Publishing an AAF Sequence

Publish an AAF when you want to share a sequence with third-party applications.

The exported AAF file can be imported into the following applications:

• Avid Media Composer (version 8 and newer)
• Avid ProTools (version 12.2 and newer)
• Adobe Premiere Pro CC (version 2017 and newer)
• DaVinci Resolve (version 11 and newer)
• Filmlight Baselight

You can have a metadata-only or a metadata and media files publish.

Not all the information part of the sequence can be published in an AAF. Look at the Limitations section to generate an AAF compatible with what you want to accomplish.

To publish a sequence as an AAF and export its media:

1. Do one of the following:
   • Right-click the sequence to export and select Export. And then, using the Media Export window, navigate to the clip's destination.
   • From the MediaHub, drag-and-drop the file from the Media panel to the location displayed in the browser.
2. Set Export Type to Sequence Publish.
3. Set Format Preset to one of the AAF presets.
4. Click Export.

   Flame prepares the export job. Once that preparation is done, Flame performs the export in the background. You are free to use the application as the export happens.

Customizing AAF Publication

1. In Media Export, set Export to Sequence Publish.
2. Enable Show Advanced Options to access the detailed settings.
3. In the Sequence Options, set Format to AAF.

From the Sequence Options tab, you can export an AAF file that references the original media files or generate an XML file that will reference new media files.

To export only an AAF, without media:

1. Enable Include Video and Include Audio, as required.
2. Disable both Export Video Media and Export Audio Media.
3. Click Export.

   This creates an AAF file where the video and audio tracks reference the original media files. Also note that the Tracks and Transitions option is implicitly set to Keep All Tracks, and cannot be changed.

   Note: This process is especially fast, since no media need to be rendered or written to disk.

To export an AAF and its media:

1. Enable Include Video and Include Audio, as required.
2. Enable Export Video Media and Export Audio Media, as required.
3. Select a Media option, either Use Original Media or Use Media with FX.
4. Select an option for Tracks and Transitions. This option defines the exported structure of the sequence:
   • Flatten Tracks: The sequence is converted to a single segment.
   • Flatten Tracks with Transitions: A multi-track sequence is converted to a single track, where the dissolve transitions are preserved. Other transitions are flattened.
   • Keep All Tracks: The sequence structure is preserved but non-dissolve transitions are converted to centered dissolve transitions.

AAF Presets

You can use one of the following Sequence Publish presets to export an AAF for a specific purpose.

AAF for Avid Media Composer (Sequence only)

Export an AAF file referencing the original media files. The exported sequence shows all video and audio tracks. No media files are generated. See the Limitations section to ensure that the exported sequence is compatible with this preset.

AAF for Avid Media Composer (DNxHD LB and 16-bit WAVE)

This preset generates a multi-tracks video and audio AAF file along with 8-bit 1080p QuickTime (DNxHD LB) referencing the media with effects. 16-bit audio WAVE files are also generated.

AAF for Avid Media Composer (DNxHD HQX and 24-bit WAVE)

This preset generates a video and audio multi-tracks AAF file along with 10-bit 1080p QuickTime (DNxHD HQX) referencing the media with effects. 24-bit audio WAVE files are also generated.

AAF for DaVinci Resolve DNxHD HQX and 24-bit WAVE)

This preset generates a video and audio multi-tracks AAF file with 10-bit 1080p QuickTime (DNxHD HQX) referencing the media with effects. 24-bit audio WAVE files are also generated. Audio tracks are flattened.

AAF for DaVinci Resolve for Source Grading (DNxHD HQX and 24-bit WAVE)

This preset generates a video and audio multi-tracks AAF file with 10-bit 1080p QuickTime (DNxHD HQX) using the original media. 24-bit audio WAVE files are also generated, but the audio tracks are flattened.

AAF for DaVinci Resolve for Source Grading (Sequence only)

This preset generates a multi-track AAF file referencing the source media files. No media files are generated.

AAF for Avid Pro Tools (Audio only 24-bit WAVE)

Creates an AAF with source audio files with crossfades.

AAF for Avid Pro Tools (AV DNxHD LB 1080p 24-bit WAVE)

Creates an AAF file with a committed QuickTime file and source audio files with crossfades.

Limitations

The following guidelines will help you create AAF that should conform properly in third party applications.

Metadata-only AAF export:

The idea with metadata only AAF export is to provide to third party applications a sequence that reflects the editorial intent. You should prepare the sequence prior to exporting it to minimize problems in the third party application.

• Only use Dissolve transitions. Wipe, Action, and Matchbox transitions are not exported to the AAF, and should all be converted to Dissolves prior to export to avoid timing issues: these transitions are ignored and the timing of the sequence might be impacted.
• No FX metadata is exported when publishing an AAF sequence. Only the editorial structure is. So the generated AAF will contain no information regarding time warps, 2D Transform, Action...
• Avoid using generated sources. Since by definition a metadata-only AAF export does not export any media, the exported AAF would reference sources that are not available outside of Flame.
  • Timewarps
  • Containers and Matte Containers
  • Hard Committed segments
  • BFX
  • Content generated internally (Tools, Batch, etc)
  • Colour sources, Bars, Noise, Gradient
  • Fade to / from colour
• Not all third-party application support all media formats and codecs that can be used in Flame. You should verify that the media files referenced by the sequence can be read by the third party application.

Media and metadata AAF export:

In this export type, Flame create AAF files referencing the newly generated media files. This is ideal when the destination application does not manage different file formats.

• Only use Dissolve transitions. Wipe, Action, and Matchbox transitions are not exported to the AAF, and should all be converted to Dissolves prior to export to avoid timing issues: these transitions are ignored and the timing of the sequence might be impacted.
• No FX metadata is exported when publishing an AAF sequence. Only the editorial structure is. So the generated AAF will contain no information regarding time warps, 2D Transform, Action...
• Using the Use Original Media will generate media files based on the source clips used with Timeline FX (except Timewarps). Segments with BFX, Container/Matte Container, content generated internally (Tools, Batch, etc), colour sources, bars, noise, gradient, fade from/to color, etc. all generate media files based on the Media with FX.
• To ensure maximum compatibility with third party applications, make sure to export the following media file types:
  • Exported video media should be Movie files, either QuickTime or MXF files.
  • Exported audio media should be Audio files (AIFF or WAVE). For workflows where the timecode is important, use the WAVE format.

Relinking Media in Third-Party Applications

AAF published from Flame and imported in Adobe Premiere, Avid Media Composer, Avid ProTools, or DaVinci Resolve should relink automatically to the media exported alongside. If the relink does not automatically happen, follow the procedures below. These procedures do not pretend to be exhaustive: for anything more involved, refer to that application's documentation.

Avid Media Composer (8.5.3 and newer)

1. Import the AAF sequence in a bin.
2. Import the media files in a bin using either Link to Media (AMA import) or Import Media option.
3. Right-click on the sequence, and select the Relink option.
4. Select the following options in the Relink dialog:
   • Select Media on Drive.
   • Select Load Media Database.
   • Select Relink only from the current project.
   • Relink:
     • By Timecode: Start
     • Source Name: Name
   • Track to Relink: Select Video and/or Audio.
5. Click Relink. The sequence relinks to the media files.
   Note: If the source media of the sequence is compatible with the Import Media option, it is possible to use the Batch Import workflow. See Avid Media Composer documentation for details.

DaVinci Resolve (12.5.3 and newer)

1. Import the AAF sequence from the File / Import AAF, EDL, XML... menu.
2. Select the option Automatically set project settings.
3. Select the option Automatically import source clips into media pool.
4. Define the timeline resolution if it is different from the project settings. Click OK.
   • If the media files locations are available, Resolve automatically imports the media and links the sequence.
   • If the media files locations are unavailable, Resolve asks you to navigate to the media location.

Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2017 and newer)

1. Import the AAF sequence from the File / Import... menu.
2. Select the AAF and import
   • If the media files locations are available, Premiere Pro automatically imports the media and links the sequence.
   • If the media files locations are unavailable, Premiere Pro displays the Link Media dialog: point to the location of the media files and Premiere pro will search for the files and relink the sequence.

Avid Pro Tools (12.2 and newer)

1. Create a new session, and select the various options as needed. This includes defining the audio format, the bit depth, etc.
2. Import the AAF sequence using File / Import / Session Data.
3. Select the AAF and click Open.
4. Disable Import Clip Gain and Import Volume Automation.
5. Select Import - Replace existing playlist. This allows the media to automatically import and relink.
6. Click OK.

Avid Media Composer

• When importing a sequence that contains dissolve transitions, Media Composer displays a warning about a sequence update for advanced keyframe effect. You can safely confirm the dialog, and even enable the Do not ask again when loading a sequence option.
• Also, avoid generating QuickTime files with Avid DNxHD codec if you plan on relinking the sequence using the Import dialog. QuickTime DNxHD can only be read through AMA.

DaVinci Resolve:

• Avoid publishing a sequence that has audio crossfades and fades transitions. DaVinci Resolve will report errors and will remove the audio transitions.