Last updated on 17 May 2023
Although DaVinci Resolve started as a specialist color grading application, you can now execute many other actions within the program. Resolve’s excellent and constantly updated support for OFX plugins offers additional opportunities to enhance these capabilities.
The top 5 essential DaVinci Resolve plugins are Bounce Color, Red Giant Universe, Neat Video, Twixtor, and Sapphire 11. You will seriously upgrade your edit game if you have any of these for your library.
These DaVinci Resolve plugins allow you to enhance color, reduce noise, modify speed, and retouch skin. These features exist in Resolve’s paid version, but the plugins provide the functionality for free.
Let us explain how these tools can add exceptional value to video post-production by performing niche tasks.
1. Bounce Color
Bounce Color has been leading in recent years, producing some top-quality video editing assets used in productions like the EUFA football league, Halo TV Series, and even the YouTuber Hillier Smith. They’ve been around since 2015 and are highly experienced video editors.
This isn’t quite a plugin to install, but they are video editing assets that you can simply import directly into your project. They are some of the best quality video editing assets currently around.
From Bounce Color, you can get:
Free samples:
Animated Elements Bundle 4K or 6K
Over 800 unique animations that have a transparent background, just like a PNG photo. You can drag & drop them directly into your DaVinci Resolve timeline, no keying or masing required.
Provided in Apple ProRes 4444 + Alpha channel, MP4 H264 & PNG Photos.
Get the Animated Elements Bundle or check out all of their Animated Elements here.
2. False Color
There are several standard video monitoring tools within DaVinci Resolve. In the free version, you can consult waveform, parade, vectorscope, and histogram scopes. These convey data on the luminosity of your image and break down its color information into individual red, blue, and green channels.
False Color enhances these capabilities by allowing you to tailor exposure levels to the requirements of individual projects. It lets you set color-coded overlays for different exposure levels.
Using False Color, you can also export overlays as 3D LUTs, allowing you to use your presets on set.
3. Neat Video
Resolve has excellent noise reduction capabilities that Blackmagic Design is constantly improving with new updates. Many users will be satisfied with these. However, Resolve’s noise-reduction tools are only available in their paid Studio Version.
Neat Video has a long history of producing specialized noise reduction tools. Their products use sophisticated noise profiles and advanced algorithms to consistently deliver a clean output while allowing for greater control over trade-offs between fidelity and smoothness.
4. Twixtor
Once again, Resolve has capable tools for slowing down video speed. Using the Free Version of Resolve, you can retime video in its editing and visual effects workspaces. Also, Resolve’s audio-processing module, Fairlight, has sophisticated audio retiming capabilities.
So, why spend money on Twixtor? Their marketing material claims that their product is ”more accurate and exhibits fewer artefacts”. I will show you why you should.
Simply put, Twixtor allows you to create speed ramps and change the video speed drastically while blending frames. This allows you to slow down much slower than you would be able to.
Here is a video from Sacha Powell that used Twixtor. It’s shot on the Canon 550D at 60fps. All the shots that look super slowed down were done on Twixtor. But as you can see, it looks like it’s shot on a super slow-mo camera, but it’s not.
5. Maxon Red Giant Universe
The Red Giant Universe plugin is a unique plugin that allows you to create insane effects such as RGB split, VHS looks, text creator, transitions, camera shake and much more. There is a huge range of presets available in tonnes of styles, so you will never get bored.
Key features include:
- VHS
- GLITCH
- HOLOMATRIX II
- RETROGRADE
- FINISHER
- GRAIN16
- ECTO
- LONG SHADOW
6. FilmConvert DaVinci Plugin
FilmConvert is a powerful plugin that gives you an extra edge on color grading tools and presets. Featuring some unique features such as exporting your own LUTs, film stocks, grain scans and much more.
It also has a wide range of support for camera color profiles, so you don’t need to worry about what camera you are using.
It works on Windows & Mac and is fully compatible with DaVinci Resolve.
7. FX Factory plugins
8. Sapphire 11
The Sapphire 11 plugin allows you to create organic effects such as blurs, distort, flares, stylize, time tools and a lot more. You may recognise some cool effects from Sapphire being used in many huge productions.
It also features an Effect and Transition builder, including enhanced tracking and masking tools.
The plugin includes:
- Over 270 effects
- 3000+ presets
9. Beauty Box Video
Retouching skin is an increasingly common aspect of a film editor’s job. But masking individual faces and retouching them with finesse can be highly time-consuming.
Automated tools to speed up such tasks are unavailable with the Free Version of Resolve. And, even with the paid Studio Version, the results can sometimes be less than satisfactory.
Digital Anarchy’s Beauty Box Video is a standard industry tool used by large studios such as NBC and Sony Music. Its advanced face detection and digital make-up algorithms can help you retouch faster and better, saving hours in the studio and delivering more sophisticated results.
10. AudioDenoise2
Background noise on videos and podcasts is something that everyone struggles with when creating projects relating to these things.
This is where AudioDenoise 2 comes in. AudioDenoise can quite literally get rid of most types of challenging background noise with the simple click of the “Sample” button (once the plugin is installed on your preferred video editing software, of course).
You can change the Denoising strength if you feel it’s drowning out too much background noise or if you simply don’t like the result; you can keep pressing the sample button while your video is playing to get results you like at the parts you need.
11. BorisFX Mocha Pro
BorisFX Mocha Pro is one of the leading planar motion tracking, masking and visual effects applications out there.
One of the most common uses of this software is to help speed up planar tracking and masking tasks. Anyone who does this type of work knows how useful this type of software can really be and how much time it saves.
BorisFX Mocha Pro has several other uses, such as providing new advanced workflow tools that help with set extensions and object removal in your clips, as well as intricate color management to ensure that your project has the highest level of quality and polish.
The plugin is available to install on all commonly used video editing software and is available to download on a subscription. If you’re unsure about the subscription, there’s a free trial you can use to help you decide if you’ll really get your money’s worth out of this plugin.
12. LenoFX Titles
Compatible with Final Cut Pro X 10.4 or later, LenoFX Titles provides tons of customizable options for you to place text-related elements on top of your video project.
Adding elements like these can help your project to pop out compared to original & plain text just placed in the frame.
There’s no need for animation; simply just place the element you’d like into your project once installed and change the settings for the element in the side panel.
13. Motion VFX Cinematic Titles
Motion VFX Cinematic Titles can really help to create captivating introductions to any film/video project by adding specific title-related elements to your clip.
These elements can help your clip look exactly like something from a Hollywood movie or award-winning short film. With this plugin, you won’t need to work on creating advanced title effects in DaVinci Resolve.
You can simply just drag & drop these elements into your project easily and edit their settings directly. There’s no fluff, no unnecessary steps. Just install the plugin, and you’ll find the elements in the “Effects Library“.
14. Alex Audio Butler
Exactly how the name describes, Alex Audio Butler handles everything concerning background music/noise while you or someone else is talking in a video.
If you’re a YouTuber, Vlogger, Podcaster, or anything that involves talking in a video with any sort of background music/noise, Alex Audio Butler automatically adjusts the noise of background noise in real-time.
So you don’t need to worry about music being too loud or having to manually adjust pretty much any settings relating to the audio.
This can reduce a lot of stress normally associated with adjusting audio in real-time, especially while live-streaming.
15. ImpulZ
DaVinci Resolve is an extremely powerful color grading tool. However, color-grading is also a highly demanding area of video post-production. Many users want tools that simplify the process and allow them to emulate their favorite film looks without spending much time on the process.
That’s where Vision Color comes in. Their ImpulZ bundle of LUTs and tools offers a way to mimic hundreds of film stocks with a few quick clicks.
Designed by Hollywood professionals, ImpulZ LUTs have been calibrated to work with most current cameras. They can also be easily customized. This way, you achieve sophisticated results much quicker, even if you are not the most advanced of colorists.
16. Main Concept DaVinci Plugin
Main Concept is a codec plugin for DaVinci Resolve. It allows anyone to render timelines into professional camera formats easily. The plugin is approved by Blackmagic Design for use in the DaVinci Resolve software and allows for faster rendering.
You can access a free demo version of the software in the linked title above. This will help you to decide if this is something you can make good use of with any projects you may have.
If you decide it’s something you can make good use of, you can purchase a one-time license for $99, which includes only major updates and forum support, or you can purchase an annual subscription for $79, which includes all updates as well as personalised support.
17. Video Copilot
Video Copilot are some of the OGs in the video editing space. Andrew Cramer was famously known for making After Effects video editing tutorials many years back.
They have a wide range of video editing assets that work in DaVinci Resolve, such as sound effects, action elements packs, stock packs and much more. Make sure you check out their assets!
18. Blind Dusk Textures 4K
Making a short film or a video project supposedly set in the late 1900s? Blind Dusk Textures 4K makes it so much easier to add an authentic vintage effect to your project.
You can make any clip look like it was shot on an older camera or film camera without losing any resolution or quality.
Creating these effects manually can be very time-consuming when creating projects as a whole, and Blind Dusk Textures 4K eliminates the time-consuming part for you.
Final thoughts
OFX Plugins with DaVinci Resolve can help bring your productivity to new heights within the need to invest in DaVinci Studio. These plugins are essentially quality-of-life add-ons to your editing workspace and are a must-have if you want to achieve some unique effects.
