Automatic Duck today released Pro Import AE 4.0, a major upgrade to the After Effects import plug-in that offers After Effects CS3 compatibility as well as native compatibility with Intel-based Macs as a Universal Binary. Pro Import AE is designed for importing all media and clips in one step, translating and recreating effects. The latest release adds support for Final Cut Pro multiclips, displaying Motion particles as well as replicators in After Effects, Avid Advanced Keyframes in PIP as well as 3D Warp, Avid Timewarps, Dip to Color transitions, FCP Basic 3D effect, and video strobe effects. Pro Import AE 4.0 ($500) works with Adobe After Effects 7.0 and CS3, requiring Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later with QuickTime 4 or newer.

Pro Import AE 4 also translates Red Giant Software's Colorista plug-in from Final Cut Pro to After Effects, sets visibility switches in After Effects fo Final Cut Pro Layer and Track enabled states, and includes text from the SubBits and DH_Subtitle Final Cut Pro subtitling plug-ins.

Further improvements include enhanced support for HDV, DVCProHD, and XDCAM media from Final Cut Pro alongside a new interface with numerous new import options -- such as stepping layers up or down in the AE timeline or overriding the composition setting of the new comp.