Using DaVinci Resolve’s Master Timeline for Efficient Color Grading

Learn an ‘efficiency hack’ for quick-turnaround or multiple deliverable color grading sessions

DaVinci Resolve’s Master Timeline was once the default color grading workflow. Since Resolve 12’ish, it has been a hidden, less commonly used feature. I think Blackmagic decided to simplify Resolve’s image-processing workflow, and the Master Timeline adds a layer of complexity. But by hiding this feature, most current users don’t know what it is, or have forgotten about it.

In this Insight, I explain why you should know about this tidy, time-saving color grading methodology, particularly for fast-paced, quick-turnaround commercial workflows.

“When I started in the colour department, the master timeline was all I knew. As an assistant, it was my responsibility to prep jobs in a way that allowed colourists to leverage the master timeline for consistency and to streamline their process.”

Kali Bateman, Colorist

Why the Master Timeline is still relevant

In this Insight, you’ll discover how the Master Timeline is an ‘efficiency hack’ for handling quick-turnaround projects with multiple deliverables, such as 30-second and 15-second commercial spots. We’ll explore its origins in tape-based workflows and why it remains relevant today, even in file-based environments. By enabling this feature, you can ensure consistent grades across versions without redundant work, saving precious time in high-pressure sessions.

You’ll learn practical steps to set up your project correctly, import media and timelines efficiently, and use remote versions to propagate corrections seamlessly. Whether conforming from AAFs or EDLs, or rendering for VFX handoffs, this methodology minimizes inefficiencies like duplicate renders and grade mismatches.