How to export an AAF for ProTools from DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve version 16 brought some exciting improvements, and Blackmagic Design claims that the Pro Tools Export window has undergone a significant transformation. Even more enhancements were introduced to the AAF Export workflow in Resolve 17 and 18. 

However, there have been reports suggesting that importing an AAF from Resolve, particularly in v17/18, requires a recent version of Pro Tools. It appears that older versions of Resolve or different versions of Pro Tools can cause compatibility issues. To avoid any problems, make sure to have the latest versions of both software. 

The Pro Tools Rendering preset is specifically designed to offer the necessary options for exporting a properly formatted AAF project file, along with linked audio files and a linked reference video file, directly to Pro Tools or any other application capable of importing a Pro Tools formatted AAF file. 

In the Resolve manual, Blackmagic Design emphasizes that when using the Pro Tools preset, users must utilize the automatically generated AAF file that is written to the designated location. 

This file is specially formatted for Pro Tools and contains path names that correspond to the rendered clips. 

If you intend to export an AAF for use in Pro Tools, it is crucial not to use the File > Export AAF/XML command. This method will not provide the correct exchange file for Pro Tools and may result in incorrect functionality. Interestingly, the Pro Tools preset will merge all the video tracks on the timeline into a single video file, while the Avid preset will retain the AAF with the video clips on their respective tracks. 

To kick off the AAF Export process, simply head over to the Deliver tab located at the bottom of the main Resolve window. Look out for the Rocket icon, it's hard to miss! Once you're in the Render Setting of the Deliver tab, navigate through the options using the horizontal scroll bar until you find the Pro Tools Preset. 

By selecting the Pro Tools preset, DaVinci Resolve will work its magic and provide you with the following output options: 

1. Embedded Or Referenced AAFs: The choice you make in the Codec drop-down menu of the Audio panel will determine how the audio from the Timeline is exported. You can either export it as a collection of files that link to a separate AAF, or as an AAF with the audio file embedded within as a single deliverable. 

2. Choose Linear PCM: If you opt for this, individual files will be exported and linked to a separate AAF interchange file. This will result in a referenced AAF and a folder filled with audio files. 

3. Choose Embedded in AAF: This option allows you to export an AAF with embedded Broadcast WAV audio files. Essentially, it creates a single file that contains the AAF EDL and all the media files. 

So, take your pick and let DaVinci Resolve handle the rest! 

In the Clip Attributes window, make sure to enable the Embedded Source Clip Metadata option under the Name tab. This will ensure that the metadata from the location footage is included in the AAF Export. 

To save time, select all clips before enabling this option, so it applies to every audio clip in the timeline. If the option is greyed out, go to Project Settings > General Options > Conform Options and check the Assist using reel names from the: option. When this checkbox is selected, DaVinci Resolve uses reel numbers to match and conform clips from imported projects. This setting is also necessary if you want to use different reel name extraction methods for individually selected clips in the Clip Attributes window. If you uncheck this checkbox, DaVinci Resolve will identify clips using file names when conforming XML and AAF projects. 

File names can only be used for conforming XML or AAF files, or when importing a DaVinci Resolve project. There are four options available, and you should choose Embedding in source clip file. According to the manual, this option is useful for file formats where the reel number is embedded within the media file itself. Examples of such formats include QuickTime files created by Final Cut Pro, DPX frame files, and CinemaDNG files. 

Embedded Source Clip Metadata - While exploring the Clip Attributes, I have discovered an interesting feature regarding Mono Or Poly WAVs. By default, when exporting mono tracks in Resolve using the Pro Tools preset, the Render Setting has the "Render one track per channel" box checked in the Audio tab. This means that if you have a 5.1 polyphonic .wav file, it will be exported as six individual mono .wav files. However, if you uncheck the "Render one track per channel" box, DaVinci Resolve will export multichannel polyphonic .wav files instead. 

To ensure the safest option, it is recommended to stick with the default settings and make sure the "Render one track per channel" box is checked. 

Muted Or Disabled Clips - When exporting files, every audio channel from the source media is included, regardless of whether the channels have been muted in the Clip Attributes audio panel. This means that all audio files, whether muted or not, will be included in the AAF Export, regardless of how the video editor organizes the audio channels in the Timeline. 

However, the same cannot be said for disabled clips on the Resolve timeline. There have been reports suggesting that disabled clips can cause issues in the AAF Export. When a clip is disabled, it mutes the video within that clip but allows the audio to play. If you wish to silence the sound, you will need to mute the clip instead. It is important to note that muted clips will still be exported in the AAF and will no longer be muted. Therefore, I strongly recommend duplicating the project in Resolve and deleting all the muted and disabled clips before proceeding with the AAF Export. 

Handles - Additionally, you have the option to include handles by selecting the "Add X frame handles" option. In previous versions of Resolve, this option was only available in the Advanced Settings of the Video panel, even though it relates to audio files. However, that it is also available in the Audio tab. You have the option to include additional frames at the start and end of every exported audio clip. These extra frames, known as Handles, usually range from 6 to 10 seconds. It's important to remember that, similar to Media Composer and Premiere Pro, the Handles setting is measured in frames. To determine the correct Handle size, you'll need to multiply the frame rate by the number of seconds. 

In the Pro Tools preset's Video panel, the choice of Format determines the type of audio file that will be exported. If you opt for the MXF OP-Atom video format, MXF audio files will be exported. On the other hand, if you choose the QuickTime format, Broadcast Wave files will be exported. 

When it comes to video files and exporting an AAF to Pro Tools, there are two different approaches. The first approach involves excluding the video file from the AAF. To achieve this, simply uncheck the Export Video option in the Video tab. For the video file itself, you can use an alternative method to create a video 'mixdown' with a guide audio mix. 

The second approach involves including the video in the AAF export. By using the Pro Tools preset, all the video clips in the Resolve timeline will be rendered and outputted as a single reference movie. This movie will be in the format selected in the Video panel, and it will include all effects and titles that have been applied. For this approach, it is recommended to set the Codec to DNxHD and the type to 1080p 36 8-bit. 

When you use the Pro Tools preset to output your audio, it exports an AAF file that contains all the audio tracks from your current Timeline. This AAF file is specifically formatted for import into Pro Tools or any other digital audio workstation (DAW) software that is compatible with Pro Tools' style of AAF import. The exported audio files are named and timed according to the source media they were extracted from. This allows for easy relinking to the source media within Pro Tools, if needed. However, if you have synced Video+Audio files in DaVinci Resolve, the exported audio files will be named and timed according to the synced audio source file, not the video clip. 

Each audio track retains its custom name when exported, making it convenient for use in Pro Tools. All track and clip volume automation, including keyframes, is exported along with the audio files. Additionally, iXML metadata is exported, including channel names whenever available. 

When exporting to Pro Tools in the Deliver page, audio effects are not exported or baked into the file. This means that any Fairlight FX, EQ, Compression, Pitch, or Elastic Wave effects will be ignored. If you encounter any issues with imported AAF files, check if there are audio effects or audio compound clips in your Timeline. Replace any effects or compound clips with duplicates of the original audio clips that have no effects. 

To specify the location for the AAF Export file on your system, go to the Location option at the top of the Pro Tools Preset window. This ensures that Resolve saves the AAF Export files in the desired location once the rendering process is complete. Also, make sure to give the AAF Export file a useful name that can be easily understood by both the video editor and audio team. 

Enable Unique Filenames - Within the File tab of the Pro Tool Preset, there is a handy option to enable Unique Filenames. However, it seems that some users have encountered issues with this feature. When activated, additional characters are automatically added to each rendered media file, ensuring that every file has its own distinct name. This prevents any confusion or accidental overwriting of clips when they are saved in the same location. 

Uniquely named clips are identified by appending the clip name with the track and clip number, indicating their position in the current session. For instance, if a clip named "MyWonderfulShot.braw" is the 5th clip on track V1, it will be rendered with the name "MyWonderfulShot_V1-00205.braw". 

Enabling this feature also reveals two other options. Essentially, this means that the file names in the AAF (Advanced Authoring Format) will differ from those in the Resolve timeline. However, if you are not saving the AAF Export in the same folder as your original media, there seems to be no need to enable Unique Filenames. 

Initiate Rendering - Once you have configured all the desired settings, simply click on "Add To Render Queue" and then select "Render All" to prompt DaVinci Resolve to start creating the AAF Export. 

Problems you may run into - There have been reports of certain AAF Exports failing. For example, when using the ProTools preset on the delivery page, an error message may appear: "COM Operation failed HRESULT". The resulting AAF file may also be unusually small, only 76 bytes in size. A suggested solution is to remove any audio transitions from the timeline. Additionally, some users have found it helpful to eliminate duplicate items in the timelines and even remove all video, providing their sound mixer with a separate reference video from another export. 

Upon further examination, it has been discovered that the problem of audio files not being in sync can occur when there is an audio clip or fade that is not precisely aligned with the frames. Interestingly, it seems that audio can be edited in subframe increments, but the AAF format does not support subframes, hence the occurrence of this error. Additionally, the investigation revealed that this issue can be attributed to Resolve rounding the audio clips that do not have exact frame lengths. As a result, the audio tracks end up having varying durations. 

It is highly recommended to verify whether you possess any audio files or fades that do not align perfectly with the frame count. It seems that utilizing crossfades, which have a precise number of frames, is a preferable option. 

Alternatively, you can explore the Resolve Preferences and navigate to Resolve Preferences > User > Editing > General Settings > Align audio edits to frame boundaries. 

Reports have surfaced regarding blank AAF exports from Resolve when audio clips with speed changes are present in the timeline. To resolve this issue, it is recommended to remove those clips. However, if you encounter difficulties exporting AAFs from Resolve to Pro Tools, there are alternative workflows that may prove more reliable. 

One option gaining popularity is to utilize Adobe Premiere Pro as an intermediary. The suggested workflow involves exporting an XML from DaVinci Resolve and importing it into Premiere Pro. From there, you can proceed with an AAF export from Premiere Pro. 

Another workaround that has recently come to our attention involves utilizing Avid's Media Composer. This method entails exporting the media as MXF files with an AAF, importing them into Media Composer, and subsequently exporting an AAF from Media Composer to Pro Tools. 

First and foremost, it is crucial to ensure that you are using the latest versions of both Pro Tools and DaVinci Resolve. Many of the problems that users have encountered seem to disappear when they are working with the most up-to-date tools. One recurring issue involves clips going out of sync. If you are experiencing this problem, I would recommend referring to the section in this article that addresses clips not aligning with frame boundaries. It appears to be the root cause in such cases. 

Another problem that has been identified is the failure of metadata to transfer successfully. If this is the issue you are facing, consider utilizing a referenced AAF and separate audio files. 

Happy editing.