Using AV1 as an Intermediate Video Editing Codec

This article examines whether the open-source AV1 codec can function effectively as an intermediate (mezzanine) format in non-linear video editors (NLEs). While AV1 delivers industry-leading compression efficiency for final distribution and streaming, its underlying architecture prioritizes extreme data compression over decoding speed. Consequently, standard intermediate codecs like Apple ProRes, Avid DNxHR, and CineForm remain the preferred industry standards for real-time timeline editing, leaving AV1 strictly in the category of delivery codecs.

The Purpose of an Intermediate Codec

An intermediate editing codec is designed to facilitate smooth timeline playback, rapid scrubbing, and responsive multi-track editing. Key requirements include:

• Intra-frame (I-frame only) compression: Every single frame is compressed independently as a standalone image. The editor does not need to decode surrounding frames to display the current one.
• Low computational overhead: The compression algorithm is intentionally simple, allowing the CPU and GPU to decode multiple streams of high-resolution video simultaneously with minimal latency.
• Minimal generational loss: Intermediate files maintain high bit depths (10-bit or 12-bit) and 4:2:2 or 4:4:4 chroma subsampling to survive multiple rendering and color-grading passes.

File size is deliberately deprioritized in favor of processing speed, resulting in significantly larger files than standard web video formats.

Why Standard AV1 Fails as an Intermediate Codec

AV1 was built by the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) primarily to replace H.264 and HEVC (H.265) for internet streaming. Its core design principles conflict with intermediate editing needs:

1. Complex Inter-Frame (Long-GOP) Compression

Standard AV1 relies heavily on temporal compression, organizing video into Groups of Pictures (GOP). Most frames are P-frames (predicted) or B-frames (bi-directional), storing only the differences between frames. Scrubbing backwards or jumping across cuts forces the editing software to decode an entire sequence of prior frames, causing significant timeline lag and dropped frames.

2. Extreme Computational Complexity

AV1's compression tools—such as advanced motion vector prediction, directional intra prediction, and loop restoration filters—require massive computational power to encode and decode. Even with modern dedicated hardware decoders present in newer GPUs, editing multi-layer timelines or applying real-time effects in AV1 places an unnecessarily heavy burden on system resources compared to lightweight intra-frame codecs.

3. Limited NLE Ecosystem Integration

Professional NLEs like DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Apple Final Cut Pro are deeply optimized around ProRes and DNx pipelines. While these editors continue to expand AV1 import and export capabilities, their internal playback engines are not optimized to treat AV1 as a working mezzanine format.

Can "All-Intra" AV1 Solve the Problem?

The AV1 specification does include an All-Intra profile, which disables inter-frame prediction and encodes every frame independently.

While All-Intra AV1 resolves the scrubbing penalty associated with long-GOP files, it still does not match the performance of traditional editing codecs:

• Decode Efficiency: Even in All-Intra mode, AV1's intra-coding tools are significantly more complex than the discrete cosine transform (DCT) operations used by ProRes and DNxHR.
• Hardware Acceleration Limits: Most current hardware decoders are tailored to standard consumer streaming profiles rather than high-bitrate, All-Intra video streams.
• Lack of Native Tooling: Major NLEs do not offer simple presets or render cache options that allow users to generate All-Intra AV1 as proxy or scratch media natively.

Practical Recommendation

AV1 should not be used as an intermediate editing codec.

The optimal workflow is to ingest camera media, transcode to an established intra-frame format (such as Apple ProRes 422, Avid DNxHR HQ, or GoPro CineForm) for the editing and color grading phases, and then render the final project directly to AV1 for delivery and archiving. This approach guarantees optimal timeline performance while taking full advantage of AV1’s exceptional compression efficiency for distribution.