diff --git a/extract_scene.py b/extract_scene.py
index 537884f7..455c7f25 100644
--- a/extract_scene.py
+++ b/extract_scene.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ def get_configuration():
       for short_arg, long_arg in optional_args:
          parser.add_argument(short_arg, long_arg, action = "store_true")
       parser.add_argument("-o", "--output_name")
+      parser.add_argument("-n", "--skip_to_animation_number")
       args = parser.parse_args()
    except argparse.ArgumentError as err:
       print(str(err))
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ def get_configuration():
       "quiet"           : args.quiet or args.write_all,
       "write_all"       : args.write_all,
       "output_name"     : args.output_name,
+      "skip_to_animation_number" : args.skip_to_animation_number,
    }
    if args.low_quality or args.preview:
       config["camera_config"] = LOW_QUALITY_CAMERA_CONFIG
@@ -96,12 +98,18 @@ def get_configuration():
       config["camera_config"] = PRODUCTION_QUALITY_CAMERA_CONFIG
       config["frame_duration"] = PRODUCTION_QUALITY_FRAME_DURATION
 
+   stan = config["skip_to_animation_number"]
+   if stan is not None:
+      config["skip_to_animation_number"] = int(stan)
+
    #By default, write to file
    actions = ["write_to_movie", "preview", "show_last_frame"]
    if not any([config[key] for key in actions]):
       config["write_to_movie"] = True
-   config["skip_animations"] = config["show_last_frame"] and not config["write_to_movie"]
-
+   config["skip_animations"] = any([
+      config["show_last_frame"] and not config["write_to_movie"],
+      config["skip_to_animation_number"],
+   ])
    return config
 
 def handle_scene(scene, **config):
@@ -203,7 +211,8 @@ def main():
          "write_to_movie",
          "save_frames",
          "output_directory",
-         "save_pngs"
+         "save_pngs",
+         "skip_to_animation_number",
       ]
    ])
    
diff --git a/scene/scene.py b/scene/scene.py
index eec090ea..84ea28c1 100644
--- a/scene/scene.py
+++ b/scene/scene.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ class Scene(object):
         "name" : None,
         "always_continually_update" : False,
         "random_seed" : 0,
+        "skip_to_animation_number" : None,
     }
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         digest_config(self, kwargs)
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ class Scene(object):
         self.construct(*self.construct_args)
         if self.write_to_movie:
             self.close_movie_pipe()
+        print("Played a total of %d animations"%self.num_plays)
 
     def setup(self):
         """
@@ -389,9 +391,13 @@ class Scene(object):
         if len(args) == 0:
             warnings.warn("Called Scene.play with no animations")
             return
+        if self.skip_to_animation_number:
+            if self.num_plays + 1 == self.skip_to_animation_number:
+                self.skip_animations = False
         if self.skip_animations:
             kwargs["run_time"] = 0
 
+
         animations = self.compile_play_args_to_animation_list(*args)
         self.num_plays += 1