AVID to Davinci Resolve - Relinking Red .R3d files for export to Davinci Resolve and Resolve Project Setup

Owned by Susanne Kraft
Last updated: Sep 05, 2023
6 min read

AVID new relinking RED AMA workflow

  1. Duplicate the sequence and put in a new bin.
  2. Export a DnxHD Quicktime for "Resolve" as reference. See this wikidoc

https://wikis.utexas.edu/download/attachments/32934966/AVID-+Export+a+AVID+DNxHD+Quicktime.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1330040316000

  1. Close project and hide the AVID media files so that AVID doesn't relink to the old transcoded media. Change the name to the AVID MediaFiles folder.

    Change from this

    To This

    Relink to the AMA volume that the raw .r3d files are on. Go to >File>Link to AMA Volume

    Locate the original raw .r3d red Files




    Click Open

    Use the settings "Bins Based on Current AMA Setting"


    Click OK


    All the AMA files will load up in a new folder when you choose the default settings.

    When ready to online reconnect to the .r3d files.

    Select all AMA FILES in the AMA folder

    Right click the sequence to relink and choose Relink

    Right click the sequence to relink and choose Relink

    >Managed Media

    Use the standard relinking options after the AMA media has been mounted

    Choose Selected Items in All open bins

    Choose to relink by Tape Name or Source file Name

    If that doesn't work choose





    Choose to relink by Tape Name or Source file ID

    Once the media in the timeline is relinked to the .r3d files the timeline should look yellow showing that the files are relinked to AMA media.
    The next step is to export the .aaf Go to >File > Export

    To create the .AAF file

    The deliverable will be the .R3D files and the .aaf for the color correction. Example shown here.

    To Bring into Resolve

    For a new user you will have to set up your account

    Click on the volumes Icon in the lower right corner of log in screen

    Click the "+" icon in the lower right to add a new user

    Choose "Disk" as the Driver

    Click on "Host" to select a directory to store your settings.

    Make a folder on the destination hard drive to store the user database


    Click "Choose"

    Label your User Database

    Choose to create new database

    Database creation successful. Next Double Click on the new database you just made. Example here in "Yellow Font" double click on that to load it.

    Close the window

    Next create a "New USER"

    Enter in Username


    Click Setup new user

    Log in

    Click the "+" button in the lower left corner to create a new project

    Title the project – click Create

    Double click the project to load it

    Set up some preferences. Click on the Preferences Icon in the lower left of the screen

    Go to "Autosave" and turn it on saving every 10 min

    Also can choose some decoding presets – If you are using footage from a Red – Arri – Sony etc choose the correct decoder.

    Have not tried this but if you want to do any editing you can pick keyboard settings

    Monitor playback settings chosen here. Choose HD 1080PsF 23.976 generally

    Master Project Settings generally will want 1920 x 1080 but if you have 2K footage and want to scale up then choose 2048 x 1080 or 2048 x 1024

    4K Red files are 4480 x 1920 but check the raw .r3d file

    Choose either the DaVinci YRGB or the DaVinci ACES color science. For Red Footage you may see more detail in ACES.

    Change the playback framerate to 23.976

    Click "Apply" to apply the settings

    Close the Preferences window

    Click on the "conform" tab at the bottom of the screen on the "navigation" bar

    >File>Import AAF, EDL, XML

    Select the .aaf to import

    Resolve Lite will limit you to 1920 x 1080 23.98


    All the clip files related to the .aaf will now import into the Resolve project and populate the timeline.
    Sometimes the clips can't be found by Resolve - If you have problems continue with the next few steps.
    In any case you will also have to import your QuickTime Reference file of the offline. See this Wiki Doc. Davinci Resolve – Quicktime Reference Import and Setup

    Select Yes

    Search for the folder containing the .mxf

    Navigate to the folder and click OK



    Example here of problems with some of the clips

    To view what is missing easier click on the "Color" tab

    Then click on the "Light Box View"

    Here we can see what is missing easier.

    You can right click to see clip info

    Clip info

    Click on EDL in the lower left of the screen to load in the edited clip info


    Example of an EDL of the Resolve files