A file-based EDL is a type of log file that you use to import (or soft import) image sequences from a standard filesystem. File-based EDLs can include image files and audio files. Telecine logs can only include image files.

All EDLs contain event numbers, cuts, and timecode. A file-based EDL differs from a standard EDL in that it contains comments that point to the location of media files. Generally, you do not assemble a file-based EDL into a record timeline clip. An exception is FCP XML files created during offline sessions. See Importing Final Cut Pro XML.

You load a file-based EDL in the same way that you load a standard EDL.

You can use the EDL module to import telecine logs. When you load a telecine log from the EDL module, only the following information is imported:

• Tape name
• Clip name
• Source timecode
• Keycode
• 2:3 pulldown removal information (whether there is 2:3 pulldown, the reference frame timecode, the reference type, and the drop frame reference timecode)

A file-based EDL correlates the timecode from tapes to keycode from film reels for one or more contiguous clips.The timecode reflects where on the tape clips were recorded during a telecine or offline edit session. The keycode indicates the source reel and frames of film where the clips originated from.

As well, using these files, you can recapture material from tape with pulldown removal because the pulldown phase is indicated for each sequence.

The other elements contained in the file, such as audio information, are disregarded.