Export from Avid Media Composer to Premiere

Last updated on Apr 2, 2026

Learn how to export an AAF file from Avid Media Composer and bring it into Adobe Premiere.

Adobe Premiere cannot read native Avid Media Composer (.avf) project files directly, so you need to export an AAF file from Avid Media Composer and then import the AAF file into Premiere.

Migrating from Avid Media Composer

Learn to export an AAF of the Avid sequence.

Note

Before you export an AAF file from Avid Media Composer and bring into Premiere, you need to do some clean-up within Avid. Clean up sequence tracks prior to exporting an AAF file. Give each asset type a unique track.

It's also a good idea to export a Reference Movie to later use for identification and recreation of effects that do not migrate.

Open the project in Avid Media Composer.

Select the sequence you want to export in the project bin.

Select File > Export.

In the Export Settings dialog box select AAF Edit ProtocolInclude All Video / Data Tracks in Sequence, and Include All Audio Tracks in Sequence.

If you want to limit your export to the section between In/Out points, select Use Marks.

Select the Video / Data Details tab and select Link to (Don’t Export) Media.

Select the Audio Details tab and select Link to (Don’t Export) Media. Optionally, select Include Rendered Audio Effects as well.

Save the AAF file.

Translated and untranslated elements

  • Custom information entered in Avid Metadata columns, such as the Comments field, will migrate.
  • Markers will be placed in the sequence to identify unsupported effects.
  • Effects such as dissolves and speed variations will migrate from Avid.
  • Audio Levels and Keyframes will migrate from Avid.
  • Some Motion parameter settings migrate, but complex animation might not.
  • LUT information baked into master clips will migrate, along with LUT information in Metadata Display columns.
  • LUT Filter Effects and Color Filters applied to clips in Avid Sequence do not migrate.
  • Matte Keys can lose Alpha Channel after migration.
  • Multi-Cam Clips will be broken into discreet camera angles and only the Active Camera Angle from an Avid Sequence will be placed in the Sequence.
  • All Camera angles will be available if Avid Clip Bins are Exported as ALE Files and Imported as Bins into Premiere.