Don't miss the chance to learn video editing in DaVinci Resolve 20 for free this week

DaVinci Resolve 20 is a fantastic update to Blackmagic Design's powerful program, helping it easily retain its spot in our guide to the best video editing software. The comprehensive package of editing and colour grading tools has a free version, and the full studio edition is reasonably priced compared to some alternatives, especially those that require a rolling subscription.

The only real downside to Davinci Resolve for me is the learning curve involved. The node-based approach can be daunting for anyone not used to it, and there are so many tools and features in the Colour and Fusion tabs that it can be hard to know where to start.

That's why it's great news that this week Blackmagic is kicking off a round of free DaVinci Resolve 20 training webinars to help users get up to speed. There are four in total, and they should be of interest both to those who are completely new to the software and people who want a refresher following the update to Resolve 20 with its new AI features (also see our own guide to how to edit video in DaVinci Resolve and our feature on what is colour grading).

Blackmagic's series of four free DaVinci Resolve training webinars starts this Thursday (28 August) and continues next week. They'll cover everything from the basics of how to get started in DaVinci Resolve through to Blackmagic Cloud collaborative workflows and the detailed technicalities of pro colour management and monitoring.

The first session on Thursday is aimed at beginners, covering essentials like media management and efficient video editing. In Part 2 on Friday (29 August), you'll learn to adjust audio and add animated titles as well as the basics of color correction and delivery for multiple formats and platforms.

Next week, a session on Thursday 4 September will look at how to collaborate on DaVinci Resolve projects from any location and how to use proxy media to streamline your workflow. Finally, the last webinar on Friday 5 September will aim demystify colour management, from capture, through to grading and monitoring. Blackmagic promises that by the end anyone attending will understand terms like ACES, DRT, EOTF and HDR.

All sessions will be hosted on Zoom and will start at 2pm British Summer Time (BST). You can register for the sessions at Eventbrite.

I've been using DaVinci Resolve myself for several years, but there's still so much I don't know about what the software can do, so I'll definitely be attending the session on colour management.

You can download DaVinci Resolve from the official website. Check out our DaVinci Resolve review if you want more information before jumping in, but given that the software is the biggest contender to Adobe's Premiere Pro and is widely used by industry professionals – and that you can get a free version –you've got nothing to lose by giving it a try.

If you need more kit, see our guides to the best monitors for video editing, and best laptops for video editing guides.