DaVinci Resolve MCP: an assistant editor inside Resolve

Much of the time in an edit goes to prep, not cutting: ingesting media, sorting bins, syncing cameras, stringing out a long first assembly. DaVinci Resolve MCP uses Resolve’s official scripting API to hand that assistant-editor work to an agent. The project claims coverage of all 361 scripting API methods, 338 of them tested live. The repo had about 3.4k stars as of 2026-10-06.

What it does

• Projects and media: project CRUD, safe imports, image sequences, rule-based bin organization, metadata cleanup and multicam prep timelines.
• Media analysis: slate-clap and 2-pop detection for sync, transcription, and analysis results written back as Resolve clip metadata and markers. Source files are read, never modified.
• Editing and review: find gaps and overlaps, copy or move ranges, manage review markers and export review reports.
• Color and delivery: read node graphs, validate CDLs, copy grades, export LUTs; probe format and codec combinations, validate render settings and queue jobs.

Who it’s for

• Editors on shoot projects who want hundreds of clips binned and cameras synced before they start the real cut.
• Creators making interview or podcast videos who want a rough cut built from the transcript.
• Colorists who want grades copied in bulk, LUTs exported or review markers tidied.

Setup

You need DaVinci Resolve 18.5+ and Python 3.10+. In Studio, set Preferences → General → External scripting using to Local, then run the installer, which creates a virtual environment and can configure Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and other clients:

npx davinci-resolve-mcp setup

The free edition blocks external scripting. The README offers a bridge script that runs inside Resolve instead, but Resolve 21.1 moved Python scripting to Studio, so that path may stop working at any time.

Our take

Among video servers, it has the widest coverage and the most careful safety design. The default compound mode exposes 37 grouped tools to save context, destructive actions go through plan, review and confirm, and timelines are archived before changes. The README also spells out what it won’t do: pick the best take, judge a cut or touch source media. That kind of candor is rare. Caveats: full functionality needs the paid Studio edition, it checks GitHub for updates, and it can change your project, so try it on a copy first. MIT-licensed.