The latest version tweaked one of the most useful features for YouTubers by adding a “Chapters from Markers” creation option. Here are six important settings and features to check in order to utilize this fantastic feature.
1. Make Sure You Are Signed In
It is important to remember to double-check this, as without signing in there is a risk that the upload to YouTube will fail. DaVinci Resolve needs that direct link to your account in order to ensure this process is completed accurately.
In the settings menu under the System tab, you will find the Internet Accounts menu. Here you can sign in to YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter, and Dropbox. Signing in to each of these systems allows you to upload directly to them from Resolve.
If you use multiple devices for editing, it might become harder to keep track of which ones are signed in and which aren’t. This may become even more prevalent with the announcement of DaVinci Resolve coming to iPad.
2. Is Your Copy Named and Saved in the Right Place?
When the video edit is complete and ready for export, it’s time to navigate to the Deliver tab. The Render Settings section has a number of output options, such as H.264 and ProRes. YouTube can also be found here.
Alongside uploading your video to YouTube, Resolve will also spit out a file for you to store locally. To facilitate this, the first two lines to fill are the File Name and Location. The location is where you would like the secondary output file to be stored, such as on your editing system or a connected hard drive.
3. Check the Other Render Settings
For uploading directly to YouTube, DaVinci Resolve 18 provides a pretty good variety of settings.
The Resolution has a number of options ranging from 720x480 NTSC to 3072x2048 VistaVision. There is also a custom option just in case you need to fit some other, more specific resolution requirements.
The Frame Rate is locked in at 60 regardless of the resolution, and you can choose between either an MP4 or QuickTime Format. There are two Video Codecs to choose from; H.264 and H.265.
For YouTube, the Audio Codec is locked in with AAC and the target media has a little flexibility. You can choose between a simple stereo compression, targeting a specific track on the timeline, or an IAB track file.
4. Check the “Upload Directly to YouTube” Box
Easy to miss at a glance, yet arguably the most important setting on this page. Directly below the video and audio settings, you’ll see the Upload directly to YouTube check box.
Here you can also give your project a Title and Description for YouTube. It doesn’t necessarily have to match the locally stored file name.
Without this little box being checked, the whole process falls apart. If you are a YouTuber and you wish to embrace Resolve 18 and use it as one of the ways to streamline your YouTubing process, remember to double-check that you didn’t miss this box.
5. Create Chapters From Markers
It is very common to segment YouTube videos using chapters. This allows viewers to skip ahead or jump back to specific video portions that they wish to view.
With the Chapters from Markers toggle on, you can convert markers of a specific color to chapters in the resulting video. This is a more streamlined way to break up your video without having to wait until it is uploaded to YouTube.
When you set the markers on the timeline, during the editing process, you can name them as a reminder of the video portion that they belong to.
If you are new to the system, using flags and markers can seem like a tricky process. There are a number of handy YouTube tutorials that can help you to use flags and markers in DaVinci Resolve, such as this tutorial from Sword & Shield Studio:
6. Double-Check Your Visibility
Another important setting not to forget is privacy. Below the Chapters from Markers option, there are two drop-down menus.
The first is Visibility, where you can set if your video will be private, public, or unlisted. The second is the (optional) YouTube Category that the video belongs to.
DaVinci Resolve 18 Saves Time and Prevents Quality Loss
Every time you export a video from your video editing system and upload it to YouTube independently, your video becomes subject to loss of quality. This is because the video file has to meet YouTube’s basic requirements.
The ability to upload directly to YouTube from Resolve reduces this risk of loss of quality. It also saves time by completing the upload during the rendering process.
If you wish to organize your videos into specific playlists, however, then you will need to do this through your account on YouTube. There isn’t yet a way to organize your YouTube file system on Resolve.
