Premiere Pro CC introduced deep support for Avid’s DNxHD file format wrapped in Op1a MXF containers. To the uninitiated this may seem fine for cross-NLE workflows but there is an issue with importing these files into Avid Media Composer. Op1a MXF allow a user to wrap audio and video tracks together in one file while Avid, on the other hand, relies on OpAtom MXF which is a multi-file format that splits video from audio and connects them with metadata. You can read more about the different flavors of MXF files here.
To handle Premiere Pro MXF files in Avid Media Composer, follow these steps:
Avid Media Composer is limited to exporting DNxHD Op1a MXF files through Interplay Transfer. Premiere Pro CC, through its Media Browser panel, does a fair job at navigating Avid’s MediaFiles folder and will even properly import a video clip with its corresponding audio.
With a little bit of awareness, Premiere Pro and Avid Media Composer can coexist in a DNxHD-based workflow without much hassle. Please share your cross-NLE workflow tips in the comments below.