DaVinci Resolve automation for multicam switching

Hi,

My first post here on this forum. I would appreciate some pointers on how can I automate multicam switching between various angles for a DJ set

Setup:
- 2 (or more) long video clips (about 60-90min each)
- 1 audio clip - everything synced up
Goal: Alternate camera angles in random time intervals (e.g 5-45 secs) throughout entire timeline

I though about using the scripting api but I struggle to find available api calls to achieve this and documentation (Developer readme.txt or manual) is clearly lacking in that context too.

My overly simplified algorithm:

minValue = 5sec
maxValue = 45sec

_ repeat until TimelineLenght > currentTime+maxValue
1) interval = setRandomInterval(minValue,maxValue) <- randomly choose next interval (5-45secs)
2) currentTime = setCurrentTime(currentTime + interval) <- move ahead in the timeline
3) SwitchAngles(CurrentTime) <- trigger switch between angles
_ end of loop

Alternatively if multicam option is not available in scripting api maybe there is a way to access clips in timeline and split them accordingly. Any other helps to achieve it would be also nice (even in semi-manual way).

[Peter Chamberlain]

Moved to Resolve thread for visibility

The current API lacks the ability to set clip in and out times. You can build a timeline by appending clips to the end, but the in/out times for clips must be set manually. This approach clearly would not work.

Since the multicam functionality does not seem necessary to achieve what you need to do you could write an EDL outside of Resolve and conform it in Resolve. This does not require the API scripting.

The EDL would contain your random 5-45 seconds edits. You could generate it using a variety of ways.

Another possible way is to do this in the Fusion page. If you have only two clips you connect them into a merge node. You can then use an expression to control the opacity of the top clip. A value resulting in 0.0 turns it off, 1.0 turns it on. I'd have to dig into this to see how it would all work, but I think it's doable.

Thanks for the suggestions. I really like the idea of using Fusion. I will try that solution first!

Btw. Igor, I appreciate your insights. It was your videos showing Resolve's API that made me think to automate my current workflow!

I know this thread's a few years old now but I was looking to do the same thing and there was no solution that I could find.

I often throw together multi-cam band footage, sometime several hours long and want an automated way to switch between cams just as you described in the top of this post.

I ended up writing a little program to control DaVinci to get the job done. Is there still a need for this solution by anyone?

Hello,
I have similar issue now.

I ended up writing a little program to control DaVinci to get the job done. Is there still a need for this solution by anyone?

Yes Please.

Mine is a little different. I need to have camera switching depending on active audio channel. But random would also work.

I ended up writing a little program to control DaVinci to get the job done. Is there still a need for this solution by anyone?

Is this something you ever released or shared? I think there is a definite need for it.