Migrating Timelines Between Final Cut, Premiere Pro, Avid and DaVinci Resolve

The round tripping process between different editing applications is not always a straightforward one, yet it’s a necessity for many editors and an integral part of their everyday routine.

Each application has specific tools, workflow, and features. However, they all provide and share similar assets. As part of the most popular editing platforms, the AAF and XML interchange formats simplify and smarten up the process.

They are not a perfect solution, but they provide enough value being flexible enough to do the job in most of the time.

The Advanced Authoring Format (AAF) is a professional file interchange format designed for the video post production and authoring environment. XML (Extensible Markup Language) based data provide similar functionality in the video post production environment. Both XML and AAF are interchanged formats designed to carry different types of audio, video, still image, graphics, text, animation, music, and other forms of multimedia data.

Long story short, AAF and XML files are designed to help migrate sequences between video editing apps. There is a certain workflow for each application that should be followed in order the best results to be flawlessly attained.

These are some of the most popular workflow scenarios you probably would run across.

Migrating timeline from AVID to PREMIERE PRO

• In Avid, with your sequence or master clip selected in the bin, right-click and hit Export.
• When the box pops up select “Untitled” from the drop down menu and click the box Options.
• Under the “Export As” drop-down menu, you can select AAF and click Save.
• Open the AAF file in Premiere CC

Migrating timeline from DAVINCI RESOLVE to PREMIERE PRO

•  In Resolve go to Session and click Render.
• Under the Easy Setup tab select Avid AAF Round Trip (this will still work in Premiere).
• After choosing your desired export codec, you can directly hit Render.
• Once completed you can jump into Premiere and import the AAF file which will pop up as a single sequence.

This technique works with both the AAF and XML files out of Resolve.

Migrating timeline from FINAL CUT X to PREMIERE PRO

This is a tricky one. You should use the free version of Davinci Resolve Lite to complete the process.

• In Final Cut Pro X go to File > Export XML where you will be asked to name and save a new .fcpxml file format.
• The new .fcpxml file can be imported into Resolve.
• In Resolve click Load and select your fcpxml file. A dialog box will pop up, click OK. You will now be able to see your clips in the timeline.
• Inside of Resolve go to Session and Click Render.
• Under the Easy Setup tab select Avid AAF Round Trip this works for Premiere as well).
• After choosing your desired export codec, you can just hit render. Your clips will now render.
• Once completed you can jump into Premiere and import the AAF file which will pop up as a single sequence.

Migrating timeline from PREMIERE PRO to FINAL CUT X

Again, this workflow includes using Davinci Resolve Lite

• In Premiere go to File>Export>AAF, choose a name, and click Save.
• You can now import the .aaf file into Resolve Lite.
• Once inside Resolve, go to Session>Export. In the drop down menu Select Final Cut Pro XML Round Trip.
• Now select all the clips you want to send to Final Cut Pro and hit Start Render.
• Now jump back into FCPX and go to File>Import>XML

Migrating timeline from AVID to FINAL CUT X

• With your sequence or master clip selected in the bin right-click and hit Export.
• When the box pops up select “Untitled” from the drop down menu and click the box that says Options.
• Under the ‘Export As’ drop down menu you can select AAF and click save.
• FCPX can’t read AAF files so you will have to use DaVinci Resolve Lite.
• You will now be able to import the AAF file into Resolve.
• In Resolve go to Session>Export. In the drop down menu Select Final Cut Pro XML Round Trip.
• Now select all the clips you want to send to Final Cut Pro and hit Start Render.
• Your new .fcpxml file should be made. Now jump back into FCPX and go to File>Import>XML.
• You can now import the .fcpxml file in FCPX.

Migrating timeline from DAVINCI RESOLVE to FINAL CUT X

• Go to Session>Export.
• In the render settings drop down menu labeled Easy Setup select Final Cut Pro XML Round-Trip.
• Now select all your clips in the timeline and hit Start Render.
• Resolve will create a .fcpxml file that you can now import into Final Cut Pro X.
• To do this in FCPX go to File>Import>XML and select your new .fcpxml file. You should now see your video clips in the timeline.

Migrating timeline from FINAL CUT X to DAVINCI RESOLVE

• In Final Cut Pro X go to File > Export XML where you will be asked to name and save a new .fcpxml file format.
• The new .fcpxml file can be imported into Resolve. In Resolve click Load and select your.fcpxml file.
• A dialog box will pop up, click OK.
• You will now be able to see your clips in the timeline.

Migrating timeline from PREMIERE PRO to DAVINCI RESOLVE

• In Premiere go to File>Export> AAF or XML.
• Save your file in the pop-up box.
• Jump to Resolve and click the Load button.
• You can now select either your AAF or XML file, select Open.
• A box will pop up, click OK. You should now see your Premiere sequence in the timeline.

Migrating timeline from AVID to DAVINCI RESOLVE

• In Avid, with your sequence or master clip selected in the bin, right-click and hit Export.
• When the box pops up select “Untitled” from the drop down menu and click the box that says Options.
• Under the Export As drop down you can select AAF and click Save.
• You will now be able to import the AAF file into Resolve.
• In Resolve click the Load button.
• Select your AAF file and click Open.
• A dialog box will pop up, click OK. You should now see your Avid sequence in the timeline.

Migrating timeline from DAVINCI RESOLVE to AVID

• Inside of Resolve go to Session and click Render.
• Under the Easy Setup tab select Avid AAF Round Trip.
• After selecting your desired export codec you can simply hit Render. Your clips will now render.
• Once completed you can jump into Avid and import the AAF file which will pop up as a single sequence.

Migrating timeline from PREMIERE PRO to AVID

• With your clips selected in Premiere go to File>Export>AAF.
• You will be asked to name the AAF file.
• You can now click import the file directly into Avid.
• Your sequence should auto populate the clips inside of Avid.

Migrating timeline from FINAL CUT X to AVID

You should use Davinci Resolve Lite in this case as well.

• In Final Cut Pro X go to File > Export XML where you will be asked to name and save a new .fcpxml file format.
• The new .fcpxml file can be imported into Resolve.
• In Resolve click Load and select your .fcpxml  file.
• A dialog box will pop up, click OK.
• You will now be able to see your clips in the timeline. Inside of Resolve go to Session and Click Render.
• Under the Easy Setup tab select Avid AAF Round Trip.
• After selecting your desired export codec you can simply hit Render.
• Your clips will now render.
• Once completed you can jump into Avid and import the AAF file which will pop up as a single sequence.

Use extra care when you do your transfers by following the above steps and remember that as-a-rule-of-thumb the media and edits are transferred safely in most cases. The issues are almost always in the moving of the effects. Kudos to Caleb Word from premiumbeat.com who gathered all that extremely useful information.

[via www.premiumbeat.com]

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