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Cinema Físico
Cinema Físico
Inspiring
March 24, 2026
Answered

Export an 1440x1080 XML from Adobe Premiere to DaVinci Resolve

  • March 24, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 62 views

Hello

Want to export a XML from Adobe Premiere for Davinci Resolve in the right way. I have been exporting XML from Premiere to Davinci for ages and never got any problem. But want to know what Adobe engineers suggests to export a XML from Adobe Premiere to color grade in Davinci Resolve?

So I shoot this film in 3840x2160 XF-AVC in my Canon C70. I am done with my editing in Adobe Premiere. Now I am going to send it for color grading. My colorist uses Davinci Resolve.

My timeline setting are:

Frame size: 1440x1080
Square Pixels
23,976 fps
Delivery codec: Apple Pro res 422

Want to create a XML to send it to Davicini Resolve. Want the colorist to color grade an 1440x1080 timeline. Why I want that? Because I want the final frame size in 1440x1080 and want the colorist to color grade only the crop image (shoot it in 3840x2160 and my final frame size is 1440x1080).

How should I prepare my timeline, in the right way, for an Adobe Premiere XML exporting to DaVinci Resolve using my timeline configuration?

Thank you very much.
Fernando Alves
Editor

    Correct answer ScottSimmons

    You don't have to change your sequence resolution when sending that over to a colorist. If you're working at 1080, then you're most likely repoing some of the footage so, sending the XML at that original resolution means your metadata and all, for the most part, will remain intact. There is just a setting that the colorist has to check properly in Resolve when importing the XML. I can't remember exactly what it is, but if he does that right, then simple things like position and scaling will translate. 

    So in your new 1441, just leave your sequence size as it is and make sure the colorist is importing the XML correctly so those scaling changes will come across. You can also try to send him an AAF, as that actually sends more data than an XML. 

    And if you really want to get fancy and use the most modern translation protocol, go to Export > Open TimelineIO because that's the future of this. I haven't tested it in a while because the first implementations weren't working very well, but it's worth a try. Resolve supports OTIO

    1 reply

    S
    Community Expert
    ScottSimmonsCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    March 24, 2026

    Are you wanting your colorist to conform back to the camera originals? I’m guessing yes since you’re asking about an XML. But then you mention delivery codec as ProRes so that could mean you’re sending a flattened Quicktime file so in that case you would not need and XML. Just an EDL.

     

    But short answer is, when done with the edit, duplicate your timeline and flatten the edit down to as few video layers as possible. Remove any third party filters and effects as those don’t translate. Then export the XML video layers only. Along with your XML, provide a reference file for the colorist that has audio and a full export of your final locked cut in Premiere as a reference. 

    If there are things like positioning, or opacity or other effects that can’t translate, then they might have to be manaully recreated in Resolve which is part of the job of a online editor / colorist. 

      Cinema Físico
      Cinema FísicoAuthor
      Inspiring
      March 24, 2026

      Yes, my colorist is going to conform back to the camera files. He has all the original camera files in his studio.

      What I usually do:

      When I finish my editing, I duplicate my timeline and as you said,  flatten the edit down to as few video layers as possible and remove any third party filters and effects as those don’t translate.

      In this new duplicate timeline, I change the frame size to the original camera file’s frame size. So for example, if I am editing in 1920x 1080 and the camera original frame size is 3840x2160, I duplicate my last timeline and set the frame size to 3840x2160 and then make a XML to send it to the colorist. So then he can work with the original frame size. After his work, he send me the color grade takes in 3840x2160. I take this files and copy and paste the atributes of my last cut in 1920x1080. That is my workflow.

      But now I want to change it a bit. I want to send my last cut that is in 1440x1080 to the colorist. So then he is going only to work the crop image in 1440x1080 and not in the original frame size in 3840x2160. The reason I am doing this is that I noticed that sometimes he works in some image details in 3840x2160 that are not going to be in my 1920x1080 or 1440x1080 final cut.

      How should I proceed in that case?

      Thank you very much
      Fernando Alves
      Editor

      Fernando AlvesEditor
      S
      Community Expert
      ScottSimmonsCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      March 24, 2026

      You don't have to change your sequence resolution when sending that over to a colorist. If you're working at 1080, then you're most likely repoing some of the footage so, sending the XML at that original resolution means your metadata and all, for the most part, will remain intact. There is just a setting that the colorist has to check properly in Resolve when importing the XML. I can't remember exactly what it is, but if he does that right, then simple things like position and scaling will translate. 

      So in your new 1441, just leave your sequence size as it is and make sure the colorist is importing the XML correctly so those scaling changes will come across. You can also try to send him an AAF, as that actually sends more data than an XML. 

      And if you really want to get fancy and use the most modern translation protocol, go to Export > Open TimelineIO because that's the future of this. I haven't tested it in a while because the first implementations weren't working very well, but it's worth a try. Resolve supports OTIO

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