Editz Used DaVinci Resolve Studio for Editing Feature Anime Look Back
DaVinci Resolve and Blackmagic Cloud make anime post production more efficient.
Blackmagic Design announced today that renowned editor Kiyoshi Hirose, known for his work on numerous popular anime projects, used DaVinci Resolve Studio for editing the theatrical anime Look Back.
Hirose serves as the CEO of Editz, a post production company specializing in anime editing. The company has worked on many projects, including Look Back and the popular anime series Dandadan. Look Back is a feature length anime adaptation of the manga of the same name by Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of the hit manga Chainsaw Man, which was also adapted into an anime series.
Hirose has a unique background, having transitioned from being a hairdresser to working in the film industry. After using various editing systems and software, he officially introduced DaVinci Resolve Studio into his company’s workflow in 2022.
“Unlike live action editing, anime editing does not involve working with compressed, low resolution proxy footage. Instead, we use finalized data from the start. There is no division between offline and online editing as in live action; we handle the process right up to mastering. That’s why we were looking for software that we could trust to handle the final output with confidence,” said Hirose.
“DaVinci was originally a high end turnkey system, but as it became more accessible to individuals, I became interested in it,” he continued. “It integrates not only editing but also grading and compositing into a single software package. DaVinci Resolve also offers great flexibility. The editing system we previously used required importing assets into the system by converting them to specific file formats. However, DaVinci Resolve references files directly from their storage location, making it much easier to share data even when using other software.”
For Look Back, the editing process followed a workflow where the director first created a video storyboard. Hirose then recorded temporary dialogue, edited it into the DaVinci Resolve timeline, and determined the duration of each cut. The key animations were then created based on these durations and edited into the timeline. The grading for the film was done at post production company qooop. Inc. using DaVinci Resolve Studio and DaVinci Resolve Advanced Panel.
“Anime projects involve frequent revisions,” said Hirose. “As layouts and key animations are delivered, and retakes occur, the timeline must be constantly updated. To improve efficiency, we scripted an automation process where replacement cuts are automatically added into the Take Selector.”
Previously, Editz managed editing data on an in house project server, but they have migrated to Blackmagic Cloud. Currently, they manage around 15 anime series and six theatrical anime projects on Blackmagic Cloud.
“Having all projects on the cloud makes management much easier. If the director or production company has DaVinci Resolve, we can share projects instantly. When working with people who don’t use DaVinci Resolve, we sometimes share the timeline screen via Zoom for remote editing. In such cases, we use the ATEM Mini,” Hirose explained.
“We’re sometimes asked to go on site to work on editing at external production companies. However, by having them install DaVinci Resolve and share the timeline and assets with us, we can now handle tasks like replacing cuts online. This has significantly reduced the need for in person visits. Previously, we had to schedule visits every time replacement cuts accumulated, but now we can handle them whenever we have time, which has made things much easier.”
“I believe editing can become the central hub of anime production,” Hirose added. “For example, we can immediately replace daily footage from the production team, allowing all teams to check the latest timeline. This helps detect errors early and manage progress efficiently. Additionally, the compositing team usually adjusts brightness and shadows cut by cut, but it’s easier to fine tune these elements when viewed in the context of an entire scene. By sharing the DaVinci Resolve timeline, they can adjust colors while seeing the whole sequence.”
“We consolidate all section data within the editing process and distribute it to each team. Their feedback then comes back to editing, and ultimately, it reaches the audience. I envision DaVinci Resolve at the core of this process,” Hirose concluded.
Enjoying the news? Sign up for the Creative COW Newsletter!
Sign up for the Creative COW newsletter and get weekly updates on industry news, forum highlights, jobs, inspirational tutorials, tips, burning questions, and more! Receive bulletins from the largest, longest-running community dedicated to supporting professionals working in film, video, and audio.
Enter your email address, and your first and last name below!
Responses