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Exporting projects for other applications

Exporting a project as an EDL file

You can export a data file that describes the project and enables you to re-create it either with related media or by using another editing system.

With Premiere Pro, you can export your project as an edit decision list (EDL) in the CMX3600 format. This format is the most widely accepted and most robust of the EDL formats.

Each clip in the EDL includes a comment with the clip name. You can choose whether to show the source clip name (as shown in the Project panel) or the timeline clip name by clicking on the wrench menu and toggling Show Source Clip Name and Label.

This allows you to modify a clip name in an EDL export without changing the source file names.

Working with EDL files

  • EDLs work best with projects that contain no more than one video track, two stereo audio tracks, and no nested sequences. Most standard transitions, frame holds, and clip speed changes also work well in EDLs.
  • Capture and log all the source material with the correct timecode.
  • The capture device (for example, capture card or FireWire port) must have device control that uses timecode.
  • Videotapes must each have a unique reel number and be formatted with timecode before shooting the video.
  • Each clip in the EDL includes a comment with the clip name. The clip's name as it appears in the timeline at the time of EDL export is the name that will be used. You can control if the source clip name or timeline clip name is shown in the Timeline panel by clicking on the wrench menu and toggling Show Source Clip Name and Label.
  1. Open or save the project that you want to export as an EDL.
  2. Make sure that a Timeline panel is active, and then choose File > Export > EDL.

  3. In the EDL Export Settings (CMX 3600) dialog box, specify which video and audio tracks you want to export.

    You can export one video track and up to four audio channels, or two stereo tracks.

  4. Specify the location and name for the EDL file, and click Save.

  5. Click OK.

Note:

Merged clips are supported in standardized EDLs. EDLs interpret the merged clip sequence track items in the same way they currently do for separate audio and audio clips that are used together in the sequence at the same time locations. The target application does not show the clips as merged. The audio and video are seen as separate clips. The source timecode is used for both video and audio portions.

Displaying longer character names in EDL

Clip names with more than eight characters long get truncated due to the limit set by EDL 8 character specifications. To see the full clip name:

  1. Choose File > Export > EDL.

  2. In the EDL Export Settings (CMX 3600) dialog box, select the 32-character names check-box. This option enables support for tape and clip names with 32 characters.

  3. Click OK.

Exporting a Final Cut Pro project XML file

Switch from Final Cut Pro

Learn the simple XML workflow for exporting projects from Final Cut Pro and importing them into Premiere Pro.

  1. Choose File > Export > Final Cut Pro XML.

  2. You can now see the Save Converted Project As window. Browse to choose a location for the XML file, and type a filename and click Save. Premiere Pro saves the sequence to an XML file at the specified location. 

    Exporting a Final Cut Pro project XML File
    Exporting a Final Cut Pro project XML File

  3. Also, Premiere Pro saves a log of any conversion problems in a text file also at the same location. The log filename contains the words FCP Translation Results (which is optional). If necessary, read the log file for descriptions of any translation issues.

Exporting a Final Cut Pro XML file from Premiere Pro turns merged clips into nested sequences in Final Cut Pro.

Note:

Note that exporting a Final Cut Pro XML file from Premiere Pro turns merged clips into nested sequences in Final Cut Pro. Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro 7 (and earlier) can share Final Cut Pro XML files for data exchange. To share data between Final Cut Pro X and Premiere Pro, you can also use a third-party tool called "Xto7." For more information on using this tool, see the XtoCC tutorial.

 

Opening Premiere Pro projects created using newer versions of Premiere Pro

If you have created a Premiere Pro project using a newer version of Premiere Pro but your trial version has expired, you can still open the newer files using your existing version. Follow the steps mentioned here.

  1. Choose File > Export > Final Cut Pro XML.

  2. You can now see the Save Converted Project As window. Browse to choose a location for the XML file, and type a filename and click Save. Premiere Pro saves the sequence to an XML file at the specified location. 

    Saving Premiere Pro project as .xml file
    Saving Premiere Pro project as .xml file

  3. You can now open this XML file with earlier versions of Premiere Pro.

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