EDL-X or XML export for Resolve?

I need to deliver an Apple Pro Res 422 HQ video file for color grading in Resolve at a different post facility.
Delivering all the original media is not an option right now due to time constraints (2 TB of media).

They are unsure the Scene Cut Detection in Resolve will work correctly, therefore costing them more time and asked for an EDL.
I was wondering, can I simply export an XML for Resolve to detect cuts from or does it have to be an EDL?
If so I guess I might have to buy EDL-X (€99), but if it's not necessary, I'd rather not

Any advice on this workflow and experience with EDL-X much appreciated!

You can export the video to ProRes and reimport it into FCPX.
Put it above your original timeline and cut it in pieces where the original cuts are.
Depending one the number of cuts this should be quite easy.
Then delete all the original clips, put the cut-down ProRes video into the main storyline end export an XML of this project.
It should now reference only the ProResHQ file you exported earlier and can be imported into Resolve.

That's an interesting workaround. Will give it a try, thanks!

You can download the free version of Resolve and use it to create an EDL with consolidated media (that is, just the media that you used with handles, something like 3-6 second handles should be fine). Resolve is essentially "helper" app in this case.

Export an XML of your timeline from FCPX and import that into Resolve. Check the imported sequence in Resolve to make sure that things transferred as they should have. Then go to the deliver tab of Resolve and do a render out of Resolve to ProRes. For this, you should have "individual clips" selected and then the amount of handles that you want for each clip. What you're essentially doing is a consolidate with handles... just don't do any color correction if you don't want to, because you're trying to deliver uncolored clips to your colorist.

In the edit tab of Resolve, you can select that sequence and go to File->export AAF, XML and it will give you the option to export EDL. Give the post house this EDL and the clips that were exported from Resolve.

If you're willing to have a little extra media with your delivery to the Resolve folks, here's another way to deliver the footage:

1) Open your project library in FCPX

2) Make a new empty library in Final Cut Pro X. Call it Grading Library (or your choice)

3) Copy the Project that you want graded into the new event in the new Grading Library. This will copy your timeline and all of the used media to your new library. You can close your original library and just keep the Grading Library open now.

4) Go into the Browser (on the left) and Right-Click on the new Grading Library; select Consolidate Library Media...

Make sure "Include Optimized Media/Proxy Media" are unchecked. You only want to have the original camera media.

5) Now go back and select your edited Project (Timeline); now go File/Export XML and export an XML 1.6 file.

6) You can now deliver the FCPX Library file, which contains your media, and the XML file to the Resolve colorist. When they open the XML, it should link to the Original Media folder within the FCPX project library (which is really not a file, but a package that can be accessed.) If they're working on a Windows machine, you can always copy the Original Media folder out and just give them that with the XML, and they should be able to manually re-link to it.

One downside is that it will include the entire clip for each piece of footage edited into a Project. There's not an easy way to limit it to just the footage used. On the other hand, delivering from just the clips used may only amount to a few GBs out of a multi-terabyte library.

The upside is that you will be referencing the original media in your Resolve project instead of a "baked" timeline which will limit your flexibility.

Of course, the size of your new Library file is wholly dependent on the number of discrete media pieces and how large they all are.

Thanks for those tips PaulG and haysoos123. I think I am going to have to learn a bit of Resolve as that seems like the most efficient way forward. I like the idea of exporting / consolidating with handles.