Workflow
AI Video to DaVinci Resolve on Martini
DaVinci is the colorist's home — Martini's canvas outputs land grade-ready. Export ProRes or DNxHD masters at clean frame rates and color space tags so the colorist can drop the bundle into Resolve's Media Pool and start grading. Martini delivers the file; the colorist owns the grade in DaVinci, with Fusion and Fairlight available downstream.
What this feature solves
DaVinci Resolve sits at the technical end of the post pipeline. Colorists work in defined color spaces, with scopes open and gamma rigorously tracked. The Media Pool expects clean codec and color-space metadata; Resolve's color page assumes the source has enough latitude to grade meaningfully. Most AI video tools produce output that is color-baked, low-latitude, and tagged ambiguously — which means the colorist either grades on top of locked tone (limited control) or rebuilds tone from scratch (slow). Either way the workflow is friction.
Beyond color, the integration with Fusion (compositing) and Fairlight (audio) matters. Real Resolve projects pass clips between pages; a clip that opens in the Media Pool but breaks in Fusion or refuses to play through Fairlight is a project failure. AI video tools that ship a generic MP4 ignore the round-trip across Resolve pages. The colorist may get one usable file but the rest of the project breaks down.
And there is the iteration loop with the director and editor. A colorist responds to creative notes — push the saturation here, cool the shadows there, add contrast in the close-up. If the AI source has to be regenerated upstream, the round-trip back into Resolve must preserve the color space, frame rate, and codec exactly. Single-tab AI tools cannot promise that consistency — every export is potentially a slightly different file. The colorist's day collapses into media management instead of grading.
Why Martini is different
Martini's NLE export targets DaVinci Resolve's expected ingest spec. Export ProRes or DNxHD masters at standard frame rates (23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 60) with color-space metadata tagged for Rec. 709 by default. Drop the bundle into Resolve's Media Pool and the clips appear with consistent color tags. The grade page sees latitude that holds up under wheel and curve adjustments. Color management starts on the right footing rather than as an apology for what the AI tool delivered.
Frame rate and codec consistency hold across iteration. Every NLE export from a given canvas spec produces files at the same exact spec. When the director asks for a re-take or the editor revises the cut, regenerate the upstream canvas node and re-export — the new file lands at exactly the same color and codec spec as the original. Resolve relinks cleanly. The colorist's grade nodes survive the swap because the file metadata is consistent. That predictability is what production-grade post requires.
Resolve's downstream pages — Fusion for compositing, Fairlight for audio mix, Edit page for revisions — work normally on Martini exports because the upstream file is a real ProRes or DNxHD master, not a low-latitude MP4. Compositing accepts the alpha-friendly format, audio embeds play through Fairlight, and the round-trip between pages stays intact. The Resolve workflow stays Resolve-shaped; Martini just feeds it grade-ready files.
Common use cases
Colorist-led finishing on AI-generated cuts
Lay AI cuts into Resolve's Media Pool, grade on the color page with full latitude, and ship masters from the deliver page.
Mixed AI and live-action grade
AI plates from Martini and on-set footage land in the same Resolve project at matching color tags — grade them together for a unified look.
Resolve-based agency rolling AI into existing finishing pipeline
Plug Martini into the agency post pipeline so AI cuts flow through Resolve's color, Fusion comp, and Fairlight mix the agency already uses.
Director note revision round-trip
Regenerate the affected canvas shot, re-export at the same spec, relink in Resolve, and the colorist's grade nodes survive the swap.
Pre-vis to grade pipeline for a high-end short
Use Martini for pre-vis and AI plates, hand off to Resolve for the technical grade and finishing pass that the deliverable demands.
Music video color treatment with AI background plates
Generate dreamlike or stylized plates on Martini, hand off to Resolve for the look development that pushes the visual style further.
Recommended model stack
seedance-2
videoReference-faithful product and brand cuts that hold detail through a Resolve grade.
kling-3
videoCinematic motion that integrates with live-action plates in a Resolve color session.
sora-2
videoLong-take coherence for hero plates the colorist will spend time on.
google-veo
videoPhotoreal natural-light shots that grade alongside on-set footage at the same spec.
runway-gen4
videoReliable iteration for revisions that round-trip through Resolve.
runway-aleph
videoEditing-aware model output for cuts that need adjustment passes inside the canvas before grading.
How the workflow works in Martini
- 1
1. Build the AI shot list on the canvas
Generate the cuts you need at draft resolution. Pick winners. Sequence them in cut order on the canvas. The grade-ready chain starts here.
- 2
2. Lock frame rate and color space
Decide the deliverable spec. Common Resolve picks: 23.976 fps for cinematic, ProRes 422 or DNxHD masters, Rec. 709 color tag for HD, Rec. 2020 for HDR work where supported.
- 3
3. Run upscale on hero shots before export
Master-quality grading benefits from higher source resolution. Wire the hero shots into the video-upscale tool node before the sequence locks.
- 4
4. NLE export to ProRes or DNxHD
Export the sequence at master codec. Resolve's Media Pool accepts both natively without a transcode pass.
- 5
5. Import the bundle into DaVinci Resolve
Drop the bundle into the Media Pool. Drag onto the timeline. Color tags line up. The Edit page accepts the cut and the color page is ready for grading.
- 6
6. Grade, comp, and mix in Resolve
Use the color page for the grade, Fusion for compositing if needed, Fairlight for audio. The Martini export feeds the Resolve workflow without breaking it.
Example workflow
A music-video colorist is finishing a four-minute video for an indie label. The director generated AI background plates on Martini — neon-lit alley scenes, foggy mountain vistas, abstract liquid textures — using Sora 2, Kling 3, and Runway Gen-4. The canvas locked the cut at 23.976 fps with ProRes 422 master export. The colorist drops the bundle into Resolve's Media Pool and the clips land with consistent color tags. On the color page, the alley scenes get a teal-orange push, the mountain vistas get a high-contrast cool grade, and the abstract textures get a saturated stylized treatment. Fusion composites the singer's stand-in performance over two of the AI plates. Fairlight handles the song mix. When the director asks for a re-take on one of the alley plates, the team regenerates the canvas node, re-exports at the same spec, and relinks in Resolve — the grade survives. Final delivery happens from Resolve's deliver page.
Tips and common mistakes
Tips
- Lock the frame rate and color space at the canvas before generating. Consistency upstream means consistency in the Resolve grade.
- Use ProRes 422 or DNxHD masters for grading, not H.264. The latitude difference matters on the color page.
- Run upscale before export for hero shots. Higher resolution gives the colorist more grading latitude.
- When the director revises, regenerate the affected canvas node and re-export at the same spec. Resolve relinks cleanly.
- For HDR work, check whether the underlying AI model output sits in a tonal range that survives Rec. 2020 grading; some AI plates are LDR-baked.
Common mistakes
- Exporting H.264 and expecting a master grade. The codec lacks latitude; the colorist is grading on top of compression.
- Mismatched color tags between AI cuts and live-action plates. Set the color space upstream to match the Resolve project.
- Skipping the upscale step on hero plates. Resolve's color page rewards source resolution; iterate at draft, upscale chosen masters.
- Treating the AI cut as final before the colorist sees it. The grade is part of the look — design the canvas with the grade in mind.
- Quoting AI plates as having full log latitude. They do not — be honest about LDR limits and design the grade around the source.
Related how-to guides
Related models and tools
Tool
AI Video Upscaling
Upscale generated video outputs on Martini's canvas.
Tool
AI Video Frame Extraction
Extract frames from video for reference and image-to-video workflows.
Provider
OpenAI
OpenAI's GPT Image and Sora video model workflows available on Martini.
Provider
ByteDance
ByteDance's Seedance video and Seedream image model families on Martini.
Provider
Kling
Kling 3, O3, and Avatar video model workflows on Martini.
Provider
Google's Veo video, Imagen image, and Nano Banana model workflows on Martini.
Provider
Runway
Runway's Gen4, Aleph, and image model workflows on Martini.
Related features
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AI Video to Premiere Pro — Export Workflow on Martini
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AI Video Workflow — Node-Based Production From Concept to Final Sequence
Build node-based AI video production pipelines on Martini's canvas — from concept and storyboard to final NLE-ready sequence.
AI Video Editing — Transform and Extend Existing Clips
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AI Storyboard Generator — Plan Shots, Generate Frames, Then Animate
Plan shots, generate storyboard frames, and convert frames into video on Martini's canvas.
AI Canvas Workflow — Node-Based AI Production on Martini
Build node-based AI production workflows on Martini's infinite canvas.
Related docs
Related reading
Comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Does Martini directly integrate with DaVinci Resolve?
Martini exports MP4 and MOV at frame rates and codecs Resolve's Media Pool reads natively. There is no Resolve plugin — the integration is at the file level, designed so the colorist can drop the bundle in and start grading without a transcode pass.
What master codec should I export for Resolve?
For grade-ready masters, use ProRes 422 or higher (ProRes 422 HQ for quality-critical work). DNxHD is also supported. Match the frame rate to the Resolve project (commonly 23.976 fps for cinematic, 29.97 fps for broadcast).
Will AI video give me log latitude for grading?
Honestly, no — most AI plates output baked-in LDR tone rather than log. The colorist still has plenty of room for stylized grading, color matching, and look development, but expect less latitude than shot-on-camera log footage. Design the grade around what the source supports.
Can I use Fusion and Fairlight on Martini exports?
Yes. The MOV master format flows through Fusion for compositing and Fairlight for audio mix. Resolve's page-to-page round-trip works on Martini exports the same way it works on live-action sources.
How does this differ from the Premiere Pro workflow?
Premiere is the editor-first home — Lumetri, Essential Sound, Effects Controls. Resolve is the colorist-first home — color page, Fusion, Fairlight. Both NLEs accept Martini exports natively; choose based on which finishing tool the project lives in. Many shops use both, with Premiere for cut and Resolve for finish.
Can I mix AI plates with live-action footage in the same Resolve grade?
Yes — that is the intended workflow. Match color tags and frame rate on both sources, and the color page treats them as compatible inputs. Color matching across the two sources is part of the standard grade pass.
Build it on the canvas
Open Martini and wire this workflow up in minutes. Free to start — no card required.