PDF (adobe.com)

Supported import formats

Some filename extensions—such as MOV, AVI, MXF, FLV, and F4V—denote container file formats rather than denoting a specific audio, video, or image data format. Container files can contain data encoded using various compression and encoding schemes. After Effects can import these container files, but the ability to import the data that they contain is dependent on which codecs (specifically, decoders) are installed.

By installing additional codecs, you can extend the ability of After Effects to import additional file types. Many codecs must be installed into the operating system (Windows or Mac OS) and work as a component inside the QuickTime or Video for Windows formats. Contact the manufacturer of your hardware or software for more information about codecs that work with the files that your specific devices or applications create.

The Automatic Duck Pro Import AE tool extends your ability to import assets in various formats, including formats used by popular non-linear editing systems. For more information, see the Automatic Duck website: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_automaticduckpiae.

Audio formats

  • Adobe Sound Document (ASND; multi-track files imported as merged single track)

  • Advanced Audio Coding (AAC, M4A)

  • Audio Interchange File Format (AIF, AIFF)

  • MP3 (MP3, MPEG, MPG, MPA, MPE)

  • Video for Windows (AVI, WAV; requires QuickTime on Mac OS)

  • Waveform (WAV)

Still-image formats

  • Adobe Illustrator (AI, AI4, AI5, EPS, PS; continuously rasterized)

  • Adobe PDF (PDF; first page only; continuously rasterized)

  • Adobe Photoshop (PSD)

  • Bitmap (BMP, RLE, DIB)

  • Camera raw (TIF, CRW, NEF, RAF, ORF, MRW, DCR, MOS, RAW, PEF, SRF, DNG, X3F, CR2, ERF)

  • Cineon (CIN, DPX; converts to project color bit depth: 8, 16, or 32 bpc)

  • Discreet RLA/RPF (RLA, RPF; 16 bpc, imports camera data)

  • EPS

  • GIF

  • JPEG (JPG, JPE)

  • Maya camera data (MA)

  • Maya IFF (IFF, TDI; 16 bpc)

  • OpenEXR (EXR; 32 bpc)

    Note: Plug-ins from fnord software are included with After Effects to provide access to multiple layers and channels of OpenEXR files. Documentation for fnord ProEXR plug-ins is available in a PDF document on the fnord website: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_fnordproexr.

  • PCX

  • PICT (PCT)

  • Pixar (PXR)

  • Portable Network Graphics (PNG; 16 bpc)

  • Radiance (HDR, RGBE, XYZE; 32 bpc)

  • SGI (SGI, BW, RGB; 16 bpc)

  • Softimage (PIC)

  • Targa (TGA, VDA, ICB, VST)

  • TIFF (TIF)
    You can import files of any still-image format as a sequence. See Preparing and importing still images.

Video and animation formats

  • Animated GIF (GIF)

  • DV (in MOV or AVI container, or as containerless DV stream)

  • Electric Image (IMG, EI)

  • Filmstrip (FLM)

  • FLV, F4V
    Note: In general, FLV files contain video and audio data encoded using the On2 VP6 or Sorenson Spark video codec with the MP3 audio codec, whereas F4V files contain video encoded using the H.264 codec and audio data encoded using the AAC codec.

  • Media eXchange Format (MXF)

    Note: MXF is a container format. After Effects can only import some kinds of data contained within MXF files. After Effects can import the Op-Atom variety used by Panasonic DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, and DVCPRO HD video cameras to record to Panasonic P2 media. After Effects can also import XDCAM HD files in MXF format.

  • MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and MPEG-4 formats (MPEG, MPE, MPG, M2V, MPA, MP2, M2A, MPV, M2P, M2T, AC3, MP4, M4V, M4A)

    Note: Some MPEG data formats are stored in container formats with filename extensions that are not recognized by After Effects; examples include .vob and .mod. In some cases, you can import these files into After Effects after changing the filename extension to one of the recognized filename extensions. Because of variations in implementation in these container formats, compatibility is not guaranteed.

  • Open Media Framework (OMF; raw media [or essence] only; Windows only)

  • PSD file with video layer (requires QuickTime)

  • QuickTime (MOV; 16 bpc, requires QuickTime)
    Note: David Van Brink on his Omino website provides the qt_tools tool-set, which is useful for converting and examining QuickTime files: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_ominoqttools.

  • SWF (continuously rasterized)

    Note: SWF files are imported with an alpha channel. Interactive content and scripted animation are not retained. Animation defined by keyframes is retained.
  • Video for Windows (AVI, WAV; requires QuickTime on Mac OS)
    You can import 10-bpc uncompressed YUV AVI files created in Adobe Premiere Pro into 16-bpc RGB After Effects projects. You can also render with 10-bpc YUV compression. (See Specify Video for Windows compression settings.)

  • Windows Media File (WMV, WMA, ASF; Windows only)

  • XDCAM HD and XDCAM EX

    Note: After Effects can import Sony XDCAM HD assets if they were recorded to MXF files. After Effects cannot import XDCAM HD assets in IMX format. After Effects can import Sony XDCAM EX assets stored as essence files with the .mp4 filename extension in a BPAV directory.

Project formats

  • Advanced Authoring Format (AAF; Windows only)

  • Adobe Premiere 6.0 and 6.5 (PPJ)

  • Adobe Premiere Pro 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, CS3, CS4 (PRPROJ; 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 Windows only)

  • Adobe After Effects 5.0 and later binary projects (AEP, AET)

  • Adobe After Effects CS4 XML projects (AEPX)

  • XML Forms Data Format (XFDF; for importing of Clip Notes comments)

For information on importing Apple Motion projects into After Effects, see the Apple website: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_importmotionprojects.

Dale Bradshaw provides a script on the Creative Workflow Hacks website for importing Final Cut Pro projects into After Effects: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_daleimportfcp.