What an OTIO file actually is
OpenTimelineIO is a JSON-based timeline format. Pixar open-sourced the reference implementation in 2018, and over the next few years it became a quiet standard in the VFX pipeline world. An .otio file describes a sequence: a list of tracks, each track a list of clips, each clip a reference to a media file with in/out points. Markers, transitions, and metadata travel alongside.
It's text, not binary. You can open one in a code editor and read it. That makes it transparent and easy to debug — and crucially, it's a normal file your operating system handles.
Why DR Free accepts it
DaVinci Resolve has had OTIO import support since version 17. The path is File → Import Timeline → OpenTimelineIO in both Free and Studio. Importing OTIO is not a scripting operation — it's a regular file dialog, the same kind of import as XML or AAF. That's why the November 2024 scripting rollback didn't touch it.
What Pulse Edit puts in the OTIO file
- Timeline structure. One video track, one audio track. Cuts placed at the beat positions selected by your cut pattern.
- Clip references. Each cut points at an existing media file on your disk. Pulse Edit never copies or re-encodes — only references.
- In/out points. Each clip carries source-frame in and out values, so Resolve knows which portion of the original media to use.
- Markers. Every detected beat gets a timeline marker, useful even if you decide to re-cut later.
- Frame rate. Set to match your project. Pulse Edit uses floor() (never round) so 23.976 and 29.97 projects stay frame-accurate.
Importing the file — five real steps
Export from Pulse Edit
Click the Export button. Pulse Edit writes a .otio file next to your project — typically a few kilobytes. The file appears almost instantly even for long sequences.
Open DaVinci Resolve Free
Free edition is fine. The OTIO import dialog is the same on both editions; there's no Studio gate here.
File → Import Timeline → OpenTimelineIO
Resolve presents a standard file picker. Point it at the .otio file. The import is a few seconds — Resolve parses the timeline, looks up your media files, and creates a new timeline in your current project.
Review the cuts
The timeline opens automatically. Markers at every detected beat are already there. Scrub through — the clips are placed at the cut positions Pulse Edit computed.
Edit as usual
Everything is normal Resolve geometry from this point. Move clips, change durations, add transitions, colour-grade. Nothing about the timeline is special once it's imported — it's yours.
If media doesn't link
The most common hiccup is media relink. OTIO references files by path. If your clips have moved between exporting and importing, Resolve will mark them as offline.
- Keep paths stable. Easiest fix — don't move source files between the Pulse Edit export and the Resolve import.
- Relink manually. In the Media Pool, right-click an offline clip → Relink Selected Clips, point at the new folder. Resolve will re-link siblings automatically.
- Re-export from Pulse Edit. If you've reorganised the project, re-run Pulse Edit with the new paths. The OTIO file is tiny — there's no real cost to regenerating it.
Pro tips
- Project frame rate must match. Set your Resolve project FPS before importing. Mismatched FPS can show as offset markers.
- Audio is bundled. Pulse Edit places the music on the audio track of the OTIO file. You won't need to drag it in separately.
- One project, many imports. If you want to A/B two cut patterns, run Pulse Edit twice with different settings. Each gives you a separate .otio. Import both — Resolve creates two parallel timelines you can compare.
Re-cutting is just another export
OTIO import is one-shot per export. Want to try a different shot order or a different cut pattern? Re-run Pulse Edit with the new settings and import the fresh .otio — the file is tiny and Resolve creates a parallel timeline you can compare. For the vast majority of music-driven cuts, the OTIO route is all you need.