How to quickly make vertical videos in DaVinci Resolve

With TikTok and Instagram ruling the content game, vertical video format is where it’s at. If you’re creating for social media, you need to be thinking in 9:16 vertical video dimensions.

Luckily, DaVinci Resolve has your back with powerful editing tools that make crafting vertical videos a breeze. One of the coolest new features? You can now set your project to a vertical video resolution that's social media-friendly—so your content looks sharp, polished, and ready to grab attention in the endless scroll.

Stick around to figure out how to export at 9:16 in DaVinci Resolve!

Understanding various video formats and their use cases

Ok, before going through the steps to create vertical videos in DaVinci Resolve, let's walk through what any of this means.

Overview of video formats

Before delving into the specifics of vertical video creation in DaVinci Resolve, it's important to understand the landscape of various video formats and their applications. Each format serves different purposes and caters to specific platforms or viewing experiences.

1. Horizontal (landscape) format (16:9)

Standard for television, YouTube, and traditional film. This format offers a wide view, making it ideal for cinematic shots, detailed visuals, and storytelling where landscape scenes or wide angles are crucial.

2. Vertical (portrait) format (9:16)

Dominant on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Stories, and Snapchat. Designed for mobile-first audiences, this format is engaging for personal vlogs, short-form content, and content consumed primarily on smartphones. Remember that if you need to create vertical videos, you can export at 9:16 in DaVinci Resolve.

3. Square format (1:1)

Popular on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. This format provides a balance between vertical and horizontal, offering versatility and consistent viewing experience across desktop and mobile devices.

4. Cinematic formats (21:9 or wider)

Used for cinematic films and high-end video production. These ultra-wide formats are perfect for immersive storytelling and visually rich content, often seen in movie theaters and premium streaming services.

5. Custom formats

Sometimes, content creators use custom aspect DaVinci Resolve ratios for artistic purposes or to fit specific platform requirements. These are less common but can be tailored for unique visual storytelling.

Choosing the right format

Selecting the appropriate video format depends on the content’s purpose, target audience, and platform of distribution. While the landscape format offers a traditional and wide perspective, vertical video dimensions cater to the mobile-first audience, offering intimate and direct engagement. Square videos bridge the gap, providing a good compromise for different types of devices.

Understanding these formats helps in making informed decisions about how to shoot and edit your videos, ensuring they are optimized for the intended audience and platform.

Thankfully, starting with DaVinci Resolve 18.1 you can now easily setup your favorite resolution and even set it up as a preset so that the next time you come in you can jump to your favorite social media presets!

Preparing your workspace for a vertical video in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve 18.1 introduces a streamlined way to set your project for vertical video dimensions, which is ideal for social media channels requiring a portrait resolution, like a 9:16 DaVinci Resolve ratio. Here’s how you can do it using the DaVinci Resolve Vertical Resolution option:

1. At the bottom-right-hand side of your workspace, click on: ‘Project Settings’ in your open project.

2. In the ‘Master Settings’ tab, the default timeline format is usually set to 1920x1080 HD (16:9 vertical video aspect ratio).

3. To switch to a vertical format, click on the DaVinci Resolve timeline resolution dropdown. You will find various square and vertical DaVinci Resolve ratios.

• For a square format (1:1), select the square resolution that suits your needs.
• For a vertical video aspect ratio (9:16), choose a resolution like 1920x1080 and check the ‘Use Vertical Resolution’ box, which automatically adjusts the resolution to a vertical format.

4. A Common problem that you'll find when you add a piece of content that is not in the correct formatting often means you need to adjust the mismatched image resolution. Adjust the ‘Image Scaling’ settings under the project settings for mismatched resolution files, choosing either ‘Center Crop with No Resizing’ or ‘Scale Full Frame with Crop’, depending on your preference.

This feature not only makes it easier to set up your project for DaVinci Resolve 9:16 vertical videos but also allows you to save these settings as a preset for future projects. You can then use your 'Inspector' tab to make adjustments to the layout of your video to make it all look perfect.

With the vertical format preset, your footage will automatically fit the frame, and you can use the transform tool to adjust it as needed.

Editing techniques for DaVinci Resolve vertical videos

After setting up your workspace for a new clip, the editing process for DaVinci Resolve vertical videos remains similar. You can save your current settings as a preset in the "Project Settings" menu, by clicking on the three-dots menu at the top-right-hand-corner of the menu, and choosing "Save Current Settings as Preset...", and start editing on the timeline.

Using Envato templates for a vertical video aspect ratio

Envato offers a plethora of video templates that can be seamlessly integrated into DaVinci Resolve. These templates can add professional polish to your DaVinci Resolve 9:16 vertical videos, with easy-to-use animations and graphics designed specifically for vertical formats. Simply import the template and customize it to suit your video’s theme.

Sign up for a subscription and download millions of premium digital assets that you can use to create the best snippets in vertical video resolution the Internet has ever seen.

Use DaVinci Resolve to change the aspect ratio and create vertical video formats

Now that you've got the hang of how to make a video vertical, exporting at 9:16 in DaVinci Resolve will be a breeze. Creating vertical videos in DaVinci Resolve is the way to go if you want to grab attention and keep up with today’s fast-scrolling audiences.

With these tips and techniques, you’re well-equipped to start producing compelling content in vertical video dimensions. Don’t be afraid to experiment with using DaVinci Resolve to change the aspect ratio and more! Finding your own style is what will make your content stand out in this vertical-first world.