is Rec.709 (or your course’s standard) so what you see is predictable.

Checkpoint — Project Setup (Pass Criteria)

• Project opens with a single main timeline.
• Timeline settings match the majority of your footage (no unexpected speed changes).
• You can play a clip in the timeline without dropped frames (or you’ve enabled optimized media/proxies if needed).

Milestone 2 — Organize Media for Speed (Not Perfection)

Since media organization is already covered, here you focus on a capstone-ready structure: just enough bins and naming to prevent mistakes during finishing (titles, color, audio, exports).

Milestone actions

• Create bins: 01_A-Roll, 02_B-Roll, 03_Audio, 04_Music, 05_GFX, 06_Exports.
• Mark 6–12 selects (favorites) you’re confident you’ll use.
• Identify your “hero” A-roll line(s): 1–3 sentences that define the story.

Checkpoint — Media Organization (Pass Criteria)

• All assets are in the right bins and play correctly.
• You have at least 6 usable clips selected and one music option ready.
• You can locate any asset in under 10 seconds.

Milestone 3 — Rough Cut (Story First, Polish Later)

Rough cut means: assemble the story in order, hit your target duration, and ensure the viewer understands the message. Do not chase perfect trims yet; you’re building a complete watchable version.

Milestone actions

• Place A-roll in a clean story order (hook → body → close).
• Insert B-roll to cover jump cuts and add visual clarity.
• Keep transitions minimal; prioritize clarity and pacing.
• Get the timeline to 60–90 seconds even if it’s rough.

Practical pacing guide (quick heuristic)

• If it feels slow: shorten pauses, cut repeated ideas, add a cutaway.
• If it feels rushed: remove one idea, add a breath, or use fewer shots per sentence.

Checkpoint — Edit Page (Rough Cut Pass Criteria)

• Timeline plays start-to-finish with no missing media.
• Duration is between 60 and 90 seconds.
• Story is understandable without any titles or color work.

Milestone 4 — Refine Trims and Lock Picture (Make It Feel Intentional)

Now you turn “watchable” into “tight.” This is where you commit to timing so titles, color, and audio don’t keep shifting.

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Milestone actions

• Refine trims on dialogue for natural rhythm (remove dead air, keep intentional pauses).
• Check cut points on motion (cut on action where possible).
• Stabilize pacing: avoid rapid random cuts unless stylistic.
• Do a full-screen playback review and note fixes in a short list (3–10 items).
• When satisfied, treat the edit as picture lock (no more structural changes unless critical).

Picture lock checklist

• No placeholder shots remain.
• B-roll covers the most distracting jump cuts.
• All clips are intentional; nothing is “just filler.”

Checkpoint — Edit Page (Refinement Pass Criteria)

• You can watch without wanting to change shot order.
• No accidental flash frames, gaps, or unintended black frames.
• You have a short, actionable notes list and you’ve completed it.

Milestone 5 — Add Titles (Fusion) That Support the Story

You’ve already learned how to build titles in Fusion. In the capstone, focus on consistency and readability: one style, used with purpose.

Milestone actions

• Add 1 opening title (project/topic) and 1 lower third (speaker/name or key point).
• Keep typography consistent: one font family, consistent sizes, consistent alignment.
• Ensure titles sit inside safe margins and remain readable over bright/dark footage.
• Time titles to appear after the viewer has visual context (often 6–12 frames after a cut).

Practical title timing example

• Opening title: 2.0–3.5 seconds.
• Lower third: 3.0–5.0 seconds, then fade/animate out cleanly.

Checkpoint — Fusion (Pass Criteria)

• Titles are readable at 100% viewer size (not just zoomed in).
• No title overlaps critical on-screen content (faces, key objects).
• All title animations are smooth and do not distract from dialogue.

Milestone 6 — Basic Color Correction and Shot Matching (Color Page)

Color work in this capstone is about consistency, not heavy stylization. Your viewer should not notice color changes between angles; they should notice the story.

Milestone actions

• Pick one representative “best” shot as your reference (good exposure, pleasing skin tones).
• Balance each shot to neutral: exposure, contrast, and white balance aligned to the reference.
• Use scopes to confirm you’re not clipping highlights or crushing shadows.
• Do a quick shot-to-shot pass: toggle between adjacent clips and correct obvious jumps.
• If you apply a simple look, apply it gently and consistently across the timeline.

Shot matching micro-workflow (repeat per clip)

1. Match exposure (lift/gamma/gain or primary wheels).
2. Match white balance (temperature/tint or offset).
3. Match saturation (avoid one shot looking “gray” or “neon”).
4. Re-check scopes and compare to reference.

Checkpoint — Color (Pass Criteria)

• No shot looks noticeably warmer/cooler than the next unless motivated.
• Skin tones look natural across the sequence.
• Highlights are controlled (no harsh clipping) and shadows retain detail.

Milestone 7 — Clean and Balance Audio (Fairlight)

Audio finishing is where beginner projects often fall apart. Your goal: clean dialogue, controlled dynamics, and music that supports without competing.

Milestone actions

• Identify your primary audio: dialogue/voiceover should lead the mix.
• Clean obvious issues: remove hums, reduce noise if needed, and cut unwanted bumps/clicks.
• Balance levels: dialogue consistent clip-to-clip; music lowered under speech.
• Add gentle dynamics control if needed (light compression) and prevent clipping (limiter on the bus if appropriate).
• Do a “small speaker test”: play back quietly; dialogue should remain intelligible.

Practical mixing targets (web-friendly)

• Dialogue: consistent perceived loudness; avoid big jumps between sentences.
• True peak: keep below −1 dBTP.
• Integrated loudness: aim around −16 to −14 LUFS for general web delivery (adjust to your platform needs).

Checkpoint — Fairlight (Pass Criteria)

• Dialogue is intelligible without straining, even at low volume.
• No audible clipping or harsh distortion on loud words.
• Music never masks key words; transitions between sections feel smooth.

Milestone 8 — Deliver Two Export Versions (Master + Review)

You already know delivery settings. Here you’ll produce two purposeful outputs: a high-quality master for archiving/future edits, and a smaller review file for sharing.

Export version A: High-quality master

• Use a high-quality codec suitable for mastering (your course standard).
• Match timeline resolution and frame rate.
• Audio: high quality, consistent sample rate, peaks controlled.
• Name example: Capstone_YourName_MASTER_v01

Export version B: Lightweight review file

• Use an efficient codec for easy playback/streaming (your course standard).
• Consider a lower bitrate while keeping text readable and motion clean.
• Name example: Capstone_YourName_REVIEW_v01

Quality control checklist before you render

• Watch full timeline once: check titles, color consistency, and audio balance.
• Confirm no offline media, missing fonts, or muted tracks.
• Confirm in/out range is correct (entire timeline or intended range).

Checkpoint — Deliver (Pass Criteria)

• You exported two files: MASTER and REVIEW, both play correctly.
• Video: correct resolution/frame rate; no unexpected letterboxing/cropping.
• Audio: present on export, balanced, no clipping, consistent loudness.

Final Deliverable Validation (Use This as Your Grading Rubric)