Scene Track

The SCENES track provides scene number and description data for a project. Scene numbers and descriptions help identify specific parts of the programme material quickly when a director or supervisor refers to a scene by description ("the exterior at the house") rather than by number.

The SCENES track is a dedicated track in the Visual Events section. Each entry on the track defines a scene start point with a scene number, scene description, and colour. Visual Events are automatically assigned to the scene whose start point falls immediately before the event's position on the timeline - this assignment is determined entirely by position and cannot be set manually.

Scene entries draw faint vertical lines across all other Visual Events tracks to indicate scene boundaries. These lines are tied to the track visibility: when the SCENES track is hidden, both the track itself and the scene boundary lines across other tracks are hidden.

However, the underlying scene information remains linked to Visual Events even when the SCENES track is hidden, so the Scene column in the Event List continues to reflect each event's scene assignment.

SCENES track showing scene entries with numbers, descriptions, and colours {width=100%}

Populating the SCENES Track

The SCENES track can be populated from external sources or built manually. The most common workflow is to import scene data from a CMX3600 EDL, then supplement it with descriptions from a shooting script PDF.

Requesting an EDL from the Video Editing Department

The EDL must be exported from the NLE with specific settings for the import to work correctly. The text below can be copied and sent directly to the video editor when requesting the EDL:

Please export an EDL with the following settings:

Format: CMX3600

Tracks: Video only - no audio tracks, effects layers, subtitles, or other non-picture elements. Ideally just the actual footage tracks (V1, or V1 and V2 if applicable), so the EDL reflects real editorial cuts rather than compositing or graphics layers.

Comments: Enabled, containing scene and take information only. Please do not include other comment types (such as effects names or plugin data), as these can cause issues.

Scene and take information is read from the comments lines - without these, the import has no scene data to extract.

Importing from a CMX3600 EDL

To import scene data from an EDL, use the EDL import function on the SCENES track. Multiple EDL files can be selected and imported at once. The import extracts scene numbers and timecode positions from the EDL comments and creates corresponding entries on the SCENES track.

SCENES track header showing PDF, EDL, and + buttons {width=50%}

Importing Descriptions from a Shooting Script PDF

After importing scene numbers from an EDL, descriptions can be added by importing a shooting script PDF. The PDF parser extracts scene descriptions and matches them to the existing scene entries on the track, filling in the descriptive text (for example, "INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT").

Adding Scene Entries Manually

Scene entries can also be created and edited directly on the track. To add a new scene entry, position the playhead at the desired scene start point and click the + button on the SCENES track header (next to the PDF and EDL buttons). The new entry is created at the playhead position. The scene number, description, and colour can then be set in the entry's properties.

Note: When adding scene entries manually, the default scene number is assigned in the order of creation - it does not reflect the entry's position on the timeline or any other ordering. The scene number can be edited afterwards in the entry's properties.

Editing Scene Entry Properties

All three scene entry fields - Scene Number, Scene Description, and Colour - are fully editable from the same properties UI. Double-clicking a scene entry on the SCENES track brings the Properties tab to the forefront with the scene entry's fields ready to edit.

Properties tab showing scene entry fields {width=50%}

Scene Entry Fields

Scene Number - a text field containing the scene number, typically extracted from the EDL (for example, "18" or "18A"). Edit directly to change the number.

Scene Description - a text field containing a description of the scene, typically imported from a shooting script PDF or entered manually (for example, "INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT"). Edit directly to change the description.

Colour - a per-entry colour used to visually distinguish scenes on the track. Clicking the colour swatch opens a colour picker from which a new colour can be selected.

Note: Each scene entry has its own independent colour - changing the colour of one entry does not affect other entries with the same scene number.

Scene entry properties with colour picker {width=60%}

Scene Information in the Event List

Visual Events inherit scene information automatically based on their timecode position. Each event is assigned to the scene whose start point falls immediately before the event's position on the timeline. When an event is moved or a scene entry is repositioned, the scene assignments update automatically.

The Event List displays inherited scene information in a Scene column, showing the scene number and description together (for example, "18 - INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT"). This column is read-only and reflects whichever scene the event falls within on the timeline. Scene entries themselves are not shown in the Event List - they are only visible on the SCENES track in the timeline.

Navigating with the SCENES Track

When hovering over a scene number on the SCENES track, the cursor switches to the grabber/hand tool. Clicking with the grabber tool selects the entire scene entry - from its start point up to the start of the next scene - highlighting its full range on the timeline.

In Timeline Range Mode, scene entries can be navigated on the timeline using the Tab key. Press Tab to move the playhead forward to the next event boundary, and Option & Tab to move backward. The playhead stops at each scene entry position, making it straightforward to navigate through scenes on the timeline.

Hold Shift while pressing Tab to make a timeline selection as the playhead advances, extending the selection from the current position to the next event boundary. Shift & Option & Tab extends the selection in the opposite direction.

Moving Scene Entries

Scene entries can be repositioned on the timeline by dragging. Hover over the scene number on the SCENES track until the cursor switches to the grabber/hand tool, then click and hold and drag the scene start to its new position. The video output updates in real time as the entry is dragged, so the exact scene start frame can be located visually before releasing the mouse. Releasing the mouse drops the entry at the new timecode.

Deleting Scene Entries

To delete a scene entry, select it and press Backspace.