EDL files: the complete toolkit
The Edit Decision List is the oldest interchange format still in daily use — one video track, cuts and dissolves, and near-universal compatibility. Everything you need is here: the format explained, a real annotated example, export steps for every NLE, the drop-frame math, and a converter that turns any EDL into a spreadsheet.
- EDL → CSV converterEvery event as a spreadsheet row — timecodes, reels, transitions.
- What is an EDL?The format, its history, and when it beats XML and AAF.
- EDL file exampleA real CMX3600 file, annotated line by line.
- How to export an EDLExact steps for Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid.
- EDL vs XML vs AAFWhich interchange format each handoff needs.
- Drop-frame timecodeThe 29.97 math behind the semicolons in your EDL.
Why a 1980s format refuses to die
The EDL predates every NLE that reads it — CMX3600 was built for linear tape suites — and its limitations are exactly why it survives. One track, cuts, dissolves, wipes, four timecodes per event: there is so little to implement that every system on earth implements it correctly. When an XML import mangles a timeline or an AAF won't open, the EDL almost always goes through, which is why color houses and conform workflows still ask for one alongside fancier formats.
Its plain-text nature has a second life: an EDL is data. Producers turn them into cut logs, VFX supervisors into shot counts, post supervisors into pull lists — which is a spreadsheet job, not an NLE job. That's what the EDL to CSV converter is for.
FAQ
What is an EDL file?
An Edit Decision List — a plain-text description of a timeline as numbered events, each with source and record timecodes, a reel name, and a transition. The dominant flavor is CMX3600, a 1980s format that survives because every editing system reads and writes it.
What opens an EDL file?
Any NLE (Premiere, Resolve, Avid, Final Cut via conversion), plus color and conform tools. Since it's plain text, a text editor opens it too — and the EDL to CSV converter turns it into a spreadsheet when you need to read or filter hundreds of events.
When should I use an EDL instead of XML or AAF?
EDL is the fallback that always works: one video track, cuts and dissolves only, no effects. Use XML (Premiere↔Resolve) or AAF (Avid, audio post) when you need multiple tracks and richer metadata — and drop to EDL when those imports fail, or when a color/conform house asks for it.
How do I convert an EDL to Excel or Google Sheets?
Drop the .edl on the EDL to CSV converter — each event becomes a row with event number, reel, track, transition, and all four timecodes. The CSV opens directly in Excel or Sheets for cut logs, pull lists, and VFX counts.
Why does my EDL use semicolons in the timecode?
Semicolons mark drop-frame timecode (29.97 fps NTSC) — frame numbers are periodically skipped so the clock stays in sync with real time. Colons mean non-drop. Mixing them up shifts everything by 3.6 seconds per hour; the drop-frame guide covers the math.