Let’s talk about the final stages of our work before the actual color grading begins. We are going to see a basic fast Dailies workflow, how to import an XML or EDL file, and the advantages of DaVinci when working with multiple timelines and non-locked Edit!

What we’ll cover today:

EDL or Edit Decision List

EDLs are created by offline editing systems, or can be paper documents constructed by hand such as shot logging. These days, linear video editing systems have been superseded by nonlinear editing (NLE) systems which can output EDLs electronically to allow autoconform on an online editing system – the recreation of an edited program from the original sources (usually video tapes) and the editing decisions in the EDL.
They are also often used in the digital video editing world, so rather than referring to reels they can refer to sequences of images stored on disk.

XML or Extensible Markup Language

XML and the Advanced Authoring Format (AAF), and AviSynth scripts are relatively advanced file formats that can contain sophisticated EDLs.
They can contain much more information – Sizing, Color, LUTs etc. These days almost every NLE can export XML or AAF. They are the preferred option for transferring from NLE to other software.
When you export out EDL you can export up to 1 video track (FCP and PPro) and in XML and AAF you are exporting the whole sequence/timeline with all of the tracks inside. With the 9th version of DaVinci now we can import multi-track XMLs and that’s just wonderful!

Dailies

Dailies in film making, are the raw, unedited footage shot during the making of a motion picture (commercial or music video). On-set or during the day you can compress the raw footage and apply a basic loop so that the Crew/Director can view it after the shooting day is finished. (Or the editor can start editing the scenes from the day why you are still shooting)
Most of the time these days you are shooting with digital cameras with specific RAW format or LogC/S-Log gamma. So DaVinci can import the source material and compress it with applied basic Look for reviewing or editing later.

Multiple Timeline

DaVinci Resolve gives you the ability to start Color Grading before the Edit is locked. After the first XML comes from the editor you can start grading the timeline. Then after the second Edit is ready and the editor sends you the new XML you need to import the XML to the same project and add the new timeline. All of your grades from the first XML will be linked to the second one and you don’t need to start all over again. You just check for any changes and corrections.

Tutorial