In anticipation of Apple’s upcoming update featuring spatial video editing capabilities in Final Cut Pro, Blackmagic Design has taken the lead by releasing DaVinci Resolve 19.1. Available for download now via the Mac App Store, this update introduces support for spatial photo decoding and MV HEVC spatial video encoding on Mac.
This allows users to seamlessly edit and produce spatial videos for Apple Vision Pro, a capability that has yet to be integrated into mainstream non-linear editing software.
Both DaVinci Resolve 19.1 and DaVinci Resolve Studio 19.1 include functionality for delivering spatial videos. To get started, I imported a spatial video and photo from my iPhone 16 Pro Max into the timeline of DaVinci Resolve.
To encode spatial videos, choose Quicktime as the output format and set H.265 as the codec. Next, adjust the Render Stereoscopic 3D setting to both eyes, and select MV-HEVC from the dropdown list. Then, add your project to the render queue and export as you normally would.
Sharing the rendered video to the Apple Vision Pro via AirDrop enabled immediate playback with spatial support. Notably, DaVinci Resolve also offers spatial photo decoding, allowing the incorporation of spatial images into the project timeline alongside video clips.
The editing process for spatial video is quite intuitive and resembles the editing of standard 2D videos. During my testing, I executed a simple zoom effect using keyframes on both the photo and video, which displayed correctly in spatial format when viewed on the Apple headset. For anyone seeking an efficient way to edit spatial content for the Apple Vision Pro, DaVinci Resolve 19.1 is more than capable.
As for Final Cut Pro, there is anticipation for the introduction of spatial video editing capabilities alongside new features like AI-assisted captions, which are expected to be announced this week. Historically, updates have been revealed during the annual Final Cut Pro Creative Summit, which starts tomorrow, where Apple has invited attendees for a preview of upcoming features in its professional applications. Stay tuned for all the latest updates as they become available.
What are your thoughts on spatial video editing? Is it an area of interest for you? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments below.
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