Originally published at https://craftbridge-site.b-cdn.net/how-to-open-premiere-after-effects-projects-in-filmcraft-effectcraft.html
Disclosure: I built Craft Bridge, the tool I mention below, and I sell it. I've tried to make this useful even if you never buy it.
The Craft apps (FilmCraft, EffectCraft, DesignCraft and the rest of the ArtCraft suite) are free and open source, and a lot of people are trying them. The catch when you switch: your old projects are stuck in other apps' formats. A .prproj from Premiere Pro or an .aep from After Effects doesn't just open in a Craft app.
Here's what actually works, what doesn't, and what to expect.
Check the app first
The Craft apps ship new versions every day or two, and some are adding their own importers. Before you convert anything, look in the app's File menu for an import option. If your format is built in, use that. Photoshop (.psd) and Illustrator (.ai) files, for example, already open in PhotoCraft and VectorCraft, and InDesign's .idml export opens in DesignCraft.
Premiere Pro (.prproj) to FilmCraft
FilmCraft can't read a .prproj file directly. The workable route is to convert the project into a format it understands, then open that.
What carries over: bins, master clips, sequences (including nested ones), clip positions and trims, speed changes, track settings, and most transitions.
What doesn't: clip effects such as motion, opacity and audio-level keyframes, markers, and titles or graphics (these come in as placeholders). Your media also has to be where the project expects it, or you'll need to relink it in FilmCraft.
After Effects (.aep) to EffectCraft
What carries over: compositions, layers, footage references and most of the structure.
What doesn't: anything EffectCraft can't do yet, such as the Cinema 4D renderer, some third-party plug-ins and some layer blend modes. You'll want to open the project and check the comps that matter most before you rely on it.
InDesign (.indd) to DesignCraft
Convert the document to IDML, which DesignCraft opens. Pages, text frames and styles generally carry over. Fonts must be installed, or you'll get substitutes.
Other formats that people ask about
- Pro Tools (.ptx) to SoundCraft: audio clips with their trims, stereo pairs, MIDI notes and tempo carry over. Mixer settings, plug-ins, automation and fades do not.
- Procreate, Krita and GIMP to PhotoCraft: layers, groups, opacity, blend modes, visibility and masks come across as an OpenRaster file. Filter layers and some blend modes may differ.
- Numbers to GridCraft: sheets, formulas and formatting convert to a spreadsheet GridCraft opens. Charts don't carry over.
- Sketch to FigCraft: artboards, symbols, text styles and images convert. Sketch files from version 43 onward are supported.
What to check after any conversion
- Open the converted file and scroll through the whole thing, not just the first screen.
- Look for missing media, missing fonts and placeholders.
- Compare one important sequence, comp or page against the original side by side.
- Keep your original file. A good converter never changes it.
Doing it yourself vs using a tool
You can convert some of these by hand with free tools and a lot of patience. That's fine for one or two small projects. If you have a folder full of them, I built Craft Bridge to do all of the formats above by drag and drop. It runs on your computer (Mac and Windows), nothing is uploaded, and it lists anything that couldn't carry over in plain English next to each file. It's $12 once. You can read about it, and see what it converts, here: https://craftbridge-site.b-cdn.net/
Craft Bridge is independent software. It isn't made or endorsed by the ArtCraft team or by the makers of the apps whose files it reads.
Frequently asked questions
Does it change my original project? No. It saves a new file next to the original and never overwrites anything.
Will everything look identical? Often yes for structure and timing, but not always for effects. Each conversion lists what it couldn't carry across.
Do I need Adobe installed? No. It reads the files directly.
Will the Craft apps add this themselves? Possibly for some formats. If the app you use gets a built-in importer, use that.
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