Guide to Shot Matching in DaVinci Resolve
Shot matching In DaVinci Resolve
Is an essential skill for any colourist, especially when working on projects that require consistent visual storytelling. This guide will take you through the step-by-step process of shot matching using DaVinci Resolve, leveraging techniques outlined in the DaVinci Resolve 18 Colourist Guide. Whether you’re working on a narrative film, documentary, or any other video project, these steps will help you achieve seamless colour continuity.
Building a Shot-Matching Strategy
Your shot-matching strategy will depend greatly on the nature of your footage. For a narrative production with consistent lighting and camera settings, the process might be straightforward. However, documentaries or projects shot over multiple days with varying conditions may require more intricate preparation.
Balance All Shots in a Sequence: This approach involves normalising the luminance range and balancing every shot individually. It’s time-consuming but necessary for projects with mismatched media sources or lighting conditions.
Adjust Only Mismatched Shots: If only a few shots contrast with the rest of the sequence, focus on adjusting those specific shots. This method is more common in standard shot matching practices.
Select a Master Reference Shot: Choose a reference shot that will have the least extreme impact on the colour tone of other clips. A wide shot or establishing shot often serves well as it captures the overall lighting and colour of the scene.
Organising Shots Using Flags and Filters
Organising your shots can streamline the shot-matching process. Use flags and filters to categorise clips based on their needs, such as overexposed skies, green-screen keying, or dynamic grades. This helps you address specific categories of clips more efficiently.
Flagging Clips: Right-click on a clip in the timeline, select Flags, and choose a colour. Use different colours for different issues to easily identify and sort them.
Filtering Clips: In the Clips menu, choose to display only flagged clips, making it easier to focus on those that need attention.
Applying Shot Match
DaVinci Resolve’s Shot Match function can automatically match the colours of one clip to another. This tool is helpful for quickly establishing a baseline before manual adjustments.
Create a New Node: In the Node Editor, create a new serial node by right-clicking an existing node and selecting Add Node > Add Serial.
Label the Node: Right-click the new node, choose Node Label, and name it “Shot Match” for clarity.
Perform Shot Match: Right-click on the reference clip and select “Shot Match to This Clip.” DaVinci Resolve will adjust the active clip to match the reference. Evaluate the results and make further manual adjustments if necessary.
Matching Shots Using Stills
Using stills allows for precise visual comparison between clips. This method is particularly useful for manual shot matching.
Grab a Still: Select a balanced clip, right-click in the viewer, and choose Grab Still. Label the still for easy identification.
Split-Screen View: Double-click the still in the Gallery to open a split-screen view with the current clip. Adjust the wipe line to compare the two clips side by side.
Match Using Scopes: Use the Parade scope to match the luminance and colour channels. Adjust the Primaries colour bars for finer control over individual colour channels.
Comparing and Matching Shots Manually
For manual shot matching, it’s essential to use scopes and visual evaluation to achieve precise results.
Select Clips: In the timeline, select the clip you want to match and the reference clip.
Enable Wipe Mode: Right-click the reference clip and choose Wipe Timeline Clip. Use the viewer to compare the two clips side by side.
Adjust Curves: Open the Curves palette and isolate individual RGB channels. Adjust the curves to match the spread and distribution of the colour channels in the reference clip.
Use Primaries: Switch to the Primaries palette, set Lum Mix to 0 for independent channel control, and fine-tune the colour bars to match the overall look of the clips.
Practical Tips
Practice Regularly: Shot matching is a skill that improves with practice. Regularly work on different projects to enhance your abilities.
Stay Organised: Keep your nodes labeled and use flags and filters to manage your workflow efficiently.
Learn from Experience: Each project will present unique challenges. Use these experiences to refine your techniques and develop a more intuitive approach to shot matching.
By following these steps and using the tools available in DaVinci Resolve, you can achieve professional-grade shot matching and create visually cohesive video projects. Happy grading!
