How to Automate DaVinci Resolve with AI and Local Scripts

Now that DaVinci Resolve has the ability to connect to AI assistants, there are a lot of new and interesting tools popping up that allow you to automate annoying tasks. Most people don't realise this, but all the AI assistants are doing is creating scripts that control your editing project. Every time you ask for something to get done, the AI goes away and makes a new script, and then uploads it. This is where a new tool called MagicScript comes in handy by letting you save those scripts, add variables, and run them locally whenever you need them. The result is a workflow that uses AI to create automation once, rather than asking AI to generate the same script every time.

How to Automate DaVinci Resolve with AI and Local Scripts

• In DaVinci Resolve, open File and select Setup AI Assistance.
• Locally installed AI applications such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or Codex can then be connected.

This installs the MCP server that allows the AI application to communicate with DaVinci Resolve.

You can also connect the MCP server to a locally running LLM. If you want to use a local AI, add the file path to the Resolve MCP exe in your LLM configuration. Once it's connected, you can ask your AI assistant to do random tasks like asking it to rotate all clips on the timeline by 180 degrees.

Note: The AI does not directly control the Resolve interface. It just reads the available API and writes a script. That script is then run on the timeline to make the requested change. Basically, every time you ask the AI to do something, it writes an entirely new script... Even if you request the same task.

Install and Use MagicScript

• Download and run the MagicScript installer. (It's available on Windows and Mac)
• During installation, you can also enable the Stream Deck plugin (Optional)
• After installation, open DaVinci Resolve and go to Workspace > Workflow Integrations > MagicScript.

• MagicScript has a collection of reusable scripts. Examples include deleting empty tracks, applying transitions, creating subtitles, assembling bins, and generating thumbnails.

Over time, more and more will be added, which you can use even if you don't have an active AI assistant subscription. It's basically just exploiting scripts that have already been created for hyper-specific tasks. The best part is that when you know they work, they will always work.

Now you can run a Script

• Select a script and double-click it to open its variables.
• These variables allow you to customise how the script operates.
• For example, a transition script can let you choose the transition type and duration. Select your settings and click Run.
• MagicScript saves the project before running a script, this gives you a save point in case the script destroys your project.

How to Organise AI Scripts in DaVinci Resolve

As you get more and more scripts, you're going to want to store them properly so the process stays nice and simple. If you are searching through tons of scripts, you're not really going to be saving much time.

• You can mark frequently used scripts as favourites.
• Create custom lists for specific workflows, such as weddings or other recurring projects.
• A mini version of MagicScript can remain open in the corner of your workspace, giving you quick access to your scripts without opening the full interface. It's a nice little addition.

How to Create Your Own Scripts

• To create a new script, open the AI Guide inside MagicScript.

This provides a Markdown file containing the information an AI assistant needs to create compatible scripts, including where scripts should be saved and how variables should be configured.

• Copy this information into a new conversation with your AI assistant.

Then describe the automation you want. For example, you could ask the AI to add Dynamic Zoom to every video clip on a specific track and ask for the track number and other settings at runtime. Once created, the script can be reloaded in MagicScript and reused on future projects.

Add MagicScript to a Stream Deck

If you have a Stream Deck and the plugin is installed:

• Open the Stream Deck application and add the Run Script action.
• Choose the MagicScript you want to run and configure whether it should open the script settings or run immediately using its previous settings.
• You can then start tasks straight from your Stream Deck, with a single button.

This is the simplest way to use AI once to create the automation, then save and reuse the resulting script whenever you need it. Then you don't have to waste tokens (money) each and every time you want to run the same script over and over.