resolve-mcp

The most comprehensive MCP server for DaVinci Resolve. 295+ tools covering the complete DaVinci Resolve scripting API (v20.3) — control every aspect of Resolve from Claude, ChatGPT, or any MCP-compatible AI assistant.

---

What is resolve-mcp?

resolve-mcp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes 295+ tools for controlling DaVinci Resolve through AI assistants like Claude, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, ChatGPT, and any other MCP client.

It turns natural language into Resolve scripting API calls — letting you manage projects, edit timelines, grade color, render deliverables, manage media pools, control Fusion compositions, and more, all through conversation with an AI.

Why resolve-mcp?

• Complete API coverage — 295+ tools spanning every Resolve scripting API surface: projects, media pool, timelines, editing, markers, rendering, color grading, Fusion, Fairlight, galleries, node graphs, Dolby Vision, and stereo 3D
• Zero code required — just talk to your AI assistant: "Create a new timeline called 'Final Cut' at 24fps" or "Add a dissolve transition to every cut point"
• One-line install — uvx resolve-mcp or pip install resolve-mcp
• Works with any MCP client — Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VS Code + Continue, or your own MCP client
• Optional AI editing tools — 3 bonus Gemini-powered tools for AI timeline analysis, marker-driven editing, and automated marker placement
• Cross-platform — macOS, Windows, Linux (wherever Resolve runs)

---

Quick Start

Prerequisites

1. DaVinci Resolve (Free or Studio) must be running
2. Enable scripting: Preferences → System → General → External scripting using = Network
3. Python 3.11+
4. ffmpeg (for AI tools only): brew install ffmpeg (macOS) or apt install ffmpeg (Linux)

Install

# Using uvx (recommended — runs in isolated environment)
uvx resolve-mcp

# Using pip
pip install resolve-mcp

# Using pipx
pipx install resolve-mcp

# Install with the AI editing assistant (resolve-assistant) included
pip install resolve-mcp[assistant]

Configure Claude Desktop

Add to your Claude Desktop MCP config:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• Linux: ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "resolve-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Configure Claude Code

Add to your project's .mcp.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "resolve-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Configure Cursor / Windsurf / VS Code

Follow your editor's MCP server configuration docs, pointing to uvx resolve-mcp as the command.

Enable AI Bridge Tools (Optional)

To use the 3 Gemini-powered AI tools (resolve_analyze_timeline, resolve_add_markers, resolve_build_from_markers), set your Gemini API key:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "resolve-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "your-gemini-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows note: If uvx is not on your system PATH, use the full path to uvx.exe (e.g., C:\\Users\\YOU\\.local\\bin\\uvx.exe) as the "command" value.

Get a free Gemini API key at aistudio.google.com.

---

Using Both Servers Together — resolve-mcp + resolve-assistant

resolve-mcp gives you 295+ tools for direct DaVinci Resolve control — projects, timelines, editing, color grading, rendering, Fusion, Fairlight, and more.

resolve-assistant is a separate MCP server that adds AI-powered automatic editing — point it at a folder of footage and give it an editing instruction, and it uses Google Gemini to watch every frame, plan the edit, and build the timeline in Resolve automatically.

They are independent MCP servers. You can use either one alone, or both together for the complete AI video editing toolkit. When used together, you get full manual control over Resolve (resolve-mcp) plus AI-driven footage analysis and automatic timeline building (resolve-assistant).

Install Both With One Command

# Install resolve-mcp with the AI editing assistant included
pip install resolve-mcp[assistant]

# Or install them separately
pip install resolve-mcp
pip install resolve-assistant

Configure Both Servers

Because they are two separate MCP servers, each needs its own entry in your Claude Desktop or Claude Code config. Here is the complete configuration with both servers:

Claude Desktop (~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on macOS, %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json on Windows, ~/.config/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json on Linux):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "resolve-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "your-gemini-api-key-here"
      }
    },
    "resolve-assistant": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-assistant"],
      "env": {
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "your-gemini-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Claude Code (.mcp.json in your project root):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "resolve-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "your-gemini-api-key-here"
      }
    },
    "resolve-assistant": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["resolve-assistant"],
      "env": {
        "GEMINI_API_KEY": "your-gemini-api-key-here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Note: GEMINI_API_KEY is optional for resolve-mcp (only the 3 AI bridge tools need it) but required for resolve-assistant. Both servers use the same Gemini API key.

Which Server Do I Need?

Use Case	resolve-mcp	resolve-assistant	Both
Control Resolve via AI (projects, timelines, editing, rendering)	Yes
Color grading, Fusion, Fairlight, node graphs	Yes
AI footage analysis — watch every frame, transcribe speech, tag content		Yes
AI automatic editing — give an instruction, get a timeline		Yes
Full AI video editing pipeline with manual Resolve control			Yes
AI timeline critique + marker-driven editing	Yes

For more about the AI editing assistant, see the resolve-assistant documentation.

---

Tool Categories

Project Management (10 tools)

Create, open, close, save, and configure DaVinci Resolve projects. Switch databases, manage project settings, and query project metadata.

Tool	Description
resolve_list_projects	List all projects in the current database
resolve_create_project	Create a new project with optional settings
resolve_load_project	Open a project by name
resolve_save_project	Save the current project
resolve_get_project_settings	Read project settings (resolution, frame rate, etc.)
resolve_set_project_setting	Modify a project setting
resolve_switch_page	Navigate to a specific Resolve page (edit, color, deliver, etc.)
resolve_get_version	Get Resolve version and edition info
resolve_get_product_name	Get product name (Free vs Studio)
resolve_get_project_id	Get the unique project ID

Media Pool (21 tools)

Import, organize, search, and manage clips in the media pool. Create bins, move clips, set metadata, relink media, and more.

Tool	Description
resolve_import_media	Import files into the media pool
resolve_import_folder_to_media_pool	Import an entire folder
resolve_create_bin	Create a new media pool bin
resolve_list_bins	List all bins with clip counts
resolve_search_clips	Search clips by name
resolve_get_clip_info	Get detailed clip properties
resolve_set_clip_metadata	Set clip metadata fields
resolve_set_clip_color	Set clip color label
resolve_move_clips	Move clips between bins
resolve_delete_clips	Delete clips from the pool
resolve_relink_clips	Relink offline media
resolve_auto_sync_audio	Auto-sync audio to video
...and more

Timeline Management (15 tools)

Create, duplicate, delete, import, and export timelines. Manage tracks, set timeline properties, and navigate between timelines.

Tool	Description
resolve_create_empty_timeline	Create a blank timeline
resolve_create_timeline_from_clips	Create a timeline from selected clips
resolve_list_timelines	List all timelines in the project
resolve_get_timeline_info	Get timeline metadata (tracks, duration, etc.)
resolve_set_current_timeline	Switch to a specific timeline
resolve_duplicate_timeline	Duplicate a timeline
resolve_delete_timelines	Delete timelines
resolve_export_timeline	Export as AAF, EDL, XML, FCPXML, OTIO, etc.
resolve_import_timeline_from_file	Import a timeline from file
resolve_add_track	Add video, audio, or subtitle tracks
resolve_delete_track	Remove a track
resolve_set_track_name	Rename a track
resolve_set_track_enabled	Enable/disable a track
resolve_set_track_locked	Lock/unlock a track
resolve_get_timeline_settings	Read timeline-level settings

Editing (12 tools)

Manipulate timeline items — set properties, transforms, composite modes, speed changes, and clip-level operations.

Tool	Description
resolve_list_clips_on_track	List all clips on a given track
resolve_get_item_properties	Read clip properties (zoom, pan, opacity, etc.)
resolve_set_item_properties	Set clip properties
resolve_set_clip_enabled	Enable/disable a clip
resolve_set_clip_color_on_timeline	Color-code a clip on the timeline
resolve_delete_clips_from_timeline	Remove clips from the timeline
resolve_link_clips	Link video and audio clips
resolve_unlink_clips	Unlink video from audio
resolve_create_compound_clip	Create a compound clip
resolve_stabilize_clip	Run stabilization analysis
resolve_smart_reframe	Apply Smart Reframe (Studio)
resolve_get_clip_source_info	Get source media info for a timeline clip

Markers & Playhead (9 tools)

Add, edit, delete, and query markers on timelines. Control playhead position.

Tool	Description
resolve_list_markers	List all markers on the current timeline
resolve_add_marker_at	Add a marker at a specific frame
resolve_delete_markers	Delete markers by color
resolve_delete_marker_at	Delete a marker at a specific frame
resolve_update_marker_data	Update marker name, note, or color
resolve_get_marker_data	Read marker data at a frame
resolve_get_playhead	Get current playhead position
resolve_set_playhead	Move playhead to a specific frame

Rendering (14 tools)

Configure render settings, manage the render queue, and control rendering jobs.

Tool	Description
resolve_add_render_job	Add a render job to the queue
resolve_start_render	Start rendering
resolve_stop_render	Stop rendering
resolve_get_render_status	Check render progress
resolve_list_render_jobs	List all jobs in the queue
resolve_delete_render_job	Remove a job from the queue
resolve_get_render_presets	List available render presets
resolve_load_render_preset	Load a render preset
resolve_set_render_settings	Configure render settings
resolve_set_render_format_and_codec	Set format and codec
resolve_get_render_formats	List available formats and codecs
resolve_get_current_render_settings	Read current render settings
resolve_get_render_resolutions	Get available resolutions
resolve_is_rendering	Check if a render is in progress

Color Grading (12 tools)

Control color grading — apply LUTs, set CDL values, manage nodes, copy grades, grab stills, and export frames.

Tool	Description
resolve_apply_lut	Apply a LUT to a clip
resolve_get_lut	Read the current LUT
resolve_set_cdl	Set CDL (slope, offset, power, saturation)
resolve_get_cdl	Read CDL values
resolve_get_node_count	Count nodes in the grade
resolve_reset_grades	Reset all grading
resolve_copy_grade	Copy grade from one clip to another
resolve_grab_still	Capture a still from the current frame
resolve_export_frame	Export the current frame as an image
resolve_list_color_groups	List color groups
resolve_add_color_group	Create a new color group
resolve_delete_color_group	Delete a color group

Fusion (8 tools)

Manage Fusion compositions on timeline clips.

Tool	Description
resolve_item_list_fusion_comps	List Fusion comps on a clip
resolve_item_add_fusion_comp	Add a new Fusion comp
resolve_item_import_fusion_comp	Import a .comp file
resolve_item_export_fusion_comp	Export a Fusion comp
resolve_item_delete_fusion_comp	Delete a Fusion comp
resolve_item_load_fusion_comp	Load a Fusion comp for editing
resolve_item_rename_fusion_comp	Rename a Fusion comp

Fairlight Audio (4 tools)

Control Fairlight audio features — voice isolation, audio insertion, and track info.

Tool	Description
resolve_get_voice_isolation	Check voice isolation status
resolve_set_voice_isolation	Enable/disable voice isolation
resolve_insert_audio_at_playhead	Insert audio at the playhead
resolve_get_audio_track_info	Get audio track details

Additional Categories

• Clip Metadata (18 tools) — markers, flags, proxy management, transcription
• Timeline Items (11 tools) — item-level markers and flags
• Clip Versions (11 tools) — version management, color group assignment
• Gallery & Stills (7 tools) — still albums, still export/import
• Node Graph (5 tools) — node labels, enable/disable, tool inspection
• Layout Presets (22 tools) — UI layouts, render presets, burn-in presets
• Dolby Vision & Stereo 3D (4 tools) — Dolby Vision analysis, stereo conversion
• Media Storage (3 tools) — browse volumes and storage locations
• Project Manager (10 tools) — archive, delete, import, restore projects
• Bin/Folder Operations (4 tools) — transcription, metadata export, folder IDs
• Generators & Titles (13 tools) — insert generators, titles, Fusion compositions, scene cut detection

AI Bridge Tools (3 tools, requires GEMINI_API_KEY)

Tool	Description
resolve_analyze_timeline	AI-powered editorial critique of the current timeline
resolve_add_markers	Add director's note markers from an edit plan
resolve_build_from_markers	Fill marker-defined slots with AI-selected footage

MCP Resources (Read-Only)

Resource URI	Description
resolve://version	Resolve version and edition
resolve://project	Current project name and settings
resolve://timelines	All timelines with track counts
resolve://bins	Media pool bin tree with clip counts
resolve://render-queue	Render job queue with statuses

---

Usage Examples

Once configured, just talk to your AI assistant naturally:

Project Management

"List all my Resolve projects" "Create a new project called 'Summer Campaign' at 4K 24fps" "What are the current project settings?"

Media Pool

"Import all files from /Volumes/Media/Footage into the 'Raw' bin" "How many clips are in the 'B-Roll' bin?" "Set the clip color of all clips in 'Interviews' to Blue"

Timeline Editing

"Create a new timeline called 'Final Cut v3' with 2 video and 4 audio tracks" "List all clips on video track 1" "Add a Blue marker at frame 1200 with the note 'Great reaction shot'"

Rendering

"Set up a render job for H.265 MP4 at 4K" "Start rendering and tell me when it's done" "What render presets are available?"

Color Grading

"Apply the 'Kodak 2383' LUT to the current clip" "Set the CDL lift to add warmth to the shadows" "Grab a still from the current frame"

AI-Powered Analysis (requires Gemini)

"Analyze the current timeline and give me editorial feedback" "Build a timeline from markers using the footage in /Volumes/Media/Footage"

---

Claude Code Plugin — Skills, Agents & Hooks

This repo is also a Claude Code plugin that installs 13 editor-focused skills, 3 specialized agents, and safety hooks directly into Claude Code.

Install Everything With One Command

claude plugin add github.com/jenkinsm13/resolve-mcp

This installs the MCP server (295+ tools) AND all skills, agents, and hooks in one step. No separate MCP configuration needed — the plugin bundles it all.

Note: Set your GEMINI_API_KEY in the MCP server config after install if you want the AI bridge tools. The 215+ Resolve tools work without it.

Skills (invoke with /skill-name)

Skill	Description
/color-assist	AI color grading — exports sRGB frame, analyzes it visually, applies CDL adjustments
/match-reference	Match a reference image — compare side-by-side, adjust CDL to match the look
/deliver	One-command render with presets (H.265 4K, ProRes, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok)
/multi-deliver	Batch render multiple deliverables from one timeline
/preflight	Full pre-delivery QC — gaps, disabled clips, FPS mismatches, un-graded clips, markers
/dolby-vision	Dolby Vision render pipeline with profile selection and analyzer
/review-cut	Render review cut + AI editorial feedback via Gemini
/archive	Export complete project archive (DRP + media manifest + timelines + markers)
/prep-timeline	Create timeline with standard track layout (V1 A-Roll, V2 B-Roll, V3 GFX, etc.)
/organize	Auto-organize media pool into bins by clip type
/markers-to-notes	Export timeline markers as editorial notes markdown
/import-notes	Parse timecoded client notes into color-coded markers
/timeline-diff	Compare two timelines — report added, removed, trimmed, moved clips

Agents

Agent	Description
color-analyst	Structured color analysis with CDL recommendations (dispatched by /color-assist)
timeline-auditor	Pre-delivery QC for gaps, disabled clips, FPS mismatches, markers
color-consistency-checker	Post-grading QC for grade coverage, LUT consistency, CDL ranges

Hooks

• .env protection — blocks editing of .env files containing API keys
• Destructive operation warning — warns before delete operations in Resolve (clips, timelines, grades, markers, bins, projects)

Note: The plugin bundles both the MCP server and all skills/agents/hooks. For standalone MCP server install (without skills), use uvx resolve-mcp or pip install resolve-mcp.

---

Architecture

resolve-mcp
├── resolve_mcp/               # Python package (installed via pip/uvx)
│   ├── __init__.py            # Package init, registers all tool modules
│   ├── __main__.py            # python -m resolve_mcp entry point
│   ├── config.py              # FastMCP server + optional Gemini client
│   ├── resolve.py             # DaVinci Resolve scripting API connection
│   ├── errors.py              # Error handling + @safe_resolve_call decorator
│   ├── resources.py           # MCP resources (resolve://project, etc.)
│   ├── project_tools.py       # Project management (10 tools)
│   ├── media_pool_tools.py    # Media pool operations (11 tools)
│   ├── timeline_mgmt_tools.py # Timeline management (15 tools)
│   ├── edit_tools.py          # Timeline item editing (12 tools)
│   ├── marker_tools.py        # Markers & playhead (9 tools)
│   ├── render_tools.py        # Render pipeline (14 tools)
│   ├── color_tools.py         # Color grading (12 tools)
│   ├── fusion_tools.py        # Fusion comp management (8 tools)
│   ├── fairlight_tools.py     # Fairlight audio (4 tools)
│   ├── ...                    # 10+ more tool modules
│   └── resolve_ai_tools.py    # AI bridge tools (3 tools)
├── skills/                    # Claude Code plugin skills
│   ├── color-assist/SKILL.md
│   ├── deliver/SKILL.md
│   ├── preflight/SKILL.md
│   └── ...                    # 13 skills total
├── agents/                    # Claude Code plugin agents
│   ├── color-analyst.md
│   ├── timeline-auditor.md
│   └── color-consistency-checker.md
├── hooks/hooks.json           # Claude Code plugin hooks
├── .claude-plugin/plugin.json # Plugin manifest
├── pyproject.toml
├── .env.example
└── README.md

How It Works

1. resolve-mcp starts a FastMCP server that registers 295+ tools
2. Your AI client (Claude, Cursor, etc.) connects via the MCP protocol
3. When you make a request, the AI selects the appropriate tool(s)
4. Each tool calls the DaVinci Resolve scripting API via the Python SDK
5. Results are returned as structured text to the AI for interpretation

The server connects to Resolve over the network scripting interface, which must be enabled in Resolve's preferences. No plugins or extensions needed — just enable the scripting API and run the server.

---

Troubleshooting

"DaVinci Resolve is not running"

• Make sure Resolve is open
• Enable scripting: Preferences → System → General → External scripting using = Network
• Restart Resolve after enabling scripting

"No project open in Resolve"

• Open or create a project in Resolve before using project-dependent tools

Tools not appearing in Claude Desktop

• Restart Claude Desktop after modifying claude_desktop_config.json
• Check the MCP server logs in Claude Desktop's developer console
• Verify uvx resolve-mcp runs successfully from the terminal

AI bridge tools return "GEMINI_API_KEY not set"

• Add GEMINI_API_KEY to the env section of your MCP config
• The 215+ Resolve tools work without Gemini — only the 3 AI bridge tools require it

---

DaVinci Resolve API Compatibility

• Tested with: DaVinci Resolve 20.3 (Free and Studio)
• Platform support: macOS (Apple Silicon + Intel), Windows, Linux
• Studio-only features are clearly marked — the server gracefully handles Free edition limitations

---

Related Projects

• resolve-assistant — AI-powered video editing assistant that uses Google Gemini to analyze footage, plan professional edits, and build timelines in DaVinci Resolve automatically. Install alongside resolve-mcp with pip install resolve-mcp[assistant] for the complete AI video editing toolkit.
• FastMCP — The MCP framework powering this server
• Model Context Protocol — The open protocol for AI tool use

---

License

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

---

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Please open an issue or PR on GitHub.

---

Built for video editors, colorists, and post-production professionals who want to control DaVinci Resolve with AI. Works with Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, ChatGPT, and any MCP-compatible client. Pair with resolve-assistant for AI-powered automatic editing.