Source
Contains the controls used to prepare or interpret the source image.
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Utility / StylizeBeginner
Blanking Fill
Automatic background fill for mismatched aspect ratios
Fills empty frame edges with a scaled, blurred or faded version of the source while keeping the main image readable.
Blanking Fill
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
Blanking Fill is designed for vertical, cropped or mismatched-aspect footage that would otherwise leave black areas around the primary image.
Overview
What Blanking Fill does
The node effectively creates a background copy of the source and provides dedicated controls for crop, split, zoom, extent, blur and fading.
The foreground/source placement and background fill can be adjusted independently enough to create common social-video layouts without building several nodes manually.
Optional edge blending and drop shadow can separate the main image from the filled background.
Mental model
Think of Blanking Fill as the familiar social-video layout: the real clip stays in front while an enlarged processed copy of the same clip fills the unused frame.
Common uses
Vertical video in a horizontal frame
Horizontal video in a vertical frame
Archive footage with mismatched framing
Blurred social-video backgrounds
Quick presentation layouts
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Input
Source image used for both the primary picture and generated background fill.
Effect Mask
Limits the fill treatment.
Blanking Fill
Fusion node
Output
Frame with empty areas filled by the processed source background.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Zoom
Sets the view or image zoom.
Split Left Right
Lets the left and right sides be processed independently.
Crop Left / Right
Crops the left and right edges before the blanking area is rebuilt.
Split Top Bottom
Lets the top and bottom sides be processed independently.
Crop Top / Bottom
Crops the top and bottom edges before the blanking area is rebuilt.
Center
Positions the main image.
Fill Extent
Controls how far the background fill expands.
Zoom Mode
Selects the Zoom Mode used by Blanking Fill.
Available choices include Stretch To Timeline, Zoom To Timeline, Manual, and Warp Top Layer.
Fill Appearance
Chooses how the generated fill is presented.
Blend Edges
Controls how the operation treats image or region edges.
Blur Background
Sets the amount of blur.
Fade Amount
Adjusts how strongly the fill color is blended over the generated background.
Fade Color
Sets the fade Color.
Drop Shadow
Adds a drop shadow behind the filled blanking region.
Shadow Strength
Sets the opacity of the shadow beneath the filled blanking area.
Drop Angle
Sets the direction of the drop shadow.
Drop Distance
Sets the distance of the drop shadow from the source.
Blur
Sets the amount of blur.
Color
Sets the color.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Set the final project aspect ratio.
- 2
Frame the main source.
- 3
Expand the fill background until no blank edges remain.
- 4
Blur or fade the background so it does not compete with the source.
- 5
Add a subtle shadow only if separation is needed.
Typical node chain
Source→
Blanking Fill→
Filled frame
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Vertical clip in 16:9
Fill side areas with a blurred copy of the clip.
MediaInBlanking FillMediaOut
Social repost layout
Use a darker faded background behind the main source.
MediaInBlanking FillText+Merge
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Making the background sharper than the foreground
Using a bright fill that competes with the subject
Overusing drop shadow
Production notes
Practical tips
Keep background saturation and contrast lower than the main clip.
Use this node for speed; build a custom branch only when art direction requires more control.
Check faces near the crop boundaries.
Related nodes