EDL Scene Durations

EDL Scene Durations tool

What it does: Calculates the duration of scenes using existing clip names. Looks at contiguous clips with the same scene number, and calculates the duration from the first clip’s sequence in point through the last clip’s sequence out.

Input an EDL and it returns a table of scene numbers, durations (hh:mm:ss:ff), and rounded durations (hh:mm:ss) that you can copy into a continuity. The file is processed in your browser and isn’t uploaded anywhere.

1. Prep the sequence

• Collapse the edit down to a single track.
• Small gaps between clips of the same scene are fine and count as part of that scene. A gap between two different scenes is not counted, and the tool will flag a mismatch in the total.
• A scene that’s intercut or revisited gets one row per contiguous run. This can get messy if something was block shot and you end up with clips that have multiple scene numbers within a single scene. I delete everything but the first and last shots and make sure those are matching scene numbers. Remember, it doesn’t have to be shot accurate, just scene accurate.
• Scenes will be listed in the order that they are in the sequence, and missing scene numbers are fine. The tool trusts the sequence as it is.

2. How scene numbers are read from clip names

The format is EPISODE-SCENE_TAKE, and the scene is whatever sits between the first - and the next _.

• The scene is the letters plus digits between the first - and the next _ (any number of digits). Letters after the digits are ignored, and a letter prefix is kept (A05A becomes A05).
• Any clip whose name doesn’t fit the pattern (no - followed by _) is treated as its own scene, using the full clip name as the label, and its duration is that single shot. Title cards and inserts show up this way.
• A trailing * (director circle takes) is ignored.

3. Formatting the EDL

• Avid File_129 (List Tool), non-drop frame. Other CMX-style variants from other NLEs could work, but Avid’s File_129 is the only thing I’ve tested.
• Export the video track only, cuts only (no dissolves). I’ve only tested V1 with straight cuts.
• Include clip names in the EDL so each event has a *FROM CLIP NAME: line. Events without one are skipped, and the tool will tell you how many.
• Retime/motion lines (M2) are fine and ignored.

4. Run it

1. Open the page and set the timebase (24 or 30) to match the sequence.
2. Drop in the EDL (or click the box to choose it).
3. Read the notes under the table before you trust the numbers.

5. Check the result

• Total: it’s calculated by adding up the scene rows, not from the EDL’s start and end. The tool compares it to the EDL span and says “Matches” when they agree. If it reports a difference, look for gaps between different scenes, overlaps, or clips with no names.
• Skipped events: any count here means clips are missing from the table.
• Drop-frame warning: the tool only computes non-drop. Re-export as non-drop.
• Rounding: nearest second, with half a second rounding up.
• Row count: sanity-check it against the number of scenes plus any intercuts and title cards you expect.

Known limits

Tested on File_129 EDLs only. Clip names must be present as *FROM CLIP NAME: lines. Non-drop only. Cuts only, on one video track. The .xlsx download needs an internet connection to load its spreadsheet library, but the table and copy buttons don’t.