Exporting to Media Encoder Crashes Premiere Pro + AE Linked Comps Freeze PP

[seanstle]

Hi - after updating my Media Encoder software to 15.2, Premiere Pro could not find the application, so I reluctantly upgrade Premiere to version 14.9 and then 15.2, so they would match. Now, every time I try to add to the Media Encoder queue from Premiere, it gives me the "serious" error (see pic) and Premiere quits. I then have to recover my project, etc. I also noticed that now when I try to create an After Effects linked composition, Premiere also freezes and I have to force quit, even though it successfully opens up After Effects and creates the composition. 

Details:

Premiere Pro Version 15.2.0 (Build 35)

Media Encoder Version 15.2 (Build 30)

After Effects Version 18.2.1 (Build 8)

macOS Big Sur 11.2.3

iMac Late 2015

Memory 32 GB

[seanstle]

I will add that I am able to successfully export in Premiere without sending to Media Encoder. I have also tried clearing the media cache in Premiere, restarting, as well as unchecking and checking the "import sequences natively" box in Media Encoder and nothing has worked.

[seanstle]

It also looks like the CEPHtmlEngine is freezing when I try to create the AE Linked Comp. Perhaps that's part of the problem? How do I actually get help urgently? Best to call Adobe support? Thanks.