Importing an AAF Sequence: Supported Transitions and Effects

The information listed below applies only to Avid Media Composer-generated AAF. AAF files from Adobe Premiere and Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve import, but the process can be lossy. See Adobe Premiere and DaVinci Resolve AAF Limited Support for additional information.

Sections in this topic:

When you import an AAF in Flame, one of three things can happen to each effect and transition found in the sequence.

An effect or a transition can be:

Translated: The information in the AAF is enough to recreate the effect or transition in Flame using similar settings.
Converted: A transition of the same type is used to emulate the original transition. The original transition's metadata is not decoded.
Not Supported: There is no matching transition in Flame Family. The original transition is replaced with a default transition with the same duration and orientation, with a segment mark showing the original transition name.

A pink segment marker in the imported AAF timeline indicates an effect or a transition that could not be translated into an equivalent Flame effect or transition.

To flag AAF transitions and effects that were not translated:

In MediaHub, enable AAF & XML Import Options Mark Unknown Effects.

Video Transitions

AVX Plugin

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Illusion FX	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original effect name
AVX Plugins	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original effect name

Blend

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
3D Warp	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
Picture-in-picture	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
Superimpose	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name

Box Wipe

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Bottom Box	Converted to SMPTE 025	Softness not supported
Bottom Left to Top Right	Converted to SMPTE 006	Softness not supported
Bottom Right to top Left	Converted to SMPTE 005	Softness not supported
Left Box	Converted to SMPTE 026	Softness not supported
Right Box	Converted to SMPTE 024	Softness not supported
Top Box	Converted to SMPTE 023	Softness not supported
Top Left to Bottom Right	Converted to SMPTE 003	Softness not supported
Top Right to Bottom Left	Converted to SMPTE 004	Softness not supported

Dissolve

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Dissolve	Converted to Dissolve (Additive type)	Keyframe animation
Film Fade	Converted to Fade (Additive type)	Keyframe animation
Film Dissolve	Converted to Dissolve (Additive type)	Keyframe animation
Fade to/from Color	Converted to Fade (Additive type)	Colour data and Keyframe animation
Dip to Color	Converted to Dissolve (Additive type)	Colour data (no Keyframe animation)
S3D Depth Transition	Converted to Dissolve (Additive type)

DVE Style Transitions

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Conceal	Converted to Action transition	Matching transition is used
L-Conceal	Converted to Action transition	Matching transition is used
Peel	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
Push	Converted to Action transition	Matching transition is used
Spin	Converted to Action transition	Matching transition is used
Squeeze	Converted to Action transition	Matching transition is used

Edge Wipe

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Horizontal	Converted to SMPTE 001	Softness not supported
Horz open	Converted to SMPTE 021	Softness not supported
Bottom left diagonal	Converted to SMPTE 042	Softness not supported
Bottom right diagonal	Converted to SMPTE 041	Softness not supported
Upper left diagonal	Converted to SMPTE 041	Softness not supported
Upper right diagonal	Converted to SMPTE 042	Softness not supported
Vert open	Converted to SMPTE 022	Softness not supported
Vertical	Converted to SMPTE 002	Softness not supported

Fluid Morph

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Fluid Morph Transition	Converted to Morph	AVID's Still and Stream options are conformed using the Freeze buttons

Keyer

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
AniMatte	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
RGB Keyer	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
SpectraMatte	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name

Matrix Wipes

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Grid	Converted to SMPTE 008	Softness not supported
One-way row	Not Supported	Replaced by SMPTE 001
Speckle	Not Supported	Replaced by SMPTE 001
Spiral	Not Supported	Replaced by SMPTE 001
Zig-zag	Not Supported	Replaced by SMPTE 001

Plasma Wipes

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Plasma Wipes	Not Supported	Converted to Dissolve

S3D

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
S3D Depth Transition	Not Supported	Converted to Dissolve

Sawtooth Wipe

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Horizontal Sawtooth	Converted to SMPTE 071	Softness not supported
Horz Open sawtooth	Converted to SMPTE 073	Softness not supported
Vert Open Sawtooth	Converted to SMPTE 074	Softness not supported
Vertical Sawtooth	Converted to SMPTE 072	Softness not supported

Shape Wipe

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
4 corners	Converted to SMPTE 007	Softness not supported
Center box	Converted to SMPTE 101	Softness not supported
Circle	Converted to SMPTE 119	Softness not supported
Ellipse	Converted to SMPTE 120	Softness not supported
Clock	Converted to SMPTE 201	Softness not supported
Diamond	Converted to SMPTE 102	Softness not supported
Horizontal bands	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
Horizontal blinds	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name
Vertical blinds	Converted to Dissolve	Segment mark with the original transition name

Video Effects

Effects on Filler are converted into GapFX.

AVX Plugin

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Illusion FX	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
AVX Plugins	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name

Blend

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
3D Warp	Translated to Action	Position, Scaling, Rotation, Skew, Shadow, Defocus, Transparency, Crop, Softness with animation (animation curve might different from Avid products)
Picture-in-picture	Translated to 2D Transform if no Crop or Softness Translated to Action if Crop or Softness	Position, Scaling Transparency, Crop, Softness with animation (animation curve might different from Avid products)
Superimpose	Translated to Comp	Transparency with animation (animation curve might different from Avid products)

DVE Style Transitions

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Conceal	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
L-Conceal	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Peel	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Push	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Spin	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Squeeze	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name

Film

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
1.66 mask	Translated to Burn-in Letterbox	Position,Scaling, Colour (no animation, first colour value is used)
1.85 mask	Translated to Burn-in Letterbox	Position,Scaling, Colour (no animation, first colour value is used)
16:9 mask	Translated to Burn-in Letterbox	Position,Scaling, Colour (no animation, first colour value is used)
Anamorphic mask	Translated to Burn-in Letterbox	Position, Scaling, Colour (no animation, first colour value is used)
Blowup	Translated to Resize if without Crop Translated to Action if with Crop	Position, Scaling, Crop with animation and Background Colour (animation curve might different from Avid products)
Mask	Translated to Burn-in Letterbox if horizontal or vertical crop Translated to Action if horizontal and vertical crop	Position, Scaling, Colour (no animation, first colour value is used)

FluidMotion

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
FluidMotion	Converted to Timewarp	The Timewarp Timeline FX is set to the Motion Analysis frame interpolation mode

FrameFlex

Note: If a segment has both an effect that translates as Resize (such as Blowup without crop) and FrameFlex, only the former gets translated in Flame.

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Frame aspect ratio	Translated to Resize	Keyframe animation
Postion	Translated to Resize	Keyframe animation
Size	Translated to Resize	Keyframe animation
Rotation	Not Supported
Reformat	Translated to Resize

Generator

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
SubCap	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Timecode Burn-in	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name

Image

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Avid Pan and Zoom	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Blur effect	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Colour Correction	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Colour Warper effect Segment mark with the original effect name
Colour Effect	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Colour Correction effect Segment mark with the original effect name
Colour LUT	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Field Swap	Not suppported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Flip	Translated to Flip effect (Flip)
Flip-Flop	Translated to Flip effect (Flip-Flop)
Flop	Translated to Flip effect (Flop)
Mask	Translated to Burn-in Letterbox if horizontal or vertical crop Translated to Action if horizontal and vertical crop	Position, Scaling, Colour (no animation, first colour value is used)
Mosaic Effect	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Paint Effect	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Region Stabilize	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Resize	Translated to Resize if no Crop Translated to Action Transform if Crop	Position, Scaling, Background Colour, Crop with animation
Safe Color Limiter	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Scratch removal	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Spot Color Effect	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Stabilize	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Submaster	Converted to Container

Key

Note: Set the Multi-Channel option to Create Matte Container before importing the AAF file to import RGBA media files as Matte Containers.

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
2D Matte key	Translated to 2D Transform if there is no crop Translated to Action if there is crop	Position, Invert Key, Scaling, Opacity (Comp effect is used for Transparency) Position, Invert Key, Scaling, Cropping and Transparency
3D Matte key	Translated to Action	Position, Scaling Transparency, Crop, Softness with animation (animation curve might different from Avid products) A Matte key effect is promoted to 3D Matte key from the Mattekey effect editor
Animatte	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Action effect Segment mark with the original effect name
Luma key	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Action effect Segment mark with the original effect name
RGB keyer	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Action effect Segment mark with the original effect name
Spectra Matte	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Action effect

Reformat

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
14:9 Letterbox	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
16:9 Letterbox	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
4:3 Sidebar	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Pan and Scan	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name

Titles

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Title Tool	Converted to Text	Only text string and color are supported (Discreet font, size 50 center location) Crawl and Roll Text effects are not supported
Marquee Text	Converted to Text	Only text string and color are supported (Discreet font, size 50 center location
NewBlue Title Pro	Not Supported	This effect is ignored

S3D

Flame can import Media Composer stereoscopic timelines; an Avid Stereo3D timeline is imported as a stereoscopic timeline with Left and Right tracks, with the following limits:

Segments with multiple nested effects may not be translated as expected.
The Avid stereoscopic sequence cannot contain S3D master clips with frame compatible contributors (clips with side-by-side or top-bottom stereoscopic media), it can only contain full resolution contributors.

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
S3D Floating Window Effect	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Stereo Toolbox effect
S3D Spatial Alignment Effect	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Stereo Toolbox effect
S3D Vergence Effect	Not Supported	Replaced with a default Stereo Toolbox effect

Timewarp

To make sure the conform is accurate with the creative editorial decisions from the Avid editor, the conformed timewarp speed value seen in Flame timewarp editor can be different from the one seen in the Avid application. But the actual Timewarp effect is be visually similar to the expected result, and be frame and keyframe accurate.

Note: The strobe parameter is translated.

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Freeze Frame	Translated to 0% Timewarp
0% to 100% Timewarp	Translated to 0% to 100% Timewarp	1 keyframe per frame to ensure accuracy
100% to 0% Timewarp	Translated to 100% to 0% Timewarp	1 keyframe per frame to ensure accuracy
Speed Bump	Translated to TW FX, with keyframes	Animation curve might different from Avid products
Timewarp Ramp	Translated to TW FX, with keyframes	Animation curve might different from Avid products
Animated Timewarp	Translated to animated Timewarp	1 keyframe per frame to ensure accuracy

Wipes

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Box Wipes	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Edge Wipes	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Matrix Wipes	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Plasma Wipes	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Sawtooth Wipes	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name
Shape Wipes	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name

Audio

Transitions

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Cross Fade	Converted to Cross Fade
Fade In/Out	Converted to Fade In/Out

Effects

Avid Media Composer	Flame	Note
Gain	Converted to Audio Gain	No Keyframe animation
Audio Filters	Not Supported	Segment mark with the original effect name