Fusion is the motion graphics and VFX page inside DaVinci Resolve: node-based compositing that used to be a standalone application film studios paid serious money for, now included even in the free version. It is also the page most editors bounce off, because it thinks in nodes while every tutorial they have seen thinks in layers. This hub is the translation guide.
Nodes instead of layers, in one paragraph
In a layer-based tool, things stack: whatever is on top wins. In Fusion, things flow: an image starts at a MediaIn node, passes through nodes that each do one job, and ends at MediaOut, which is what your timeline sees. Combining two images takes a Merge node with a background input and a foreground input. That is genuinely most of the theory. A title is a Text node merged over MediaIn. A green screen shot is footage passed through a keyer merged over a new background.
Text+ vs the Edit page text
You do not need Fusion for a simple title: the Edit page Text and Text+ tools cover lower thirds and straight titles with far less friction. Go to Fusion when the text needs to follow a moving object, sit behind a person, ride a path, or animate in a way keyframes on the inspector cannot express. The rule that keeps projects fast: simplest tool that does the job.
What to build first
Three exercises teach most of Fusion. First, a tracked title: planar track a surface, connect the tracker to a Text node, and text sticks to a wall or a screen. Second, a basic green screen: Delta Keyer on the footage, merge over a background, garbage mask for the edges. Third, a clean animated lower third with two rectangles and a Text+ node, animated with keyframes on the merge positions. Each one is an afternoon, and together they cover trackers, keyers, masks and merges, the four tools nearly every Fusion task combines.
When Fusion feels slow
Fusion comps render per frame and can crawl on laptops, especially with 4K sources. Work at half viewer resolution, cache the comp once it is close, and keep heavy comps in their own clips rather than scattering effects across the timeline. The slow playback guide has a Fusion-specific section, because a slow comp and a slow timeline share the same bottlenecks.
Guides in this cluster
- How to Add Text in DaVinci Resolve: Text, Text+ and titles, including when the Edit page is enough and when Fusion earns its keep.
- DaVinci Resolve Slow Playback: includes the Fusion playback section, cache strategy and viewer resolution.
Everything Fusion lives under the Fusion topic.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fusion included in the free version?
Yes, the Fusion page ships in free DaVinci Resolve. A small set of effects and some AI-assisted tools are Studio-only, but trackers, keyers, masks, Text+ and the core node toolset are free.
Do I need Fusion for titles?
Not for simple ones. The Edit page Text and Text+ handle lower thirds and straight titles. Fusion is for tracked, masked or path-animated text.
Is Fusion a replacement for After Effects?
For motion graphics inside an edit, largely yes, and the integration wins. For heavy template ecosystems and some plugin workflows, After Effects still has the bigger third-party catalog.