All tools DaVinci Resolve · VFX Pulls · Mac only

Hotshot MarkerClip

A Mac-only DaVinci Resolve script that queues render jobs for timeline clips sitting under matching markers. Tag the clips you need, choose the track and target folder, point Resolve at the delivery preset your VFX artist needs, and MarkerClip adds the per-shot renders to the queue for you.

It is built for the repetitive part of VFX pulls: finding every shot, setting the correct in and out, naming the export, and keeping the render queue consistent.

hotshot-markerclip-package.zip

Lua package · DaVinci Resolve 18+ · macOS only · Free

Download package

If this saves you time on a job, you can support future Hotshot tools here.

Current release note: this tool is Mac only. It installs into Resolve's macOS script menu and uses macOS folder selection behaviour. A Windows version is not included in this package yet.

Why this exists

A small tool for a very specific pain point: getting timeline shots out to VFX without babysitting every single export.

VFX turnovers are simple in theory and surprisingly fussy in practice. Editorial needs to get the right section of the timeline to the artist, with a name that matches the shot list, enough surrounding context when handles are required, and a format that fits the facility's pipeline. Depending on the job, that might be a ProRes 4444 QuickTime, an EXR sequence, an audio pull, a reference render, or more than one of those at once.

Before building this, I was doing the slow version: jump to a marker, find the clip, set the in and out on the Deliver page, type a shot name, add the job to the queue, then do it again for the next shot. It works, but it is exactly the kind of repetitive post task that gets dangerous when you are tired. One missed frame, one wrong filename, or one forgotten preset can create a problem for the artist downstream.

MarkerClip keeps the human decision where it belongs. You still decide which clips are VFX pulls by placing markers. You still set up the delivery preset in Resolve so it matches the artist's requested spec, whether that is ProRes 4444, EXR, or another project-specific format. The script just turns those marked clips into render queue jobs without the manual navigation and naming pass.

That also makes it useful for split deliveries. Put rough mockups or slap comps on a higher video track, tag those markers, and run MarkerClip once for reference shots. Then switch the track setting or timeline visibility, load your raw plate preset, and run it again for the clean source pulls. The same idea works for audio references, temp comps, or any other per-shot export where the timeline already knows the range.

Where it fits in a VFX pull

A typical turnover is more than the exported media. The artist may also need a locked reference, notes, shot IDs, source timecode, handles, colour pipeline information, framing decisions, and the agreed return format. MarkerClip does not replace that paperwork or supervision. It is the render-queue helper for the plate/reference part of the handoff.

Installation

Install the Lua script into Resolve's Deliver scripts folder on macOS.

Step 1 - Download and unzip

Download the package above and unzip it. Inside you will find:

hotshot_markerclip.lua - the Resolve menu script.
install_for_resolve.py - a small Mac installer.
Hotshot MarkerClip - Installation Guide.pdf - the included PDF guide.

Step 2 - Run the installer

Open Terminal, drag install_for_resolve.py into the Terminal window after typing python3 , then press Return. The command will look like this:

python3 /path/to/hotshot-markerclip/install_for_resolve.py

The installer copies the Lua script to:

~/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/Fusion/Scripts/Deliver/Hotshot MarkerClip.lua

Step 3 - Restart Resolve

Restart DaVinci Resolve. The tool should appear at Workspace > Scripts > Deliver > Hotshot MarkerClip.

If you use the Mac App Store version of Resolve, the installer also checks Resolve's sandboxed script folder and installs there when that folder exists.

Manual install

If the installer is not right for your setup, copy hotshot_markerclip.lua manually into the Deliver scripts folder above and rename it to Hotshot MarkerClip.lua.

Marker setup

MarkerClip finds the clip underneath each matching timeline marker.

Marker name contains

By default, the script looks for marker names containing:

#export

You can change this in the tool dialog. Use whatever convention fits your project: #vfx, VFX_, #plate, or a comma-separated set of tokens.

Clip naming

The marker name becomes the render name after unsafe filename characters are cleaned up. For VFX work, use the same shot code your artist, supervisor, and tracking sheet are using.

SHOW_EP01_VFX_010 #export

Track choice

Leave the track index blank to search all tracks. For more controlled pulls, set a specific video or audio track so MarkerClip only queues clips from that layer.

Using the tool

Set the delivery format in Resolve first, then let MarkerClip handle the repetitive queueing.

Open the timeline in DaVinci Resolve.
Create or load the Deliver page preset your VFX artist needs.
Add timeline markers to the clips you want to export.
Go to Workspace > Scripts > Deliver > Hotshot MarkerClip.
Set Marker name contains, Track type, Track index, and Target directory.
Optionally enter a Resolve render preset name. Leave it blank to use the current Deliver settings.
Click Queue exports.
Review the render queue, then start rendering, or tick Start rendering immediately before queueing.

Resolve render out points are inclusive, so MarkerClip queues each clip through clip.GetEnd() - 1. That keeps the exported range aligned to the clip duration rather than adding an extra frame.

What it produces

Output	Controlled by	Use case
Per-shot renders	Resolve Deliver preset	VFX plates, ProRes references, EXR sequences, audio pulls, or temp comps
Render names	Timeline marker names	Shot-code based exports that match a VFX sheet or artist brief
Render range	Clip under marker	Frame-accurate queue jobs without manually setting in and out for every shot

Troubleshooting

Common issues and fixes.

Tool does not appear in the Scripts menu

Make sure the script is in the Deliver subfolder, then restart Resolve. If it still does not appear, switch to the Deliver page and check Workspace > Scripts > Deliver.

No markers were exported

Check that your marker names contain the token you entered, such as #export. The match is literal, so spelling and punctuation matter.

The wrong clip was found

Set a specific track index instead of searching all tracks. By default the script searches video tracks from top to bottom and uses the first clip found under the marker.

The export format is not what I expected

MarkerClip does not choose codecs or containers by itself. Load the correct Resolve render preset first, or enter the preset name in the tool dialog.

Higher-track graphics appear in the render

Resolve renders according to your current timeline and Deliver settings. Disable or isolate tracks before queueing if you need clean raw plates.