Studio 21.1.1
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FUSION & COMPOSITING

How to replace a screen in a moving shot

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

A screen replacement combines tracking, perspective, and image integration. A perfectly locked graphic can still look artificial if its brightness and sharpness ignore the plate.

Before you begin

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

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
PlanarTracker connected to the source image
PlanarTracker connected to the source image Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1809. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Track the screen plane with Planar Tracker using visible corners or surrounding texture. Review the track before adding the final insert.
  2. Use the tracker’s corner-pin workflow or a Planar Transform to attach the replacement image to the plane.
  3. Merge the insert over the plate and mask it to the screen boundary. Preserve foreground objects that pass in front with an additional holdout mask.
  4. Match blur, motion blur, brightness, reflections, and grain as needed. Review the complete shot and render a representative moving section.

Check your result

The insert remains attached, respects foreground occlusions, and feels like part of the photographed scene.

If it doesn’t work as expected

If the original screen is featureless or heavily reflective, track the surrounding bezel or another coplanar area instead of trusting unstable screen content.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Fusion: advanced compositing

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

Open module 10 →
← PREVIOUS GUIDETrack a flat surface with Planar TrackerNEXT GUIDE →Animate a polygon mask for rotoscoping

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.