diff --git a/movmaker.py b/movmaker.py
index 152365b..6e843ea 100755
--- a/movmaker.py
+++ b/movmaker.py
@@ -62,7 +62,16 @@ CLIP_AUDIO_SIDECHAIN_ATTACK = 5.0
 CLIP_AUDIO_SIDECHAIN_RELEASE = 250.0
 
 
-def tool_path(local_path: Path, fallback: str) -> str:
+ORDER_FILENAME = "order.json"
+
+def load_order_json(directory: Path) -> list[str] | None:
+    order_file = directory / ORDER_FILENAME
+    if order_file.exists():
+        try:
+            return json.loads(order_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
+        except Exception as e:
+            console(f"Error reading {ORDER_FILENAME}: {e}")
+    return None
     """Return the preferred executable path for ffmpeg/ffprobe style tools.
 
     Args:
@@ -623,10 +632,12 @@ def scan_input(input_dir: Path, image_duration: float) -> tuple[list[MediaItem],
     audio: list[Path] = []
     data_file: Path | None = None
 
-    for path in sorted(input_dir.iterdir(), key=natural_key):
+    for path in input_dir.iterdir():
         if not path.is_file():
             continue
         ext = path.suffix.lower()
+        if path.name.lower() == ORDER_FILENAME:
+            continue
         if path.name.lower() in DATA_NAMES:
             data_file = path
         elif ext in IMAGE_EXTS:
@@ -639,7 +650,20 @@ def scan_input(input_dir: Path, image_duration: float) -> tuple[list[MediaItem],
     if not media:
         raise SystemExit(f"No images or videos found in {input_dir}")
 
-    media.sort(key=lambda item: (media_date(item.path), natural_key(item.path)))
+    order = load_order_json(input_dir)
+    if order:
+        # Sort based on order.json, append missing files at the end
+        media_map = {item.path.name: item for item in media}
+        sorted_media = []
+        for name in order:
+            if name in media_map:
+                sorted_media.append(media_map.pop(name))
+        # Add remaining
+        sorted_media.extend(media_map.values())
+        media = sorted_media
+    else:
+        media.sort(key=lambda item: (media_date(item.path), natural_key(item.path)))
+    
     return media, audio, parse_data_file(data_file)