I started using DaVinci Resolve in 2005. It was a $300,000 system, the hardware rack was the size of a doorway and it took a Resolve engineer two days to install. In 2006 I met with Mike Seymour and John Montgomery, who said they were thinking of opening an online university. They asked me if I would like to be their professor of color. I didn’t really have any ideas of the specifics, but being keen to try different things I jumped at the chance.
Trish Cahill in 2007 at Cutting Edge in Sydney. Trish is currently grading the Hobbit in NZ
Resolve 6 GUI
Resolve 6
My first classes were released in 2007 and it was one of the first ever FXPHD offerings, 30 minute tutorial films released every week over a 10 week term. We decided to run the class on a da-vinci 2k color corrector, FXPHD didn’t own one so we had to beg, borrow and steal from the Post Houses in Sydney. The grading rooms were over $1000 an hour back then so we had to be in and out very quickly, sometimes only shooting 3 lessons during their downtime. Having just about used up all our favours with the nations Post Houses we luckily managed to secure a demo Resolve Linux system, meaning we could mix things up and record 3 lessons on Resolve.
Driving Resolve with the original DaVinci 2K panels in 2007
Shot with the Red camera in 2012
V10 2013 filmed in Sydney in the FXPHD studio
These were the world’s first high end Color Correction online classes, there was no ICA back then, no classroom training available so interest was high. Not many of my students had access to a da-vinci 2k or a Resolve to practice on, so my students were mainly a mix of Apple Color/After Effects/Avid/FCP users looking for general tips.
I had to do lots of prep on paper then had a few minutes before each class recording to rehearse each lesson. We didn’t want to make a simple screen recording with V/O so a mix of cameras including myself addressing the camera, screen and grading monitor recordings were edited to make the final vision. FXPHD have always had high production values so we always dressed the set, had good demo material, and shot with the RED camera, making things look as good as possible.
The first class was more of an introduction where I chatted to my DP clients about the relationship of the Colorist and the DP. I think this relaxed feel and background info on the role of the colorist, always showing ‘why’ just not ‘how’ to do something is what people liked back in 2007.
Chatting about the 2007 classes with DP Steve Newman
With the release of Resolve 7 in 2010 my classes moved to the Fast Forward section of FXPHD where you can download all 10 x 30m lessons, enabling the user to work on the section of their choosing.
For Resolve 11 I have recorded 2 completely separate courses FF Fundamentals for beginners and FF Advanced for existing Resolve users.
Both classes are available now at
