Stop Re-Tracking Magic Masks in Davinci Resolve!

[@mousbleu]

Saved me hours, thanks.

[@celestepalm6949]

Thanks so much for showing another way around magic mask! It's a royal pain to have to keep re-tracking it to get a clean mask on non-people objects- no matter which setting you choose. You got a new sub here.

[@Tekkerue]

I made a request on the Resolve forum a while back asking for an option to export magic mask data to a file/location of our choosing and import it back in. The thread is called "Magic Mask Data Export/Import" so for anyone who is on the forum, give this thread a bump and let BMD know we want this. While there are workarounds, being able to save/load the data directly from the Magic Mask would be the best.

[@DecrepitGamer-j2u]

If you save the magic mask data to a file, then change your clip and re-import the magic mask data, wouldn't that create a clip with mask data that no longer aligns with the clip? Isn't that why we lose the magic mask data when we make a change, because it becomes invalid when it no longer matches the clip, so it has to be re-created? I'm not arguing the point, just trying to understand.

[@Tekkerue]

@@DecrepitGamer-j2u Sorry, youtube never notified me of your reply. But yes, if you make changes to the clip the magic mask should break and need to be re-created. However, the magic mask is extremely volatile and breaks frequently even without making any changes to the clip. Clearing the cache folder also breaks the magic mask, so I'd also like a way to save the magic mask data outside of the cache folder where it won't be affected.

[@AntoineRotureau]

A simpler alternative can be export the tracked piece without background, using GoPro CineForm codec with the option "export alpha", and then simply use this as a media, am I right ?

[@NickBorodenko]

Yes, but the file size will be quite large

[@BlakeCDMedia]

You can export / import the magic mask data if you do it in Fusion. You use the "saver" and "loader" nodes. It would be nice to have something less clunky though.

[@tired_linh]

This saved me lots of time. I can reedit the clip without having to retrack. Definitely a must do.

[@TheSpeedReels]

Man this kept driving me crazy for almost half a year before i gave up and finally decided to use magic mask in the fusion tab which i encourage everyone to do so

[@NickBorodenko]

Yeah, magic mask tracking in fusion is much more stable. However it takes longer to track compared to color page.

[@Nobmaser]

​@@NickBorodenko can you do it?

[@StephenBillVideoEditing]

Exactly what I was looking for, though I think you could've stated the problem more earlier in the video and worded the title a little bit tighter and clearer, you only showed the MAIN PROBLEM around 50s into the intro, but nonetheless, this solves my issue. Thanks Nick! You get my sub! Rooting for your channel's success in the very near future! EDIT: Additionally you should've tested your solution at the end by splitting both layers, show & give closure to the fix of the problem that you mentioned.

[@NickBorodenko]

Thanks so much for your feedback and support! I'm glad the video was helpful. I really appreciate your suggestions and will definitely keep them in mind for future videos.

[@pianosfilipem]

Please the render cache for magic mask is so big. Changing cache format does not help. What to do

[@christianmcnally4323]

Why the heck is it so hard?? Why isn't there a button that says "lock this node" and it just locks out there?? Why would they even assume that i want it to change??

[@Deatarus51]

This is very useful, thank you! There are so many other ways to use the alpha matte created too.

[@sebasfilmedit]

amazing video brother!

[@comradesXcosmos]

ive been rendering my masked clips w/alpha channel in apple 4444, and i thought this was a glitch in the program. glad to know this is how davinci works for everyone. not glad its happening but glad for the solidarity of frustration in the comunity

[@LangBum]

Loved the Premiere Pro skit 1:06.

[@iamfrankbiesta]

Very helpful! Thanks, Nick.

[@MoviesXB]

Excellent! What a great idea and very well explained! Thank you very much.

[@JohnUntivero]

I have a similar workflow, but one that can be used if the clip is moved (in/out points). Open it in Fusion instead of Color. Use the magic mask there and output that to a saver node. Then add a loader node and output that to a new media out. You can then add a new input alpha in the color tab and it’ll directly use the loader. If you have multiple masks (e.g. person 1 and person 2) you can add more media out in fusion, and add more input alpha in the color tab. If the clip is moved, you’d only need to go to the fusion tab and regenerate savers. MediaIn 1 -> MediaOut1 MediaIn 1 -> MagicMask 1 -> Saver1 Loader1 -> MediaIn 2

[@DavidWinstead]

Awesome method man, great job, I learned something new and you earned a new sub!

[@magitekguitarfacility]

Awesome video man 👊

[@lansemedya]

Hello ! Great tutorial, thank you for that. But I did not understand why the sequence of masking clip and background clip is not matching. Can anyone help?

[@NickBorodenko]

Thank you for watching! Please check 02:39 of the video, I've covered how to easily fix this.

[@lansemedya]

@@NickBorodenko thank you Nick. Parently I was so exciting to try it rather than watch the video carefully 😄

[@lenonfernandes8584]

Thank you very much! Magic Mask was frustating but now it doesn't need to be.

[@arizonarealestatewithdonbarar]

Hi Nick, Thank you for putting this together. I am working in DRS 19.1.1 with MacOS 15.1.1. I have followed your process exactly. However, the mask is offset to the clip. I have not changed the length of the clip on which the mask the was created. In fact, the mask is the identical length clip from which it was developed.The only thing I can determine what might be incorrect is that the clip being used to develop the mask is a partial of the entire clip. What can I do to correct this? Don

[@NickBorodenko]

I'm sorry you're having trouble. You can use the compound clip as shown at 02:39 - this way the original clip and the mask should align properly.

[@arizonarealestatewithdonbarar]

@@NickBorodenko That worked. Thank you so very much. Don

[@arizonarealestatewithdonbarar]

Hi Nick, Thank you again. I had a thread on the Blackmagic Davinci Resolve forum on the topic of Magic Masks not lining up with the clip after they had been rendered out. I posted a link to your video to show how this solved this problem. Don

[@NickBorodenko]

Appreciate that, Don! Glad you found it useful enough to share.

[@philippkowalski1105]

this also made me wonder when I first switched from other tools ... 'hey, where's my Magic Mask??' ... thanks for sharing this, it really helps a lot.

[@AntoineRotureau]

A simpler alternative can be export the tracked piece without background, using GoPro CineForm codec with the option "export alpha", and then simply use this as a media, am I right ?

[@phil_helix1191]

Hey guys, can anyone tell me why my magic mask acts like it literally forgot the rendered files for an effect either via fusion or in the color tab once I save and come back to the file?

[@luis.a.sanchez]

man THANK YOUUUU subbed fs

[@jylonmckee2832]

Man, I love this but its just not working correctly for me. Maybe i have a setting different on my machine that's causing a different outcome im not sure. The rendered file i made following this video just looks and behaves like a normal clip. Thank you.

[@NickBorodenko]

I'm sorry to hear that, it might be due to the alpha output not being connected - please check the tutorial at 1:47

[@jylonmckee2832]

@ ok. I’ll double check. Thank you.

[@KontrolStyle]

This makes me happy that is't not JUST happening to me. Sometimes it works, other times NOPE. you hit play and it gives you blackness.. edit: more steps of course, that's how it'll work. ty for a workaround. cheers

[@u_shanti]

Thank u!!

[@TonyBabarino]

I’m sorry but for most of us I think you’re missing out a fewdetailed steps. I really wanted to try to understand this, but I think a few little things here and there you might’ve skipped over? Any chance to update the video to teach us this process?

[@NickBorodenko]

Thank you for your feedback! I tried to make the video as detailed as possible while maintaining a fast pace for the algorithm. The main thing I didn't include is the initial magic mask setup, which didn't fit nicely into the video. If I've missed something critical further down the line, please let me know. Sorry for any inconvenience!

[@dicolorist]

Thq

[@FunnyVibes555]

cool

[@akcivan]

you are makin so much work bro, but thanks anyway :D i generally make magic mask add alpha output, connect it. Then render in place with alpha supported codec. Thats all, MUCH easier

[@NickBorodenko]

Thank you for sharing your method! I got so used to my workflow that I forgot the easier way exists xD However, for some use cases, the method shown in the video might be more beneficial. Using the mask as an external matte offers more flexibility in the color tab, allowing grading both inside and outside of the mask in the same node tree. Additionally, the same mask can be used for multiple nodes. Also, black and white .mp4 mask renders take up very little space. For example, on a 4K 30fps timeline: - 1 min magic mask cache ~14 GB - 1 min magic mask rendered to transparent ProRes 4444 ~3.5 GB - 1 min magic mask rendered to black and white H.264 ~70 MB

[@christospherein2631]

This magic mask losses are really annoying. Change something in your node tree before the mask and you have to rerender it. But in a normal 3 minute clip i have probably dozen of mask. Your work around would be a lot if extra steps 🥴

[@NickBorodenko]

Indeed, considering your workflow, it would be easier to allow those masks to rerender.

[@NealWiser]

I’ve all but given up on Magic Mask. It simply will not retain the mask data. I’ve rendered in place. Used Saver and Loader nodes. At some point, almost immediately, it will lose the connection to the savers/loaders, if not the mask data itself. I’m using 18.6 on a Mac Studio M2 Max. I’ll try this, but if anyone has any suggestions, I’d appreciate it.