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Automatically detects edits in footage. Like Magic. Crazy, we know.

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Magnum – The Edit Detector This is a new version of this script Compatible with After Effects CS3Compatible with After Effects CS4Compatible with After Effects CS5

Version: 2.0   Sign up to be notified by email when a new version of this script is posted

Automatically detects edits in footage. To use it you simply select a footage layer in a comp, set the work area to the region you’d like to find edits and tell Magnum to go to work!

After it detects the scenes or edits you have 5 options:

  • Split into new layers: This mode will split the selected layer into individual layers at every edit.
  • Trimmed pre-comps: This mode will split the layer and then pre-comp it into a comp that is the length of the split layer.
  • Full-length pre-comps:  This mode will split the layer and pre-comp it into a comp that is the same length as the original comp.
  • Trimmed adjustment layers: This mode will create a new adjustment layer that is trimmed to the length of every detected scene.
  • Place markers on layer: This mode will create and place markers at every detected edit point.

There is also a very customizable naming system for the newly created layers, comps, markers, etc.  You can set the name however you want with the assistance of some special keywords:

  • [layername]
  • [compname]
  • [projectname]
  • [clip#] (the number of #’s indicates the number of leading zeroes)

It works very well at the default detect level of 1.7, but tricky footage might need this adjusted.  Lower values make it more sensitive to finding edits.  So if it didn’t find all the edits, undo and lower the level.  If it found more edits then raise the level.

There is a built-in help and help-tips that are shown when hovering over the UI.

version history (click ? on the script palette to find the version):

  • 2.0 – 06/2010
    • Added 3 new result modes: Trimmed pre-comps, full-length pre-comps, adjustment layers
    • Added a new smart layer naming system
    • Made compatible with non-english languages
    • Made CS5 compatible
    • Much improved detection speed
    • Added a Stop button (finally!!)
  • 1.051 fixed windows english launching instructions to -L en_US 06/2009
  • 1.05 english language detection, added progress bar on mac cs4. 09/2008
  • 1.04 further fixed detection algorithm – 02/2008
  • 1.03 optimized cut detection algorithm, fixed no selected layer bug – 02/2008
  • 1.02 minor bug fix that incorrectly identified Comp’s as a null – 01/2008
  • 1.01 minor bug fix to add error correction for null and stretched layers – 01/2008
  • 1.0 initial release – 01/2008

Last updated June 21st, 2010
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About the author

I am a freelance art director and After Effects artist in New York City. I aim to provide high quality scripts that provide clever solutions for After Effects workflows.

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