How to Auto-Sort Your DaVinci Resolve Media Pool by Camera in 3 Seconds (Free Script)

You can sort your entire DaVinci Resolve Media Pool by camera in about 3 seconds. Install Sort Media Pool, run it once from the Workspace menu, and the script reads the metadata on every clip, creates a bin for each camera it finds, and moves the right clips into the right bins. No dragging. No checking filenames. No guessing which card which camera wrote to.

This guide covers installation, running the script, which cameras it supports, and what to do when a clip lands in the Unknown bin.

In this article

• Why manually sorting footage costs you edit time
• What Sort Media Pool actually does
• How to install Sort Media Pool
• How to run the script and sort your footage
• Which cameras are supported
• What happens to clips already in bins
• Other ways to organize your Resolve Media Pool
• FAQ

Why Does Manually Sorting Your Media Pool Cost You Edit Time?

Most editors treat pre-edit organization as just part of the job. You import your footage, then spend the next 15 to 20 minutes dragging clips from the Master bin into named bins: A-Cam, B-Cam, GoPro, Audio. Shoot a hybrid project with a mirrorless, a cinema camera, and a drone and that number climbs fast.

The problem is not how long it takes. The problem is when it happens. You are doing data-entry work in a creative tool, before you have made a single cut, and it kills momentum every single time.

Sort Media Pool removes that step entirely.

What Does Sort Media Pool Actually Do?

Sort Media Pool is a free script for DaVinci Resolve Studio that reads the embedded camera metadata in each of your clips and sorts them into bins in one pass. Here is exactly what happens when you run it:

1. The script scans every clip sitting in your Master bin.
2. It reads the camera model from the clip's metadata.
3. It creates a bin with that camera's name if one does not already exist.
4. It moves the clip into the correct bin.
5. Anything it cannot identify goes into an Unknown bin rather than disappearing.

Start to finish: about 3 seconds on a typical project. On larger projects with hundreds of clips it scales proportionally, and it is still faster than any manual approach.

How Do I Install Sort Media Pool in DaVinci Resolve?

Installation takes under two minutes. Here is the exact process:

1. Download the script from the product page at shop.drrave.com.
2. Find your DaVinci Resolve Scripts folder.
   • Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Blackmagic Design/DaVinci Resolve/Fusion/Scripts/Comp/
   • Windows: C:\ProgramData\Blackmagic Design\DaVinci Resolve\Fusion\Scripts\Comp\
3. Create a DrRave subfolder inside Scripts/Comp and place the script file there. Keeping scripts in named subfolders stops the Workspace menu from getting cluttered as you install more.
4. Restart DaVinci Resolve if it is already open.
5. Verify the install: open any project, go to Workspace in the top menu, then Scripts, then DrRave. Sort_Media_Pool should appear in the list.

Note: Sort Media Pool requires DaVinci Resolve Studio. The free version of Resolve blocks external scripting, so the script will not appear in the Workspace menu. If you are on the free version, the alternatives section below covers your best options.

How Do I Run Sort Media Pool to Organize My Footage?

Once installed, the process is the same every session:

1. Import your footage as normal. Drag everything into the Master bin. No need to pre-sort or rename anything at this stage.
2. Go to Workspace, then Scripts, then DrRave, then Sort_Media_Pool.
3. Watch the bins appear. The script runs in the foreground and you can see clips moving in real time. On a typical project it finishes in about 3 seconds.

You can also run the script mid-project. If you add a new batch of footage to the Master bin later in the edit, run Sort Media Pool again and only the unsorted clips get moved. Your existing bins stay untouched.

Which Cameras Does Sort Media Pool Detect?

The script detects footage from 13 or more camera systems. The table below covers the most common combinations you will find on hybrid and multi-camera shoots:

Camera Brand	Common Formats Detected
Blackmagic	BRAW (.braw), Cinema Camera, Pocket series
Sony	FX, ZV, Alpha series (XAVC, XAVC-S)
Canon	Cinema EOS, R-series hybrids
ARRI	ARRI RAW, MXF
RED	R3D
GoPro	Hero series (H.264, H.265)
Nikon	Z-series hybrids
+ more	DJI drones, Panasonic, Fujifilm, audio recorders, and others

If your camera is not detected, the clip lands in an Unknown bin. Email support@drrave.com with a short sample clip and the team will add support in the next update. The script also notifies you automatically inside Resolve when a new version is available.

What Happens to Clips I Have Already Sorted Manually?

Nothing. Sort Media Pool only touches clips sitting in the Master bin. Any clip you have already placed in a named bin stays exactly where it is, untouched. This makes the script safe to run on projects at any stage, and safe to run more than once.

A practical use: import the first batch of footage from your shoot, run the script, start editing, then import a second batch at the end of the day, run the script again. Only the new footage moves. Your existing timeline and bin structure are unchanged.

What Are My Other Options for Organizing DaVinci Resolve Footage?

If Sort Media Pool does not fit your setup, here are the three main built-in alternatives in Resolve:

• Manual bins: Right-click in the Media Pool, create a bin, and drag clips in. Works on the free version of Resolve. Slowest option, but gives you full control over naming.
• Smart Bins: Resolve's metadata filter bins update automatically as you add footage, but they do not physically move clips. Useful for large ongoing projects where you need dynamic filters rather than a static folder structure.
• Add Folder and Subfolders: Right-click in the Media Pool and choose "Add Folder and Subfolders into Media Pool (Create Bins)" to import an existing folder structure directly. Works well if you already organize your drives by camera at the card-dump stage.

For a side-by-side breakdown of Sort Media Pool against Roll Bin Creator and fully manual organization, see the full comparison post.

What Is the Next Step After Your Bins Are Sorted?

Once your footage is organized by camera, the next bottleneck is the rough cut. If you are working with interview or scripted footage, RoughCut automates that step inside DaVinci Resolve Studio as well. It transcribes every clip, matches the footage to your script, picks the best take per line, and builds your first timeline automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Sort Media Pool work with DaVinci Resolve 20?

Yes. Sort Media Pool supports DaVinci Resolve Studio 17, 18, 19, and 20 on both Mac and Windows.

Do I need a DaVinci Resolve Studio licence to use Sort Media Pool?

Yes. The free version of DaVinci Resolve does not support external scripting. Sort Media Pool requires Studio. If you are on the free version, manual bins or the Add Folder and Subfolders import option are your best alternatives.

Will running Sort Media Pool affect clips I have already sorted manually?

No. The script only moves clips sitting unsorted in the Master bin. Clips already in named bins are left exactly where they are. You can run it multiple times throughout a project safely.

What happens if my camera is not detected?

Unrecognized clips land in an Unknown bin rather than disappearing. Email support@drrave.com with a sample clip and the team will add detection support in the next script update.

Does Sort Media Pool handle audio files as well as video?

Yes. The script sorts audio files into a dedicated bin, keeping your sound recordings separate from your video clips automatically.

How long does the script take to run on a large project?

On a typical project the sort completes in about 3 seconds. On very large projects with hundreds of clips it scales proportionally, but remains far faster than any manual method.