Quick answer: A DaVinci Resolve DRP stores an editable project, not its source footage. A DRA archive packages the project with media according to the archive options you select. Use a DRP when the receiving system already has the required media, or a deliberately configured DRA when media must travel with the project. Keep a rendered master separately.
The file extension alone cannot prove that a backup is complete. Check which media and grade dependencies are included, then open and inspect the copy before relying on it.
What is the difference between DRP, DRA and a rendered movie?
A DRP preserves project data, a DRA collects a project and selected media, and a rendered movie preserves the finished output. They solve different problems.
| Deliverable | Useful for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| DRP project export | Passing an editable project to a system that has the media | Source footage, LUTs and other dependencies are available |
| DRP with stills and LUTs | Including gallery stills and LUTs used in grades | Source footage still needs to be supplied separately |
| DRA archive | Moving or retaining the project with selected media | Whether it contains originals, proxies or both |
| Rendered movie | Viewing, approval and final delivery | It does not retain the editable project structure |
This guide uses the Resolve 21.1 reference manual, particularly pages 75 to 76 and 214 to 215. Obtain the manual from Blackmagic Design and check the documentation for your installed version. The examples here explain the documented options; they are not a claimed archive and restore experiment.
Does Export Project include your LUTs?
Ordinary Export Project excludes LUTs and gallery stills. Resolve provides a separate Export Project With Stills and LUTs command to include gallery still frames and LUTs used in grades.
In the Project Manager, right click the project and choose the export command that matches the handoff. Name the copy clearly with its project revision and date. Choosing the more complete DRP option does not turn it into a footage archive.
For a graded project, record the exact LUT filenames and their roles. A technical conversion and a creative look are different dependencies, as explained in Creative LUTs versus conversion LUTs. Do not substitute a similarly named file and assume the grade will match.
If the project uses purchased LUTs or animated assets, check the applicable licence before including the files in another editor’s package. A private backup and redistribution to another person are separate questions. An export option does not grant additional usage rights.
Can a DRA archive contain only proxies?
Yes. Resolve documents a compact archive configuration with Proxy Media selected and Media Files and Render Cache deselected. Where a clip has no proxy, Resolve exports its original media instead.
That fallback matters: a package described as containing only proxies may still include original graphics or clips without proxies. Conversely, the presence of some original files does not prove that every camera original was preserved.
- Decide the purpose. A portable editing copy and an archive intended to retain camera originals need different contents.
- Choose Export Project Archive in the Project Manager. Select the destination and review its available space.
- Read the archive options. Include Media Files when the package must retain original source media. Decide separately whether proxies and render cache are useful for the recipient.
- Inspect completion and contents. Resolve missing media or export errors before treating the package as complete.
- Keep the DRA folder together. Transfer the full archive rather than selecting a few files from inside it.
A proxy editing copy can be useful without being your original media backup. Keep the camera originals separately and document which system retains them.
What else should accompany a Resolve project?
Send a short dependency manifest identifying the project version, media included and anything the receiving system must supply. It helps distinguish missing files from an intentional compact handoff.
| Manifest item | Useful detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Resolve version, project revision and intended timeline |
| Media | Originals or proxies, source locations, audio and graphics |
| Grade | LUT filenames, colour management settings and a reference export |
| Effects and titles | Required plugins, fonts and external assets |
| Access | Who supplies licensed assets and any outstanding dependencies |
Do not assume an archive installs fonts or plugins on another computer. Ask the receiving editor to confirm the dependencies actually work in their environment.
Cloud access also needs a separate media check. Blackmagic’s Cloud guide distinguishes access to project libraries from synchronising project media. Seeing a project in a library is not proof that all its media is available locally.
How should you check a restored archive?
Restore the copy as a separate project, then verify its media and output. A project that opens successfully can still have missing assets or use a different file from the one you intended.
- Preserve the working project and original media. Give the restored project a distinct name.
- Use Restore Project Archive in the Project Manager to open the DRA package.
- Confirm the expected timeline, duration and revision. Review any missing media or dependency warnings.
- Check whether playback uses proxies or originals. For an archive intended to preserve originals, verify that those files are actually present and accessible.
- Inspect titles, effects, graded shots, graphics and audio. Check sections that depend on external assets.
- Render a representative section and compare it with the approved reference in the same viewing setup. Investigate differences before accepting the handoff.
Keep a record of what was checked and what remains missing. A restore check is an acceptance step, not a reason to delete your original production files.
JayAreTV’s earlier video demonstrates project exports and archives. Its interface dates from 2022; use the current manual for the option details described above.
Where should you keep the completed package?
Keep the verified project package and original media within your backup plan, with copies stored separately as appropriate to the project. Deciding what a package contains comes before choosing where to store it.
Our video storage guide covers storage roles. If the recipient only needs the finished film, use the client video delivery checklist instead of sending an editable project unnecessarily.
Check your final video handoff
What else should you know about Resolve backups?
Can you open a DRP without the footage?
You can import the project data, but referenced clips need their media to display correctly. Supply or relink the intended source files before assuming the project is usable.
Does the larger DRP export include camera originals?
No. Export Project With Stills and LUTs adds the specified grade dependencies, not the source footage. Package media separately or use an appropriately configured archive.
Is render cache a substitute for original media?
No. Retain the source media needed for future editing and finishing. Treat cache as a playback aid whose inclusion is a separate archive choice.
Does a DRA guarantee every plugin will work?
No. Check the receiving system’s required plugins, versions, fonts and permissions. The package cannot establish that an external dependency is installed and usable.
Can a rendered master replace the project backup?
It preserves a finished output, not the editable timeline, grade structure and source media. Retain both when future changes are part of the project’s requirements.
Should you send the entire purchased LUT pack?
Do not include an entire pack automatically. Identify the files actually required and confirm the permitted way for the recipient to obtain or use them.
