Wildlife Video Editing Workflows

Last changed on 2025-06-17

Close Encounters

This workflow covers editing of short videos (5-10min) showcasing close up of a particular animal species. The clips are recorded with 800mm (100-400mm + TC 2.0) FX or DX at 120fps. The clips are edited in DaVinci Resolve Studio.

Clip Ingestion & Sequence Setup

Import all 120fps clips.
Arrange clips in timeline by story/behavior flow.
Apply different color for each clip

Stabilize all clips (initial pass).
Slow all clips to 10% for review and cut out unusable sections (shakes, blurs).
Adjust speed of each clip to final speed (25%, 50%, 75% or 100%)
Add frame (Effects > Generators, Window)
- Step through in 1s intervals.
- Adjust X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) when object steps out of the frame.
- Apply Ease In / Ease Out to all transform keyframes.
Remove frame

Color Grading Workflow

Add an Adjustment Clip over the full sequence.
- Apply color transform:
  - Input Color Space: N-Log
  - Intermediate: DaVinci Wide Gamut / DaVinci Intermediate
  - Output: Rec.709 / Rec.709-A
For individual clip adjustments:
- Add additional nodes on the specific clip.
- Apply contrast, exposure, or tint corrections as needed.

Final Polish & Export

Add Intro, Outro
Add fade-ins/outs, titles, and ambient sound if used.
Review entire sequence for pacing and cohesion.
Deliver final output in desired format for YouTube UHD (1920x1080px).

All In One

First, I copy all video files from the memory cards to the NAS. Videos recorded with the iPhone 11 are manually exported from Apple’s Photos app and stored in the corresponding NAS folder.

All editing is done in DaVinci Resolve Studio. I aim for a 23.976 fps cinematic style in Ultra HD (3840x2160px) across all video formats. Footage from the NIKON Z8 is recorded in Nikon’s 4.1K resolution (4128x2322px). My timeline is set to ‘Center crop with no resizing’ for mismatched resolutions, allowing me to take advantage of the extra pixels. This resolution difference provides flexibility for reframing or rotating shots without any loss of resolution.

Brand consistency is important to me. Intro and outro evolved overtime but have to match the design of my website muuuh.com. Achieving the consistency is guaranteed by using same intro and outro for every clip although changing text where necessary.

It’s important to note that, going forward, I am not using any third-party creative components. All elements - such as videos, photos, sound bites, ambient soundscapes, and background music - are recorded or created by me.

Publishing Videos

Videos are published on my YouTube Channel. You can conveniently search for specific videos here: Videos. There is no set schedule for publishing videos; whenever a new video is ready, it will be uploaded and published the same day or the next morning. Although, I almost never publish more than 1 video / day.

YouTube has proven time and again that it isn’t capable of finding the right audience for my type of videos. Therefore, every new video is promoted on my social platforms, but primarily through personal contacts.

Glossary & Conversions

HD - 1280x720px
Full HD - 1920x1080px
Ultra HD - 3840x2160px
4k - Synonym for Ultra HD
4.1k - 4128x2322px Nikon's 4k version
119.880fps in 23.976fps - 20% of original speed
59.94fps in 23.976fps - 40% of original speed

Disclaimer

I am not sponsored by, affiliated with, or receiving any incentives from any brands or products featured in this article. All equipment and software mentioned was purchased at market price, and any mention of specific brands or products is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation.