DaVinci Resolve OTIO Import: What It Is and How to Use It

Moving a timeline between editing applications has always meant losing something. XML drops your markers. AAF mangles audio routing. EDL flattens everything to a single video track. OpenTimelineIO — OTIO — was built to fix this.

DaVinci Resolve has supported OTIO natively since version 18.5, making it the cleanest route for bringing timelines in from other NLEs without the usual translation damage.

What Is OpenTimelineIO?

OTIO is an open-source interchange format for editorial timeline data. It carries over clips, tracks, timing, transitions, markers, and metadata — the stuff that EDL and XML tend to drop.

Pixar created it. The Academy Software Foundation maintains it now, same group behind the ASC CDL. It’s an open standard for describing an edit.

What an OTIO File Contains

Timeline structure — Clip order and duration across multiple tracks
Clip references — Paths to your media files (not embedded footage)
Timing data — In points, out points, source timecode
Tracks and layers — Video, audio, and effects tracks
Markers and metadata — Labels, notes, custom data attached to clips
Transitions — Cross-dissolves, cuts, and transition timing

Your actual footage isn’t included — OTIO references media externally, so file sizes stay tiny.

Why OTIO Matters

If you’ve ever exported an XML from Premiere Pro and watched your markers vanish in Resolve, you know how much gets lost in translation. OTIO carries over more:

Multi-track timelines — Full video and audio track support
Rich metadata — Ratings, notes, color labels, custom fields
Tool-agnostic structure — Works across Resolve, Premiere, Final Cut, Blender, and standalone tools

A VFX artist receives an OTIO file from an editor, works on specific shots, and returns the updated timeline. No recreating cuts from scratch.

Resolve’s OTIO Support

Resolve 18.5 added native OTIO import and export, built right into the timeline menu.

What It Handles

When you import an OTIO file, Resolve translates:

Multiple video and audio tracks
Clip timing and source references
Markers and timeline metadata
Basic transitions

Where It Falls Short

Resolve’s implementation has real gaps:

Timeline names don’t always transfer — You’ll probably need to rename after import
Track naming resets — Your carefully labeled tracks become generic “Video 1,” “Audio 1”
Complex transitions become cuts — Only basic dissolves survive the trip
Effects don’t transfer — Resolve-specific effects stay in Resolve

For complex timelines, OTIO still gets more across than the alternatives. The format is actively developed, so support improves with each Resolve release.

How to Import an OTIO File

The import option lives under the timeline menu, which trips people up if you’re looking in File.

Step by Step

Open your project in Resolve
Go to the Edit page — OTIO import only works here, not the Cut page
Right-click in the timeline panel or use Timeline > Import Timeline > OTIO
Select your .otio file
Relink media — Resolve prompts you if file paths have changed

If Resolve can’t find the referenced footage, you’ll get a relink dialog. Point it to the right folder — it matches clips by filename and timecode.

After Import, Check These

Clip placement — Did everything land on the correct tracks?
Markers — Are your important markers there?
Transitions — Dissolves may need manual adjustment
Missing media — Use File > Relink Selected Clips if anything’s offline

How to Export OTIO from Resolve

Exporting works from the Edit page too:

Open your timeline
Go to Timeline > Export Timeline or right-click the timeline header
Select OTIO
Choose a location and filename
Export

The exported file contains references to your footage. Anyone importing it needs access to the same source files or matching media to relink.

Export Tips

Use consistent media paths — Relative or network paths transfer better across machines
Include source timecode — Makes relinking much easier
Export from the Edit page — Don’t try from Cut or Deliver
Test your own export — Drop it into a fresh timeline to verify everything made it

Common Use Cases

Moving Between Apps

Edit in Premiere, grade in Resolve. Export OTIO from Premiere (with the OTIO plugin), import into Resolve. Your timeline structure comes with you — no rebuilding cuts by hand.

Team Collaboration

An editor on Final Cut Pro hands off to a colorist on Resolve. The OTIO file preserves the editorial intent. Nobody rebuilds anything.

Automation

OTIO is JSON under the hood. Scripts can parse and modify timelines programmatically — batch processing edits, generating rough cuts from metadata, running QC checks before delivery. If you’ve got automation in your process, OTIO plays nicely with it.

Backup

OTIO files are tiny text files that describe your entire edit. Paired with archived source footage, they’re a lightweight record of every editorial decision you made. The format is a documented open standard, so the files stay readable regardless of what software version you’re running years from now.

Troubleshooting

Media Not Found

Symptom: Clips appear offline after import.

Fix: Media paths changed. Use Resolve’s relink feature — match by filename and timecode.

Generic Timeline Name

Symptom: Your timeline imports as “Timeline 1.”

Fix: Known issue as of Resolve 19. Rename it manually. Not ideal, but that’s where things stand.

Tracks Merged or Missing

Symptom: Video tracks collapsed or audio tracks disappeared.

Fix: Check your source app first. Some applications flatten tracks during export. This might not be a Resolve problem at all.

Missing Markers

Symptom: Important markers gone.

Fix: Marker handling varies across apps. If markers are critical, export them separately or add them manually in Resolve.

Transitions Became Cuts

Symptom: Your dissolves are now hard cuts.

Fix: Complex transitions don’t convert — it’s a limitation of the interchange format. Add them back manually.

OTIO vs. Other Formats

OTIO isn’t always the right call.

XML (Final Cut Pro XML) — Better for Final Cut Pro to Resolve specifically, but proprietary
AAF — Built for audio post. Your best bet for Pro Tools interchange
EDL — Simple, widely supported, limited to a single video track

Use OTIO when you need cross-app timeline transfer, you care about preserving metadata, your process involves automation that can parse it, or you’re working with a team spread across different NLEs.