NAB 2023: Blackmagic launches Resolve 18.5

Blackmagic has launched a new version of DaVinci Resolve, which was showcased at NAB 2023.

Version 18.5 introduces four new AI tools, over 150 feature upgrades and major updates to the Cut page.

The new AI tools include automated speech-to-text transcription, making it possible for editors to search for specific terms or jump to the section of a clip where a word appears. It also enables subtitles to be generated automatically from the transcribed text. A subtitle track is created on the timeline and the editor just has to click ‘create subtitles from audio’ in the timeline menu.

Another AI tool added to Resolve makes it possible to isolate a voice track to remove loud, undesirable sounds from voice recordings. Isolating dialogue from background sounds in a recording means you can eliminate everything else, from moderate noise to aircraft and explosions, leaving only the voice. This makes it possible to capture dialogue recordings from noisy locations.

Another update includes a new Relight FX tools for colourists to use to add virtual lighting to a scene. Relight FX allows colourists to add virtual light sources into a scene to creatively adjust environmental lighting, fill dark shadows or change the mood. Light sources can be directional to cast a broad light, a point source, or a spotlight and be adjusted for surface softness and specularity control.

There’s also a new TikTok export function added to Resolve 18.5 for creating vertical aspect ratio output, making creating content for social media easier.

Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO, said: “This is a major new release with tools that have been specifically designed to speed up workflows. The AI tools such as Resolve FX relight which adds light source tools for colourists, Universal Scene Descriptor files for improved collaboration with VFX artists, AI audio classification for audio engineers and speech-to-text editing all speed up project workflows and allow customers more time to be creative. The new menus on the Cut page also make it faster and simpler to use.”

Simon Westland, channel marketing director at Blackmagic Design, told Broadcast Tech at NAB 2023: “The speech-to-text AI has been developed in-house. It currently transcribes English, and other languages will be added soon. You can paste copy into the search and it takes you directly to that clip. And, to create subtitles using the text, we’ve included presets for how the subtitles should look for Netflix, the BBC and so on. The volume of people we’re seeing transitioning to Resolve is astonishing and the 18.5 updates are a major new release of the software.”

DaVinci Resolve 18.5 public beta is available for download now from the Blackmagic Design website.