An Edit Decision List (EDL) is primarily used for which purpose?

An Edit Decision List (EDL) is primarily used for video editing, particularly in organizing and specifying how video elements should be assembled. It provides a detailed list of all the editing decisions made during the post-production process, including the timing, duration, and sequence of cuts between different video clips.

Using an EDL allows editors to recreate timelines in editing software efficiently, making it critical for video compositing—the process of combining visual elements from various sources into a single image or sequence. This is especially important in projects involving multiple video sources that need to be seamlessly integrated.

While coding audio tracks, color grading, and 3D rendering are also essential components of post-production, they do not specifically involve the organizational structure and decision-making outlined in an EDL. Each of those functions may be part of the broader editing workflow but does not directly relate to the primary purpose of an EDL.