Saver Node

The Saver is the output node that produces a file (unlike MediaOut, which sends to the Resolve timeline). It can be placed anywhere in a composition to capture an intermediate state.

A pro advantage: you can have several Savers at the same time - a 32-bit EXR Saver for the intermediate, a ProRes MOV Saver for preview, a PNG Saver for a still reference. They all run at the same time during the render.

• Effects Library: Tools > I/O > Saver
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > I/O > Saver

MediaOut (Resolve Fusion)

Sends to the Resolve timeline, no file on disk. A fully integrated pipeline with the Edit/Color page.

Saver

Writes a file to disk. The Fusion Studio standard. Can be placed anywhere (not just at the output), which allows intermediate exports.

Rule: final Resolve delivery → MediaOut. Intermediate file / standalone Fusion Studio / parallel export → Saver.

• Image Input (orange) - the final composition to render to a file.

Fusion Studio export:
Loader → [full comp] → Saver (render.####.exr)

Simultaneous multi-format:
[Comp] → Saver_1 (32-bit EXR for backup)
      → Saver_2 (ProRes MOV for preview)
      → Saver_3 (PNG sequence for the web)

Intermediate save:
MediaIn → [heavy effects] → Saver (intermediate.exr)
                         → MediaOut
(the intermediate is cached on disk for iteration)

Filename

Path + file name. For a sequence, numbers are padded automatically (e.g. image0001.exr). Set the number of digits with### or ####.

Output Format

Output format: EXR, DPX, Cineon, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, MOV (QuickTime), AVI, etc. Each format has its own sub-parameters (codec for MOV, compression for EXR, etc.).

Save Frames

Save mode:

• Full Renders Only: saves only on the final render (standard).
• High Quality Interactive: saves each frame during interactive processing. Useful for roto/paint workflows where you want to accumulate frames.

Process Mode

Field processing: Full frames (standard), NTSC fields, PAL/HD fields, reversed options.

Export Mode

Standard render or SMPTE 3:2 Pulldown to convert 24fps → 30fps (film → US broadcast workflow).

Color / Gamma Space

Color space and gamma conversion at export time without changing the comp (linear → Rec.709 for example).

Legal tab

Broadcast constraints (NTSC, PAL, NHK) to make colors legal (clamping super-blacks and super-whites).

Full Renders Only (default)

The Saver writes only during a final render you launch. Nothing is written while you preview/work. Standard, fast behavior.

High Quality Interactive

Every high-quality preview frame is also written to disk. For example, it enables a rotoscoping workflow where you scrub the timeline and every approved frame is saved automatically.

Placing several Savers in a comp lets you:

• Output multiple formats in one render - an EXR for the archive, a MOV for preview, a PNG for a still.
• Export different branches of the comp - each branch with its own Saver. Useful to export FG, BG, mattes and passes separately.
• Intermediate + final - an intermediate Saver lets you cache a heavy render, which another Loader can then reuse (a 2-pass pipeline).

• High-quality EXR delivery - Saver Format EXR, Depth Float 32-bit, PIZ Compression = a pro intermediate for a VFX pipeline.
• Quick MOV preview - Saver MOV ProRes 422 HQ = an editable preview, perfect for client reviews.
• PNG sequence export - 8-bit PNG for web delivery or storyboard still frames.
• Intermediate cache for iteration - a Saver mid-comp, then a Loader that reads that file = no need to recompute the heavy earlier steps every time you change something downstream.
• Multi-pass compositing (AOVs) - several Savers to export the diffuse, specular and shadow passes individually.
• Broadcast legal export - Legal tab with NTSC/PAL constraints for traditional broadcast.
• 3:2 Pulldown conversion - 24p content → 30p for legacy US broadcast.

• #### padding by default - 4 digits (0001 to 9999). For longer sequences, use ##### (5 digits).
• EXR + Float 32 = the reference archive - no loss of information, the full dynamic range is kept.
• ProRes MOV for preview - a good quality/size compromise that plays everywhere. For the archive, prefer EXR.
• Color Space conversion without changing the comp - the Saver can convert from linear to Rec.709 at export time without touching the comp's nodes. Handy to export several versions from the same comp.
• Simultaneous Savers are fine - Fusion runs every Saver in parallel during the render. No significant slowdown compared to a single Saver.
• Create the destination folder first - Fusion does not create folders automatically. If the path does not exist, the render fails.
• High Quality Interactive is expensive - enable it only when it is really useful (interactive roto). Otherwise, it eats disk space and slows down previews.
• For pure Resolve workflows, prefer MediaOut. The Saver is for hybrid pipelines or Fusion Studio.