DaVinci Resolve · workflow integration
Client review, comments, and delivery — inside DaVinci Resolve.
Free plugin for Resolve Studio. Pulls review-link comments into your timeline as markers at frame-accurate timecode. Renders the current cut and sends it back to the review link as a new version — your reviewer just refreshes. Ships master files to delivery share links without a second tab. All three flows on the same subscription as the review tool.
Three flows, one plugin
What it does, exactly
Comments → timeline markers
Paste a review link or pick a recent project. The plugin reads every comment, every reply, and every resolved status — then drops them onto the active timeline as markers at the exact timecode they were posted at. Color-coded by whether they're open or resolved. Re-import after new comments arrive without duplicating the old ones.
Render → upload as a new version
Pick any render preset, hit Render. The plugin watches the render finish, then uploads the result straight to the same asset's version chain. The reviewer's link updates to the new cut automatically — no re-shared URL, no 'I sent you v3 now,' no zipped attachments.
Masters → delivery share link
Drag a finished master (or any folder Resolve just exported) into the plugin's Upload Masters tab. Files chunk-upload to a delivery share link with resumable multipart. The recipient opens the link in any browser, downloads at full speed, no account required.
A typical session
How it actually plays out
- 01
Client leaves five comments on the v2 cut overnight. You open Resolve in the morning to a project that's already loaded.
- 02
Workspace → Workflow Integrations → Mountain Creative. The plugin opens, remembers your API key, lists your projects.
- 03
Pick the project, pick the asset, hit Import comments. Five markers appear on the timeline at the exact frame each comment was left at, each marker's note carrying the comment text.
- 04
Address the notes. When you're done, switch to the Upload tab, pick your H.264 review preset, click Render. The plugin watches Resolve render the timeline, then ships the file to the same chain as the next version.
- 05
Tell the client v3 is up. They open the same link they had open last night — Mux serves the new cut, all the prior comments are still there as a history. No new URL, no 're-uploaded to Frame.io,' no inbox archeology.
Install · two minutes
Getting it onto your machine
- 01
Download the zip below. macOS unzips it on download in most setups; if it doesn't, double-click the zip to expand it.
- 02
Inside the unzipped folder you'll see "Install MountainCreative.command". Double-click it. macOS may show a Gatekeeper warning the first time — see the callout below for how to get past it.
- 03
Enter your Mac password when Terminal asks. The plugin folder is system-owned, hence the prompt — the installer doesn't touch anything outside that folder.
- 04
Fully quit DaVinci Resolve (⌘+Q, not just close the window). Reopen Resolve. Workspace → Workflow Integrations → Mountain Creative. The plugin window appears.
- 05
Paste your Plugin API Key once (Settings → Plugin API Keys on the website). The plugin remembers it from then on.
If macOS says “Apple could not verify this file”
That's Gatekeeper blocking unsigned scripts — totally normal for downloaded .commandfiles. One-time unblock, then you're done:
- 1.Open System Settings → Privacy & Security.
- 2.Scroll to the Securitysection. You'll see a line: “Install MountainCreative.command was blocked to protect your Mac.”
- 3.Click Open Anyway, confirm with your Mac password.
- 4.macOS asks one more time — click Open.
After that, the installer is trusted on your Mac and future runs work with a normal double-click. The plugin itself is a small set of JavaScript files plus Blackmagic's own binding — no binaries we wrote, no network listeners, no background daemons.
What you need
- Resolve:DaVinci Resolve Studio (paid). The free build doesn't expose Workflow Integrations — that's Blackmagic's call, not mine.
- macOS:11 Big Sur or later, Intel or Apple Silicon. Windows build is on the list — email if you'd use one.
- Account:A Mountain Creative subscription (the same one that powers review links + delivery). Generate a Plugin API Key in Settings — keys are revocable, scoped to your account.
When DaVinci Resolve updates
Keeping the plugin in sync with Resolve
DaVinci Resolve ships a small Blackmagic binding (WorkflowIntegration.node) that the plugin depends on. When Blackmagic releases a new Resolve build, that binding sometimes changes. The plugin keeps its own copy bundled at install, so a Resolve update can quietly version-skew it.
The fix is simple: re-run the installer. It always pulls a fresh copy of the binding straight from your current Resolve Studio install — no manual file copying, no reset of your API key or settings.
- 01
When Resolve updates, the plugin notices on next connect. The connection status will say 'Resolve updated · re-run the installer.'
- 02
Quit Resolve. Run the installer from your downloaded zip again (or download the latest plugin zip from this page if it's been a while).
- 03
Open Resolve. The plugin reconnects, your projects + API key are remembered, the new binding loads. No reconfiguration.
Currently tested with
- DaVinci Resolve Studio 19.0.2 — primary development build
- DaVinci Resolve Studio 19.1+ — verified working
- DaVinci Resolve Studio 18.6.x — works, older API surface
If you're on a Resolve build that's newer than the list above and something breaks, email nick@mountaincreative.directory — your Resolve version comes back in the bug report automatically. New Resolve releases get a compatibility pass within a week.
Questions
FAQ
Do I need DaVinci Resolve Studio, or does the free version work?Open
Studio. Workflow Integrations is a Studio-only feature of Resolve — Blackmagic doesn't expose the API on the free build. The plugin's installer copies a small Blackmagic-shipped binding (WorkflowIntegration.node) from your Resolve Studio install on first run, so make sure Studio is installed before running the installer.
What does the plugin actually do?Open
Three things, all inside Resolve. (1) Pulls comments from any review link on mountaincreative.directory and drops them onto the active timeline as markers at the exact timecode they were left at. (2) Renders the current timeline (any preset) and uploads it back to the asset's chain as a new version — your reviewer's link updates to the new cut automatically. (3) Uploads a master file (or a whole render output) to a delivery share link without leaving the editor.
Will this work with my existing project?Open
Yes. The plugin matches comments to your timeline by asset, not by file name, so it works whether you imported the original master, a proxy, or a re-encode. Markers land on the active timeline whether it's a fresh edit or a finishing version.
What happens if a client adds a comment after I've already started editing?Open
Run the import again. New comments show up as new markers; existing markers aren't duplicated. The plugin tags every imported marker so re-imports stay clean.
Does this replace Frame.io?Open
For DaVinci Resolve editors specifically, yes — the review + the import-comments-to-timeline flow are the same shape, minus the export-and-upload step and minus the need to stack a separate transfer tool on top for masters. Frame.io's Premiere integration is tighter; the DaVinci side has historically been worse. This plugin closes that gap on Resolve.
Where does the plugin install?Open
/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/Workflow Integration Plugins/ — Blackmagic's documented plugin location. The included installer handles it. macOS will ask for your password once because that folder is system-owned.
How do I update the plugin?Open
When a new plugin version drops, download the newer zip from this page and run the installer again. It overwrites the previous install cleanly. The plugin's settings (your API key, last-used project) are stored separately and survive the update.
macOS says "Apple could not verify this file is free of malware." Is it safe?Open
Yes. The warning fires because the installer .command file isn't notarized with Apple's developer service (a paid Apple Developer Program account, on the to-do list). To get past it: open System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the Security section, click "Open Anyway" next to the blocked file, confirm with your password. After that one-time unblock, the installer is trusted on your Mac. The plugin itself contains a few JavaScript files and Blackmagic's own native binding — no binaries we wrote, no network listeners, no background daemons.
What happens when DaVinci Resolve itself updates?Open
Re-run the same installer. Resolve ships a small Blackmagic binding (WorkflowIntegration.node) that version-skews with the host app — if you update Resolve but not the plugin, the cached binding from your previous install is now stale and the plugin can misbehave or refuse to load. The installer always copies a fresh binding from your current Resolve Studio install, so re-running it after any Resolve update is the documented fix. The plugin will also detect the version change on next connect and remind you to re-run the installer.
Is the plugin free?Open
Yes. It's part of the same paid subscription that powers review links and delivery — the plugin itself is a free download for any subscriber. Existing review-link customers don't pay extra to use it.
Windows version?Open
Not yet. The current build is macOS-only because that's where most of my Resolve editor customers live. A Windows build is on the roadmap. Email nick@mountaincreative.directory if you'd use one — concrete demand pulls it forward.
How does the plugin authenticate?Open
Plugin API key. Generate one from Settings → Plugin API Keys on the website, paste it into the plugin once, and it's remembered locally. Keys are scoped to your account — you can revoke a key at any time without affecting your sign-in.
Try the whole thing
Plugin is free. The subscription powers it.
The plugin is a free download for any Mountain Creative subscriber. Same flat subscription covers review links, comments, version chains, and master delivery. No per-GB fees, no per-seat math.