DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing software that offers a lot of features and tools for filmmakers, videographers, and content creators. One of the most impressive features of DaVinci Resolve is the Fusion page, where you can create cinematic visual effects and motion graphics using a node-based workflow. In this article, we will show you how to use the Fusion page to enhance your videos with amazing effects and animations.

What is the Fusion page?

The Fusion page is where you can let your imagination go wild and create cinematic visual effects and motion graphics. It’s built into DaVinci Resolve and features a node-based workflow with hundreds of 2D and 3D tools. Fusion is ideal for everything from quick fixes such as retouching and repairing shots to creating true Hollywood caliber effects. If you’ve seen the Hunger Games, Avengers, Terminator Genisys, or many major Hollywood blockbusters, then you’ve already seen Fusion in action!

Unlike other video editing software that use layers to stack effects on top of each other, Fusion uses a flow chart called a node tree that visually maps out how effects are connected and work together. Nodes are like building blocks that represent effect tools, generators, transforms, masks and more. You can combine nodes in any order and create unlimited number of effects.

How to access the Fusion page?

To access the Fusion page, you need to have a clip selected on your edit timeline and then click on the Fusion icon at the bottom panel of DaVinci Resolve. This will open the Fusion page where you can see your clip as a Media In node on the left side of the node workspace. The Media In node represents your input media, as it is, before any effects are added. The Media Out node on the right side represents your output media, after the effects you’ve added have been applied.

You can also see two preview viewers at the top of the Fusion page, where you can view any node by selecting it and pressing 1 or 2 on your keyboard. The preview viewers will show you the before and after results of your effects. You can also toggle between viewing your media pool, effects library, clips, and nodes by clicking on the relevant icon at the top-left corner of the window.

How to add effects using nodes?

To add effects to your clip, you need to add some other nodes between the Media In and Media Out nodes. You can do this by dragging nodes from the toolbar at the bottom of the Fusion page or from the effects library at the top-left corner of the window. You can also right-click on an empty space in the node workspace and select Add Tool from the menu.

To connect nodes together, you need to drag an output from one node and connect it to an input of another node. The output is usually represented by a small yellow circle on the right side of a node, while the input is usually represented by a small green circle on the left side of a node. The arrow between nodes shows the direction and order of each node in the flow chart.

For example, if you want to add a blur effect to your clip, you can drag a Blur node from the toolbar or from the effects library and connect it in sequence after the Media In node. Then you can adjust the settings of the Blur node in the inspector panel at the top-right corner of the window. You can also animate any parameter by clicking on the keyframe icon next to it and using the keyframe or spline editors at the bottom-right corner of the window.

How to use masks to isolate effects?

Sometimes you may want to apply an effect only to a specific area of your clip, such as replacing a sign or removing an unwanted object. To do this, you need to use masks to isolate the area that you want to affect. Masks are nodes that create shapes that define which parts of an image are visible or invisible. You can create masks using various tools such as ellipse, rectangle, polygon, bezier, paint, text and more.

To use a mask, you need to connect it to an effect node using its blue input circle. This will tell the effect node which area to apply its effect to. You can also invert or modify a mask using other nodes such as invert, transform, merge and more. You can also track a mask using the tracker tool if you want it to follow a moving object in your clip.

For example, if you want to replace a sign in your clip with another image, you can create a polygon mask around the sign and connect it to a Corner Pin node. Then you can drag an image from your media pool and connect it to another input of the Corner Pin node. This will replace the sign with the image and match its perspective. You can also use the tracker tool to track the mask to the sign if it moves in your clip.

How to create motion graphics using Fusion?

Fusion is not only great for creating visual effects, but also for creating motion graphics such as titles, logos, lower thirds, infographics and more. You can use Fusion to create 2D or 3D elements and animate them using various tools such as text, shape, transform, merge, particle, replicate and more. You can also use Fusion to import 3D models and scenes from other software and integrate them with your video.

To create motion graphics using Fusion, you need to use the generators and modifiers nodes that create or manipulate images. You can also use the merge node to combine multiple images together in either 2D or 3D space. You can also use the transform node to move, rotate, scale or skew an image. You can also use the animate tab in the inspector panel to animate any parameter using keyframes or expressions.

For example, if you want to create a dynamic title for your video, you can use the Text+ node to create a text element and adjust its font, size, color and style. Then you can use the Transform node to position and animate the text element. You can also use the Merge node to add a background image or a shape behind the text element. You can also use the Glow node to add a glow effect to the text element.

How to unleash your creativity with Fusion in DaVinci Resolve

The Fusion page in DaVinci Resolve is a powerful and versatile tool that can help you create stunning visual effects and motion graphics for your videos. By using a node-based workflow, you can easily create complex and creative effects that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with other software. Fusion is also integrated with DaVinci Resolve, so you can seamlessly switch between editing, color grading, audio mixing and visual effects without leaving the software. If you want to learn more about Fusion, you can check out the official training videos from Blackmagic Design or some of the online courses from VFXstudy.

References:

• https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/fusion.
• https://motionarray.com/learn/davinci-resolve/davinci-resolve-fusion-tutorial/.
• https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/training.
• https://vfxstudy.com/product/rfb/