Switch from Premiere to DaVinci Resolve UNDER 4 Min
If you're having trouble moving a timeline from Premiere Pro to DaVinci Resolve because the scale or position is all messed up from mixed resolutions, here are the two things to fix.
In Premiere, set your scaling to "set to frame size." Set to frame size, sets the clips scale effect so that Resolve can read an XML file correctly. You can change the default for new clips if you open up preferences and media and change the default media scaling to "set to frame size."
Over in Resolve, open your project settings and go to image scaling, then input scaling and set mismatch resolution files to "center crop with no resizing."
These settings should fix those conform issues, but if you're confused about what the heck I'm talking about. And You want to verify you imported a pixel-perfect translation, stick around for the next couple of minutes to learn how to send a timeline from Adobe Premiere to DaVinci Resolve.
What’s an XML?
XML is the key to moving your project into Resolve with the most information for further editing or color grading. It stands for extensible markup language, but basically, it's a filetype that other apps can understand.
In our case, it's the instruction list of how an edited timeline is put together with links to the assets and timecode used. There are no media assets stored in the XML file, so it's super tiny. You can even email it.
Creating the XML
Creating the XML file is as simple as going to file, export, and choose final cut pro XML. This is an old format but still works just fine. You'll also get a translation report that you can read for things that might not work. Here's a list of the things that I've noticed not translating over to Resolve.
The next step I highly suggest is creating a reference video from Premiere to check the accuracy of your imported timeline over in Resolve. Go to file, export, media, and I like to add reference to the end of the filename, so I don't confuse it for anything else.
Now create a new project in DaVinci, go directly to project settings, image scaling, and change the input scaling to center crop with no resizing.
And now, you can import the XML, and it will try to pull all the linked media along with it and use the correct sizing and positioning.
Just go up to File, Import, Timeline, and choose the XML that was just created from Premiere. Resolve also accepts EDL files from Premiere, but they are more limited with their information, so I only use those for troubleshooting.
Leave the boxes as is on the load XML box, click ok.
And boom!
If all went well, you have your premiere timeline in Resolve.
Potential .XML Issues
Audio Channel and Gain Effects
Effects
Essential Graphics
Color Grades
Fancy Transitions (dissolves are ok)
Multicam Clips (right-click to flatten)
Nested Sequences (open timeline to copy/paste)
Speed Ramps
120 fps footage
Duplicate Filenames, Timecode, Reel Names
Unsuported Codec (H.265 10 bit in the free version)
If you have any of these issues, often the fastest way to fix them is to export a high quality ProRes HQ video of the affected clips and manually edit that baked file into the DaVinci Resolve timeline.
Double Check the XML
Import your reference video to your project by dragging it from the finder. Then option drag your reference video from the media pool bin to the timeline on a track above all of the editable clips. Option dragging will only pull in the video portion of the clip.
Select the reference clip.
Open the inspector and change the composite mode to difference.
Play through your cut, and if it's black, there's no difference between the exported reference and your new Resolve sequence. After checking that it matches, you can delete the reference video from the timeline.
