Studio 21.1.1
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FUSION & COMPOSITING

How to place a transparent PNG over video

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

A PNG with an alpha channel can act as a logo or graphic overlay. A checkerboard baked into an image is not real transparency.

Before you begin

Use a short test clip and open Fusion. Keep MediaOut connected to the final result.

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
Fusion Merge Inspector: foreground transform and blend controls
Fusion Merge Inspector: foreground transform and blend controls Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1707. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Import the PNG and inspect it over another image to confirm it has an actual transparent background.
  2. For a straightforward edit, place it on a video track above the footage and adjust Transform in the Inspector.
  3. For Fusion processing, bring it in as a MediaIn, connect it to a Merge foreground, and connect the video to the Merge background.
  4. Check the edges at final size and set the overlay duration. Render a short sample over both light and dark areas.

Check your result

The graphic appears without an unwanted rectangular background and its edges remain clean.

If it doesn’t work as expected

If a pale or dark fringe appears, investigate alpha interpretation and the source graphic. Cropping cannot remove a halo around every irregular edge.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Fusion: think in nodes

Go deeper with the course’s explanations, exercises, and knowledge checks.

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Technical reference: DaVinci Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual, Blackmagic Design, September 2026. Screenshot page numbers refer to that manual. Independently written guidance; specific controls may vary by platform and build. Authorship & image credits.