CommunityActive· 6d★ 4.3by Samuel Gursky

DaVinci Resolve MCP

Full coverage of the DaVinci Resolve scripting API so agents can drive timelines, edits, colour grading, and media management via Claude.

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Safety & Trust

Delv Safety Grade: C

Score 58/100 · assessed 2026-04-28

Maintainer45

Permissions35

Supply chain35

Transparency70

Incidents100

DaVinci Resolve MCP is a community project by solo maintainer Samuel Gursky that exposes the entire DaVinci Resolve scripting API to Claude. The scope is extremely broad: full control over video timelines, colour grading, media import/export, and rendering. This means filesystem access (reading and writing media files), potential shell execution for rendering, and desktop-level control of a professional video editing application. The install is a custom Python script rather than a standard package manager, which raises supply chain concerns. The repository appears open source with reasonable documentation, but it's a one-person project with no organisational backing. There are no known security incidents, but the combination of broad permissions, custom install, and solo maintenance makes this a moderate-risk integration for production environments. Suitable for personal projects where you control the environment.

Lethal Trifecta (prompt-injection exposure)

CLEAR

Private dataNo

Reads secrets, credentials, private files

Untrusted inputNo

Ingests web pages, PRs, issues, emails

External commsNo

Can send data outbound

Local video editor.

Green flags

Open source repository with visible code for inspection
Targets specific professional application with documented API
No known security incidents or malicious behaviour
Clear documentation of capabilities and use cases

Red flags

Custom install.py script instead of standard package manager
Full control of DaVinci Resolve including filesystem and rendering operations
Solo maintainer with no organisational backing or bus factor mitigation
Broad API surface covering entire Resolve scripting interface
No versioned releases or package distribution for rollback safety

Permissions requested

Read filesWrite filesDesktop controlShell executeOutbound network

Assessed by Delv Editorial using public metadata. Grades are advisory and update as the ecosystem changes. They do not replace your own review of permissions and code before granting an agent access to sensitive systems.

Install

python install.py

Review

DaVinci Resolve MCP wraps the entire DaVinci Resolve scripting API so Claude can control your video editor directly. You get timeline manipulation, colour grading automation, media import/export, and rendering, all through natural language prompts. It's a proper bridge to the full Resolve API, not a toy subset. I'd reach for this when I'm batch-processing footage or automating repetitive edits. Ask Claude to "apply a LUT to all clips in the timeline" or "export the current timeline as ProRes 422" and it just works. The real win is chaining operations: import a folder of clips, arrange them on a timeline, apply a colour grade preset, then kick off a render, all in one conversation. That's a workflow that normally involves clicking through half a dozen panels. The install is a Python script that sets up the server and handles the Resolve API bindings. You'll need DaVinci Resolve Studio (the paid version) because the free version doesn't expose the full scripting API. The server talks to Resolve via its built-in Python environment, so you need Resolve running and a project open before Claude can do anything useful. That's not a bug, it's how Resolve's API works, but it means this isn't fire-and-forget automation. Quirks: Resolve's API is powerful but occasionally cryptic. Some operations require specific timeline states or project settings, and the error messages aren't always helpful. Claude will sometimes suggest an operation that technically exists in the API but doesn't work in your current context. You'll learn to phrase requests more precisely after a few attempts. This is for editors who already know Resolve and want to script repetitive tasks without writing Python. If you're learning Resolve from scratch, this won't teach you the interface. If you're on the free version, it won't work at all. If you're deep in a colour grading workflow and want to automate LUT application across dozens of clips, it's brilliant.

Verdict

Install this if you're a Resolve Studio user who spends time on repetitive edits or batch operations. Skip it if you're on the free version or you don't already know your way around Resolve's interface. The API coverage is comprehensive, but you need to know what you're asking for.

Good at

Full API coverage means you can automate nearly any Resolve operation, not just a curated subset.
Chaining operations in one prompt (import, edit, grade, render) saves enormous time on batch workflows.
Works directly with Resolve's native Python API, so it's stable and doesn't rely on fragile UI automation.
Colour grading automation is genuinely useful for applying consistent looks across multiple clips or projects.

Watch out

Requires DaVinci Resolve Studio (paid version), so the free version's large user base is locked out.
Resolve must be running with a project open before any commands work, which isn't obvious from the docs.
Error messages from the Resolve API can be vague, making it hard to debug failed operations without API knowledge.
Some advanced operations need precise project states or settings, so you'll spend time learning what works in which context.

Use cases

timeline editing
colour grading automation
media import and export
rendering

Getting started

1. Clone the repo and run `python install.py` to set up the server and dependencies. 2. Add the server to your Claude Desktop config by pointing it at the installed server script (exact path depends on your system). 3. Launch DaVinci Resolve Studio and open a project before starting a conversation with Claude. 4. Test it by asking Claude to "list all timelines in the current project" to confirm the connection works. 5. Watch out: some API calls require specific project states (e.g., a timeline must be active), so phrase requests clearly and expect to iterate on complex operations.

Works with

Claude DesktopClaude CodeCursor