1. A computer system for generating a video edit decision list comprising a formatted list of computer instructions for an edit controller for assembling a video program, wherein each instruction defines source material and a destination of a video editing event, the computer system comprising: input means for receiving a representation of the video program as a sequence of edit events produced by a digital video editing system, selecting means, connected to the input means, for selecting one of a plurality of video edit decision list format specifiers, wherein each format specifier specifies a syntax of a video edit decision list of a different machine, generating means for generating, according to the sequence of edit events, the formatted list of computer instructions in the syntax specified by the selected video edit decision list format specifier, and output means, connected to the selecting means, for outputting the formatted list as the video edit decision list for use by the edit controller for assembling the video program.