Importing a project FROM Premiere Pro to FCP - Any alternative to EDL ?

Question

Importing a project FROM Premiere Pro to FCP - Any alternative to EDL ?

Hi, when I google this issue - trying to get a project from Adobe Premiere Pro (for instance CS4) to Final Cut I am always terribly frustrated to find only references to the fact that APP imports XML (and now in 4.01 with better support for Final Cut Pro XML). But APP only exports EDL, and that is a very limited platform for talking accross the programs. Does any one have a better solution? Is there any external software for converting an APP project into XML? Can anyone hint as to why Adobe doesn't include "export to xml" in the export menu (like Final Cut Pro so elegantly does) other than fear of people taking their projects and running away to Final Cut Pro (which doesn't make any sense at all, and is no way of dealing with users' needs). Because it would seem that they only want us to be able to move stuff from FCP to APP. But what about us, who desperately need to move in the other direction?! Any light on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers and a happy 2009.

Unibody Macbook Pro 2.8, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Dec 16, 2008 10:50 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Dec 17, 2008 12:24 PM in response to videonasaldeias

I don't think any of us can speak for Adobe, but I posted this back in February:

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6567208&#6567208

The best thing for you to do is to export your clips from your PPro project, and reimport them into an FCP project. There is currently no sound way to move project files from PPro to FCP ... we've tried.

Reply

Answer 2

Wes Plate

Level 4

2,859 points

Dec 17, 2008 3:17 PM in response to videonasaldeias

Clarification: Premiere project files are not just similar to XML, they are XML. They are not Final Cut Pro XML, but they are XML.

Apple's developer site has information for creating Final Cut XML.
http://developer.apple.com/appleapplications/fcpxml.html

And those who need a test done with *Pro Import FCP* are always welcome to email me and send their test file (zipped) for me to import. That solves the no-demo problem.

Reply

Answer 3

Shane Ross

Level 8

43,110 points

Dec 16, 2008 11:32 PM in response to videonasaldeias

One of the very lacking things with Premiere. Very little to no interplay with other standard tools. No OMF either, until FINALLY it appears in CS4. Anyway, even Automatic Duck doesn't support this EDL type...

http://www.automaticduck.com/products/

Avid, yes, Premiere, no.

Shane

Reply

Answer 4

Dec 17, 2008 12:15 PM in response to Shane Ross

In fact CS4 did just add OMF to the 4.01 update. It's just very much frustrating that they didn't add export to XML ... I would pay for a plugin to APP that did this, just because I desperately need to take some complex projects out of APP and finish them up in FCP (it seems that they assume that people would only want to go the other way around). But I don't know of such plugin (as you say, Automatic Duch desn't do it) and it is in fact Adobe's responsability to add something like this.

Reply

Answer 5

Wes Plate

Level 4

2,859 points

Dec 17, 2008 1:21 PM in response to videonasaldeias

Pro Import FCP imports AAF files, Premiere Pro exports AAF files. Pro Import FCP even imports .prproj files (not tested with PP3 or 4).

Disclaimer: I benefit financially from any purchase you make from Automatic Duck.

Reply

Answer 6

Dec 17, 2008 2:45 PM in response to Wes Plate

Nowhere does Automatic Duck's page says it deals with .prproj files. Are you sure this is there? In any case, I want to keep my edits, continue working on projects, and not simply have everything locked up in a media export from Premiere Pro. In fact, I now come to the conclusion that it is OUTRAGEOUS that Premiere Pro does not export XML. Does anyone know if any of the older versions of Premiere Pro exported XML ? EDL is terrible because it does not give you master clip information along with used media. It basically creates a little subclip for every usage a of time line you export. That means that you cannot, in any way, export, say, three timelines that used the same big set of master clips and the master clips themselvs, independently of their usage, all liked up properly. My intention would be to open up this just as one would an XML and then do the necessary recaptures in FCP. Last question: In any case, does anyone know if it is possible to export all the master clips' with media to a QT based system for opening in FCP and in that way recovering, through the media themselves "Reel", "In and Out", "Ratio". Then I could used the EDL to relink a sequence to this media material. It would in fact break master-clip affiliation and therefore hinder any organic relationship between the hypothetical 3 sequences, but it is a solution, horrible, but solution-like. Any thoughts ?

Reply

Answer 7

Wes Plate

Level 4

2,859 points

Dec 17, 2008 2:53 PM in response to videonasaldeias

+Are you sure this is there?+

Yeah, I'm sure. We did it back when we were making plug-ins for Premiere Pro but then we stopped working on plug-ins for Premiere Pro and we also stopped working on improving or expanding support for import of .prproj files, hence no mention of it.

+Does anyone know if any of the older versions of Premiere Pro exported XML ?+

Premiere Pro has never exported Final Cut Pro XML.

Since you care about this so deeply you might be happy to know that .prproj files are XML, you can open the files in any text editor. Maybe you can roll your own solution to meet your needs.

Reply

Answer 8

Dec 17, 2008 3:09 PM in response to Wes Plate

+Since you care about this so deeply you might be happy to know that .prproj files are XML+

So, yes, this is precisely my point. I can understand that prproj and xml files are essentially similar. I don't have the programing skills to roll a solution (I am a pro-user, but not a Programer). Does any one know of a manual/book that could teach me the proper elements for that? But from what you say, I can indeed most definetly get a Premiere Pro file and convert it into an XML or a FCP project, that would in fact do it. But then again you are not sure if it will work with CS3->higher. It would be so great if Pro Import FCP had a trial mode... I would just think that this problem would be an issue for a lot of people (I find one upset chap here in there). I did find reference just now to the onde "Prproj Export Pro". Pitty you discontinued it.

Reply

Answer 9

Dec 17, 2008 7:29 PM in response to Wes Plate

Well, thank you Wes for all the information. I would indeed like to do this test. To what email do I send a zipped file to? And also, if I may keep bothering you on this issue: Granted that APP projects are XML, still, Final Cut Pro projects and Avid Projects are NOT XML, they can just interact well with certain forms of XML (type 1,2,3 etc, but apparently not prproj), correct? (a curiosity)

Really hope this is at last a solution ...

Reply

Answer 10

Dec 17, 2008 7:39 PM in response to Michael Trauffer

Hi Michael, I've continued the discussion on this topic here with Wes, from Automatic Duck. He seems to have a solution (paid, but nonetheless apparently "sound", unlike your assessment). But regarding what you said, when talking about exporting the clips from PPro, do you mean batch exporting to QT and importing them in FCP as Master Clips? If so, or in any case, does the process you imply retain in the new clips fundamental meta-data such as Reel, In and Out, and Rate?

Thanks.

Reply

Answer 11

Wes Plate

Level 4

2,859 points

Dec 17, 2008 10:05 PM in response to videonasaldeias

+I would indeed like to do this test. To what email do I send a zipped file to?+

http://www.automaticduck.com/contact/

+And also, if I may keep bothering you on this issue: Granted that APP projects are XML, still, Final Cut Pro projects and Avid Projects are NOT XML, they can just interact well with certain forms of XML (type 1,2,3 etc, but apparently not prproj), correct? (a curiosity)+

Correct, Final Cut Pro project files and Avid project and bin files are not XML. Final Cut Pro has the ability to export and import XML files that are formatted as XML. XML is a flexible file format, the files can web pages, preference files, document files, just about anything. Apple has defined an XML format that can be used to interchange project data with Final Cut Pro. For a lot of good reasons it doesn't make sense for third parties to write or read FCP project files directly so Apple developed a method to write and read project data through another format. XML is an excellent choice because it is so easy to work with, XML files are simply text, easily read and edited and written. Avid systems use another file format for interchange with other manufacturers, AAF. AAF is not XML.

A lot of editors first heard of "XML" via Final Cut Pro's use of it as an interchange format, so it isn't surprising that these editors equate XML with FCP. It is a bit pedantic of me to drive home the point, but I just want you to clearly understand the issue. 🙂

Reply