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Supported import formats

Some file-name extensions—such as MOV and AVI—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. Most 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 those used by popular non-linear editing systems. For more information, see the Automatic Duck website: www.adobe.com/go/learn_ae_automaticduckpiae.

Audio formats

  • 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’s 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 provide access to multiple layers and channels of OpenEXR files: 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 Importing still images.

Video and animation formats

  • Animated GIF (GIF)

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

  • ElectricImage (IMG, EI)

  • Filmstrip (FLM)

  • Flash (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.

  • Media eXchange Format (MXF; Op-Atom variety used by Panasonic DV, DVCPRO, DVCPRO50, and DVCPRO HD video cameras to record to Panasonic P2 media)

  • 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 file-name 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 file-name extension to one of the recognized file-name extensions. Due to variations in implementation in these container formats, compatibility is not guaranteed.

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

  • QuickTime (MOV; 16 bpc, requires QuickTime)

  • Adobe Photoshop with video layer (PSD; requires QuickTime)

  • 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 options.)

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

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 (PRPROJ; 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 Windows only)

  • Adobe After Effects 4.0 and later (AEP, AET)

  • 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.




Comments

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Comments


Todd_Kopriva said on Jul 28, 2007 at 6:47 PM :
A useful, free tool for analyzing files and determining which codecs they use (as well as many other details) is the GSpot codec information appliance:

http://www.headbands.com/gspot/

You can even download a script that gives you the ability to analyze a footage item in the Project panel using GSpot or another, similar tool:

http://www.leapfrog-productions.com/Scripts/Gspot/gspot.html
Todd_Kopriva said on Sep 24, 2007 at 5:31 PM :
Here's a link to a script from Dale at Creative Workflow Hacks for importing Final Cut Pro projects into After Effects:

http://www.creative-workflow-hacks.com/2007/04/15/final-cut-pro-to-after-effects-scripting-without-the-hassle/
Todd_Kopriva said on Nov 24, 2007 at 9:58 AM :
The qt_tools tool-set is useful for converting and examining QuickTime files:
http://omino.com/sw/qt_tools/
Todd_Kopriva said on Jan 31, 2008 at 7:25 AM :
Some of the components used by After Effects to import video files are for Intel-architecture processors only and therefore do not work on PowerPC processors. Such components include the P2 importer and the MediaCore MPEG decoder.

This means that some importer plug-in libraries will fail to load on Mac OS running on a PowerPC processor:

/Applications/Adobe After Effects CS3/Adobe After Effects CS3.app/Content/Plug-ins/(MediaCore)/ImporterFastMPEG.bundle/Contents/MacOS/ImporterFastMPEG
/Applications/Adobe After Effects CS3/Adobe After Effects CS3.app/Contents/Plug-ins/(MediaCore)/ImporterP2.bundle/Contents/MacOS/ImporterP2

You can still import MPEG formats on Mac OS running on a PowerPC if they are handled by the QuickTime architecture.
No screen name said on Jun 24, 2008 at 4:31 PM :
Some .SWF files don't work so well when imported into After Effects. For example, if in Flash you have just one timeline and one keframe with a container movie clip (which contains your animation) - the published SWF will not work when imported into After Effects (even though the SWF file plays fine in the Flash player). In order to ensure your SWF is compatible you need to put all the action and timelines in the main Flash movie.

 

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