Will a .MOV File Work Just Fine in After Effects?

[One&Done]

Will a .MOV File Work Just Fine in After Effects?

[Warren Heaton · Accepted solution]

If you're asking if After Effects supports the QuickTime MOV file format, the answer is yes.

Here's a complete list of supported file formats, but it may be a little more comprehensive that what you're looking for:

https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/kb/supported-file-formats.html

As far as working "just fine" goes, "maybe" is probably a better answer.   As long as your MOV file doesn't use a CODEC for picture and/or sound that's been deprecated by Apple, you should be fine.

One approach is to just import the MOV file(s) that you have an see what happens.

I'd say for best results make sure that your MOV file is Apple ProRes with stereo audio.   If you're really tight on drive space, use Apple ProRes422 LT.  If you need an alpha channel, use Apple ProRes 4444 with alpha.

[One&Done]

Awesome! 

Helps a ton,

Thank you very much!!!

[Warren Heaton]

Here's another helpful Adobe document.  It lists which QuickTime CODECs are specifically supported for Import and which ones are supported for Export.

Dropped support for QuickTime 7 era formats and codecs

https://helpx.adobe.com/be_en/x-productkb/multi/quicktime7-support-dropped.html

The title of that article may seem a little off-putting, but Adobe supports the most important QuickTime CODECs directly now that we no longer have QuickTime as a system driver for time-based media (it was deprecated by Apple back in 2013 in favor of AV Foundation Frameworks).