Cutsio Blog

How to Import Footage into the Media Pool in DaVinci Resolve

Import camera originals, proxies, audio, and image sequences into the DaVinci Resolve Media Pool while keeping folders, metadata, and source paths organized.

How do you import footage into the Media Pool in DaVinci Resolve?

To import footage into DaVinci Resolve, open the Media page, choose the correct bin in the Media Pool, locate the source files in the file browser, and drag the files or folders into the bin. Resolve can then link the media to the project while preserving available clip metadata. For large libraries, organize the source folders before import and use Cutsio’s Visual Intelligence to search footage by visual content and speech when finding the right clips becomes more difficult than importing them.

What is the Media Pool?

The Media Pool is Resolve’s project-level organization area for source clips, bins, timelines, compound clips, and other media items. It is not the same as the folder structure on your storage drive. A bin can help organize clips inside the Resolve project without changing the original files on disk.

Use bins that reflect how the team edits:

| Bin | Example contents |

| --- | --- |

| Camera originals | Card or reel media grouped by shoot day |

| Audio | Production sound, music, and effects |

| Interviews | Main interviews and pickups |

| B-roll | Locations, objects, and supporting shots |

| Graphics | Logos, titles, and stills |

| Proxies | Proxy or transcode references |

| Timelines | Selects, rough cuts, and approved versions |

The bin structure is part of the project organization. Keep the source folders on disk equally clear so relinking and archive restoration remain manageable.

How do you import a video folder?

1. Open the project in DaVinci Resolve.
2. Go to the Media page.
3. In the Media Pool, select or create the destination bin.
4. Browse to the drive and folder containing the footage.
5. Select the files or the folder you want to import.
6. Drag the selection into the Media Pool, or use the import command available in your Resolve version.
7. Review the clips and confirm that the expected frame rate, duration, and audio tracks are present.

Import one representative folder first when working with an unfamiliar camera format. Verify the result before importing an entire shoot. This makes it easier to catch missing sidecars, unsupported files, or a folder-level mistake before the Media Pool becomes crowded.

Should you import folders or individual clips?

Import folders when the folder structure is already meaningful and you want Resolve to reflect it in bins or sub-bins. Import individual clips when you need to select only certain media or when a camera folder contains files that should not enter the project.

Do not import every file on a card without checking its purpose. Camera cards can contain video, audio, thumbnails, metadata, proxies, and database files. Preserve the complete card archive, but import only the media the project needs unless Resolve’s format workflow requires the surrounding folder structure.

How do you preserve camera metadata?

Metadata can include camera, reel, timecode, lens, scene, take, creation date, and other production information. Preserve the original folder and sidecar files when the camera format uses them. Do not rename or move source files casually after import.

After importing, select a representative clip and inspect the metadata panel. Check:

• Clip name and reel name
• Start and end timecode
• Frame rate and resolution
• Audio channel layout
• Camera or lens information when available
• Scene and take fields
• Color or RAW-related source settings

If metadata is missing, determine whether the camera stored it in the media file, a sidecar, or a card-level structure. Rebuilding a production archive from only copied video files can lose information needed for conform and finishing.

How do you import RAW footage?

Import RAW footage using the same Media page workflow, but test a representative clip before bringing in the entire camera archive. RAW formats may rely on camera metadata, sidecar files, or folder conventions. Keep the original card structure intact in the archive and avoid editing directly inside a camera-original folder.

After import, inspect the clip’s source settings and confirm that the image is interpreted as expected. Check color space, gamma, exposure controls, white balance, and debayer settings where the format provides them. Do not change the project’s global color management simply to correct one incorrectly interpreted source clip.

If the RAW clip is difficult to play, create optimized or proxy media for editing while preserving the original camera file for finishing. Name the proxies clearly and document their relationship to the originals.

How do you import audio with video?

Import production audio into a dedicated bin and preserve the original filenames and timecode. If the audio was recorded separately, confirm that the project and source clips use compatible frame-rate and timecode assumptions before syncing.

For a clean workflow:

1. Create an Audio or Production Sound bin.
2. Import the audio files without renaming the originals.
3. Inspect sample rate, channel layout, and timecode.
4. Sync using the method appropriate to the production.
5. Keep synced clips or timelines clearly labeled.
6. Preserve the original audio files for later conform or mix work.

Do not assume that an audio filename match guarantees correct sync. Compare a known slate, waveform, or timecode reference when the handoff matters.

How do you import image sequences?

Image sequences need consistent names and numbering. Before import, verify that frames are complete and that the sequence does not contain gaps or unrelated images. Import the sequence using Resolve’s image-sequence behavior rather than treating each frame as an independent still when the project requires continuous motion.

Check the resulting duration, frame rate, color interpretation, and frame order. A missing frame can create a flash, freeze, or timing shift that is difficult to notice until the sequence is edited.

What if Resolve cannot import the footage?

First identify whether the issue is the file, the folder structure, the codec, or the project. Test one known-good clip from the same source.

• If one file fails but others work, inspect the file for corruption.
• If an entire card fails, preserve the card archive and check its structure.
• If only RAW or image sequences fail, review the required sidecars and import method.
• If the clip imports but has no picture or audio, inspect tracks and source interpretation.
• If playback is slow, test optimized or proxy media before converting everything.

Avoid using random converters as the first response. A conversion can discard timecode, metadata, alpha, color information, or camera-original relationships. If a transcode is necessary, record the source, target settings, and reason.

How should you organize large footage imports?

Import in stages that match the production. Start with camera originals, then audio, graphics, and reference material. Create bins for shoot days, cameras, interviews, b-roll, and approved selects. Keep timelines in a separate bin and include version numbers in their names.

For a large archive, search before importing every file into an active project. Cutsio can index footage by scene, object, action, and speech, helping an editor identify which clips are relevant to the current cut. The source files still need to be available to Resolve, but the discovery step becomes faster.

How do you keep import paths reliable?

Store active media on a stable volume and avoid changing the volume name or root folder after import. If you move the project to another workstation, document the source path and use Resolve’s relink tools rather than manually replacing clips.

Keep a media handoff note with:

• Project name and Resolve version
• Source-media root folder
• Camera-card and reel naming
• Proxy or optimized-media locations
• Frame rate and timecode assumptions
• Known missing or unsupported files

This record turns a one-time import into a repeatable workflow for editors, assistants, and finishing teams.

For projects with several editors, include a short import manifest listing the bins created, the source folders used, the proxy policy, and any clips intentionally excluded. That makes it easier to compare a second workstation with the original project and prevents assistants from importing the same camera card twice under slightly different names.

It also makes later relinking and archive recovery much less ambiguous.

FAQ

Can I drag an entire folder into the Media Pool?

Yes, when the folder structure and contents are appropriate for the project. Review the imported bins and exclude unrelated card or metadata files when necessary.

Should I import originals or proxies first?

Import and preserve the originals, then create or link proxies for editing when the source media is difficult to play. Proxies should never replace the camera archive.

Why is metadata missing after import?

The metadata may be stored in sidecars or card-level structures that were not copied, or the format may not expose every field to Resolve. Preserve the complete source structure and inspect a representative clip.

Can I rename source files after importing them?

Avoid renaming source files outside the application. Renaming can break paths and make relinking more difficult, especially when several cards contain similar filenames.

Can Cutsio replace the Resolve Media Pool?

No. Resolve remains the editing and finishing environment. Cutsio can provide a searchable discovery layer for large video libraries so teams can find the right footage before importing or organizing it in Resolve.