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Avid Ready to Play for Media Composer 2026.8
Avid released Ready to Play for Media Composer on Tuesday, 10 November 2026
Avid has launched Ready to Play for Media Composer, the first release in its new Ready To series, which it previewed at IBC 2026 with Ready to Edit. The optional extension brings Google Gemini into Media Composer, building on the AI-assisted script and transcription tools already available in the application.
For editors working with cloud-based tools, Ready to Play opens up new ways to keep a cut moving. You can create temporary B-roll while waiting for footage, make unlogged rushes searchable or see how a shot looks with a boom mic removed. For post-production facilities considering a rollout, the Media Composer version requirement, Google Cloud billing and network access are all worth checking before getting started.
What’s included in Ready to Play?
Create Video – Generate clips from a text prompt or still image for previs, temporary B-roll or placeholders in the cut.
Modify Video – Test changes to a shot, such as removing a boom mic or a distracting object.
Analyze Video – Add searchable descriptions to clip metadata to make unlogged footage easier to find.
The extension returns new clips or metadata for review. The editor decides how to use the results.
For a look at how the extension works in Media Composer, watch Avid's Ready to Play walkthrough below.
Availability and pricing
Ready to Play requires Media Composer 2026.8 or later. It’s available to Media Composer Ultimate and Enterprise subscribers, as well as Media Composer Ultimate perpetual licence holders, as a separate download from the Avid Download Center. Availability depends on the Google services and models supported in your region.
Avid provides the extension at no additional charge. You’ll need an eligible Google account with Cloud billing set up, and Google bills you directly based on usage.
Technical guidance from Darren Dunbar
Darren Dunbar, Technical Director at Altered Images, highlights feature-level permissions as an important consideration for facilities working under production-specific AI policies. For example, a production might approve Analyse for logging rushes while restricting Create and Modify.
Based on Darren’s review of the release, Ready to Play appears to offer access to all three functions through the same panel, with no separate admin settings to enable or disable each one. For facilities that need to enforce different rules for analysis and generation, this could affect where they can deploy the extension. We’ll ask Avid to confirm what controls are available to facility administrators.
Network requirements
Ready to Play needs a live connection to Google Cloud services, which rules out fully air-gapped edit suites. For facilities with tightly controlled outbound access, Darren flagged the need to check whether a managed outbound proxy or a separate test workstation could be an option.
We’d like to ask Avid which endpoints IT teams would need to allow through the firewall and which network configurations Avid supports.
Important note for third-party shared storage users
Nick Frith at Altered Images highlighted the Media Composer 2026.8 requirement as the first thing to check before upgrading. If you currently use Media Composer Ultimate for Shared Projects on third-party storage, including workflows that rely on bin sharing and bin locking, you’ll need Media Composer Enterprise for that supported workflow on version 2026.8 or later.
For more on what the upgrade means for your current storage and licensing, see our Tech Blog guides for EditShare usersand SNS EVO users.
Send us your questions for Avid
What would you need to know before trying Ready to Play in your facility? Whether it’s running costs, firewall requirements or how the extension fits with your client’s security requirements, get in touch with the Altered Images team. We’ll collate your questions and take them to Avid.
Email sales@alteredimages.com or call 01932 255666.
See Ready to Play at Avid User Group Cymru
Join us at Avid User Group Cymru to see Ready to Play in action and chat with the Altered Images team about where it could fit into your workflow. If you have questions about costs, restricted networks or what upgrading to Media Composer 2026.8 means for your facility, bring them along. We’ll collate your questions and take them to Avid.
We’re hosting the event with RTS Cymru Wales at Tramshed, Cardiff, on Thursday 3 December 2026, from 5.30pm to 8.30pm.
Book your tickets → HERE
