DaVinci Resolve Lite MCP

What DaVinci Resolve Lite MCP MCP server does

DaVinci Resolve Lite MCP MCP server connects an MCP client to the Resolve application rather than launching Resolve externally. It uses Resolve's embedded Python environment and the global resolve scripting object to expose operations through MCP. The project supports DaVinci Resolve Studio and compatible free/Lite editions, including older Lite builds that still allow scripts from the Workspace menu.

The published tool surface contains 163 tools covering several parts of Resolve. Supported areas include timeline and editing operations, color work, rendering, media pool actions, and Fusion title styling. The README demonstrates creating and styling a Fusion title from a natural-language request, but the available operations are documented in the repository's tools reference.

How it works

The server is installed as a Python menu script inside Resolve. When started from Workspace > Scripts > Utility > davinci_mcp_server, it opens a local HTTP endpoint at http://127.0.0.1:8765/mcp. An MCP client sends JSON-RPC requests using the Streamable HTTP transport. The server places commands on a queue, processes them on Resolve's main script thread, and calls the Resolve Python API.

This arrangement is important for Lite users. Compatible free editions may prevent external scripting while still allowing Python scripts launched from Resolve's own Scripts menu. The DaVinci Resolve Lite MCP MCP server uses that permitted execution path instead of relying on external network scripting.

Setup and configuration

The project targets macOS and requires Python 3.9 or newer for installation. Install it from a Git checkout with ./install.sh, or install the Python package and run davinci-mcp-install. The matching davinci-mcp-uninstall command removes the installed files. These commands place launchers in Resolve's Fusion/Scripts/Utility directory and supporting modules in Fusion/Scripts/MCP.

After launching the script from Resolve, open Workspace > Console to find the endpoint and the suggested MCP client command. The server also writes a log at ~/Movies/davinci-resolve-lite-mcp.log. Set DAVINCI_MCP_LOG_DIR to change the log directory, and use the repository's logs.sh helper to watch the log.

On sandboxed Lite installations, the installer copies files into Resolve's container. Studio installations use symlinks instead. Re-run the installer after pulling updates. Files used for imports and exports should be in ~/Movies or another location granted to the sandboxed application.

Tools and capabilities

The DaVinci Resolve Lite MCP MCP server provides tools for:

• Editing and timeline workflows
• Color operations
• Render and delivery actions
• Media pool management
• Fusion title insertion and styling

The server logs each tool call with its name, arguments, result status, and elapsed time. A background PyPI update check runs at launch and can be disabled according to the project configuration documented in the repository.

Limitations and notes

Lite 21.1 and newer App Store builds may show empty Scripts categories because Python menu scripts are blocked. If bmd.scriptapp("Resolve") returns nil, the required Resolve scripting object is unavailable, and reinstalling this project will not resolve the issue. Use a pre-21.1 Lite build that still supports Python menu scripts or use Studio.

The MCP Registry entry is metadata-only and does not provide automatic installation or client spawning. The server must be installed manually and started from Resolve's Scripts menu. It has no third-party Python dependencies; it uses the standard library inside Resolve's embedded interpreter.