Historically we have been working in Premiere Pro, but since Blackmagic came out with BRAW, we have all switched to DaVinci Resolve as an editing tool. We already used Resolve for colour, but the opportunity to have the grade and edit all in one place really changed things for us. We could transform the files quite quickly.
Using BRAW is genuinely what helped us complete the work to that quality in time. And remember, it’s not just the inserts that we were doing. It was all the screen content that they interact with. The output file was ProRes 422 HQ, just because of the playback of the tour.
Could you tell me about any challenges or difficulties in putting together the final cut?
Making sure everything is exact. Diversity rehearses to a music track, so when you’re following them capturing footage, everything is extremely precise. That means that when you edit, you need to keep in mind that anything they do on screen has to match up to their choreography. Resolve’s multicam editing capabilities were a lifesaver.
I think another challenge was in the move to Resolve, converting editors who have always used Premiere to a new attitude. It involved going outside of their comfort zone. But the feedback so far shows it has been well worth it, and it’s far easier to switch than they first thought. You can map your keyboard shortcuts in Resolve quite easily to match Premiere, for example, and match your editing keyboard so the learning curve isn’t as steep as you’d think. It’s really nothing to be afraid of.
Did you have a favourite sequence or scene?
I love the opening sequence that we did - it absolutely hit the nail on the head in terms of showing where the dancers have come from. It featured a lot of never seen before footage. The best thing about it is, with the combination of the anamorphic lenses, we got these lens flares in some shots too that gave a nice touch to our look. Some of the Diversity members and their families made some really lovely videos for us that we edited in, which was lovely and just works.
What advice do you have for anyone thinking of moving to Resolve for editing?
Try Blackmagic RAW out, especially if you’re using some of their cameras because the dynamic range is just fantastic. My advice is to give it a try and see how easy your editing workflow can become. Even little things, like transferring files over at the end of the day, is so quick, so easy. In a time pressured environment where everything is needed yesterday, you need the tools you do use to work as efficiently as possible. The less time spent on process means more time for creativity.
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