Dynamic Link is the bridge between Premiere Pro's editing power and After Effects' motion graphics capabilities. It eliminates the render-export-import cycle entirely.
Three Ways to Use Dynamic Link
- Replace With After Effects Composition — Right-click any clip in your Premiere timeline and choose this option. The clip opens in After Effects where you can add titles, effects, or compositing. The result streams back to Premiere live.
- Import After Effects Composition — In Premiere, go to File > Import and select an existing .aep file. Choose which comp to import. It appears as a clip in your Project panel.
- New After Effects Composition — File > Adobe Dynamic Link > New After Effects Composition. Creates a blank comp at your sequence settings, ready for motion graphics.
Performance Tips
Dynamic Link compositions render in real-time if they're simple, but complex After Effects comps will cause playback lag. Two solutions: render the AE comp in the background (Sequence > Render Effects In to Out), or render and replace the Dynamic Link with a rendered file when you're done making changes.
When We Use This at Southbound
We use Dynamic Link for every project that needs lower thirds, title cards, or motion graphics. The editor builds the cut in Premiere, marks where titles go, and our motion graphics artist opens those sections directly in After Effects without any file handoff or version confusion.