OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Contact Sheet Generator
Grid of Evenly Spaced Video Frames With Timestamps and a File Info Header
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How the Contact Sheet Generator works
This contact sheet generator turns a whole video into one image: a grid of frames taken at even intervals, each marked with its timestamp, under a header with the file name, length and size. Choose the grid, press Render and download. Every frame is grabbed in your browser.
A contact sheet lets you see a whole video at a glance. Editors use them to log rushes, archivists use them to catalogue tapes, and anyone sharing a long recording can show what is in it without asking the other person to scrub through. One image says more than a file name ever will.
How the contact sheet generator works
The tool reads the video's length and divides it into as many equal slots as there are cells in the grid. It takes the frame from the middle of each slot, so a 4 × 4 sheet of a 16-minute clip shows the frames at 0:30, 1:30, 2:30 and so on. Taking the middle rather than the start of each slot skips the black frame or fade that most clips begin with.
Each frame is scaled to the thumbnail width, keeping its shape, and drawn into the grid. The header line shows the file name, the running time, the source resolution, the file size and the frame count.
Choosing the grid
| Grid | Frames | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 × 3 | 9 | A quick summary of a short clip |
| 4 × 4 | 16 | The usual default for a single scene or video |
| 5 × 6 | 30 | A talk, lesson or episode |
| 6 × 10 | 60 | A feature film or long recording |
Thumbnail width sets the size of the final image. A 4 × 4 sheet at 320 pixels is about 1,320 pixels wide, which fits a screen. At 480 it is nearly 2,000 wide, better for printing.
Tips and pitfalls
Long files take a few seconds per frame. The browser has to seek to each point and decode a frame. A 60-frame sheet of a large file can take a minute.
JPEG or PNG. JPEG keeps a big sheet small enough to email. PNG is lossless but can be five times the size; use it when the sheet will be edited further.
Vertical video. Thumbnails keep the source shape, so a 9:16 clip gives tall cells. Use more columns and fewer rows to keep the sheet a sensible shape.
How to read the result
The stats show the grid, the gap in seconds between frames, the size of the sheet in pixels and the file size. Timestamps in each cell are minutes and seconds from the start.
FAQ
What is a video contact sheet?
A contact sheet is a single image that shows frames from across a video in a grid, usually with a timestamp on each. The name comes from film photography, where a whole roll of negatives was printed onto one sheet of paper to choose which to enlarge.
Can I choose exactly which frames are used?
No, the frames are spaced evenly through the whole clip so the sheet is a fair overview. To pick particular moments, use the video frame capture tool to save single frames at the times you want, then arrange them yourself.
How many frames can a contact sheet have?
Up to 12 columns and 20 rows, which is 240 frames. Beyond about 60 frames the thumbnails become hard to read on a screen, so for very long videos it is often better to make one sheet per part.
Is my video uploaded to make the contact sheet?
No. Your browser decodes the video and draws each frame onto a canvas on your device. Nothing is sent to a server, so private recordings and unreleased footage stay on your computer throughout.
See also: all Video & Screen tools, Images, Audio, PDF, SVG, Simulations & Screensavers, Generative Art, Chart Makers, 3D Model Viewers, Drawing Pads, Mockups & 3D Making, Diagram Makers, 3D Science, Tracker Music.
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