DaVinci Resolve MCP

An MCP server that lets AI assistants (Claude, Codex, Antigravity, Cursor, …) drive DaVinci Resolve Studio through Resolve's scripting API: editing, color, Fusion, audio, subtitles and delivery. The assistant can also see timeline frames to check its own work.

Describe the edit ("cut the silence at 0:12, add a Persian title on V2, warm teal-orange look, export for Instagram") and the assistant does it in Resolve.

• 102 tools, tested live on DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 (macOS)

• Frame-accurate razor / trim / move / ripple, which Resolve's API does not have natively

• Generated color looks (exposure, contrast, temperature, lift/gamma/gain, split toning) as LUTs

• Fusion node building with keyframes, Text+ titles (Persian/Arabic supported)

• Transcription with word timings for text-based editing, auto subtitles, AI voice isolation

• One-call render, plus frame previews / contact sheets returned as images

Requirements

• DaVinci Resolve Studio (the free edition does not allow external scripting), running

• In Resolve: Preferences → System → General → External scripting using: Local

• uv (it installs Python and dependencies automatically)

• macOS is tested. Windows and Linux use Resolve's standard install paths but are untested.

Related MCP server: davinci-resolve-mcp

Install

Every client runs the same command, which downloads and runs the server from GitHub:

uvx --from git+https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp davinci-resolve-mcp

On macOS, GUI apps may not find uvx on PATH; then use its full path (which uvx, usually ~/.local/bin/uvx).

Claude Code

claude mcp add davinci-resolve --scope user -- uvx --from git+https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp davinci-resolve-mcp

Claude Desktop

Settings → Developer → Edit Config (claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "davinci-resolve": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "git+https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp", "davinci-resolve-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Codex (CLI and app)

~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.davinci-resolve]
command = "uvx"
args = ["--from", "git+https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp", "davinci-resolve-mcp"]
startup_timeout_sec = 60
tool_timeout_sec = 3600

or codex mcp add davinci-resolve -- uvx --from git+https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp davinci-resolve-mcp

Antigravity

Agent panel → … → MCP Servers → Manage → View raw config (~/.gemini/config/mcp_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "davinci-resolve": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["--from", "git+https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp", "davinci-resolve-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Cursor / VS Code / others

Any MCP client that supports stdio servers works. Use the same command + args as above (Cursor: ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

From a local clone (for development)

git clone https://github.com/AlirezaC9/davinci-resolve-mcp && cd davinci-resolve-mcp
uv sync
uv run python tests/smoke_test_stdio.py        # with Resolve running

Then point your client at <clone>/.venv/bin/davinci-resolve-mcp (Windows: .venv\Scripts\davinci-resolve-mcp.exe).

Configuration (optional environment variables)

Tools

Conventions: times are seconds from the timeline start (or "120f", or a timecode); tracks are V1/A1/S1; clips are "V1:0" (transitions not counted), {"track":"V1","time":3.2}, an id, or "selected".

How missing API features are handled

Resolve's scripting API has no razor, trim, move or undo, and titles/generators can only be inserted (rippling track V1):

• razor / clip_trim / clip_move / range_remove / gaps_close rebuild the affected clips from source media, frame-accurately. They keep Inspector properties, fades, grades (copied through a temporary holder clip), Fusion comps, clip color and enabled state, and re-link audio/video. Retimed clips must be set back to 100% first; clip markers and extra color versions are not carried over.

• title_add / generator_add insert at the end of V1 and wrap the result in a compound clip (bin "Titles (MCP)") placed at any track/time; title_update rebuilds such titles from stored parameters.

• undo / redo send Cmd+Z / Cmd+Shift+Z (macOS, needs Accessibility permission). The reliable safety net is project_snapshot (exports a .drp backup).

Known Resolve quirks

• Changing an existing timeline's frame rate by script can freeze Resolve's scripting bridge (sometimes with a "frame rate mismatch" dialog). Set the frame rate when creating the project. Every call has a watchdog, so a blocked Resolve returns an error instead of hanging the assistant; Resolve may need a restart.

• MediaPool.ImportMedia([{"FilePath": …}]) (the documented form) fails on 21.1; plain path lists work. The server tries both.

• Fusion comps edited by script must not be wrapped in comp.Lock(), or Resolve won't re-render the changes.

License

MIT