Documentary filmmaker, entrepreneur, and YouTuber Matt D’Avella has adopted DaVinci Resolve Studio for editing, color grading, visual effects (VFX), and audio post production. This move supports his growing multicontinental team, including remote editors in Canada and the United States, by facilitating real-time collaboration through Blackmagic Cloud.
D’Avella’s Transition to DaVinci Resolve Studio
D’Avella launched his YouTube channel in 2007 and transitioned to full-time content creation in 2017. His platform focuses on minimalism, self-development, and productivity, attracting over 3.6 million subscribers. Splitting his time between Sydney and Philadelphia, D’Avella recently standardized on DaVinci Resolve Studio to manage the increasing workload.
“My team was up and running on DaVinci Resolve within a month,” D’Avella noted. “I was surprised by how easy it was to get set up.”
Efficient Collaboration with Blackmagic Cloud
The use of Blackmagic Cloud allows D’Avella’s team to work simultaneously on the same project, enhancing productivity. The Blackmagic Proxy Generator creates proxy files that enable seamless editing without handling offline content. Relinking footage is straightforward, requiring just a single click.
“We are all working from local drives with similar file paths yet can collaborate remotely,” D’Avella explained. “This is made possible by DaVinci Resolve’s intelligent media management system.”
Case Study: I Use a Dumb Phone for 30 Days
A recent video titled “I Use a Dumb Phone for 30 Days” highlighted the efficiency of their workflow. The project involved various types of footage, including interviews, A-roll, vlog footage, B-roll, music, and graphics. D’Avella shot the footage alone and shared proxy files with his team.
“While I was in Sydney, my East Coast team started editing,” he continued. “When I woke up the next day, I could pick up where they left off.” This collaboration through Blackmagic Cloud reduced the video’s production time to four days from a typical two-week process.
Prior Workflow Challenges
Before adopting DaVinci Resolve Studio, D’Avella edited 90 percent of his videos himself. His team faced difficulties with different editing platforms and third-party feedback sites, leading to multiple versions for each video.
“Prior to DaVinci Resolve Studio, my main challenge was finding a workflow that didn’t slow me down,” D’Avella said. “With this new setup, I can collaborate seamlessly with my team, make videos faster, and produce better content.”