Selects is a desktop application that uses AI to turn hours of raw footage into a structured, editable rough cut in minutes. It syncs multi-cam, breaks content into topics, and hands off native project files to Premiere, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve.
Download the Selects app and activate your free trial to get started.
What Selects does
You shot 10 hours of interview footage across four cameras. Now you need to find the best moments, sync everything, and build a rough cut before the actual editing even starts. That prep work can take longer than the creative edit itself.
Selects handles that entire phase, at your direction. Drop your footage in, sync your cameras, then run the analysis: it transcribes every word, identifies speakers, and breaks the content into topics. From there you pick how to start the edit, from a plain stringout to a full AI draft. Nothing runs on its own, so you choose what is worth the time and the credits. When you are done, hand off a native project file and pick up right where you left off in your NLE.
Who Selects is built for
Selects is designed for professional editors who work with long-form, multi-camera footage. The tool delivers the most value when:
Your final edit is significantly shorter than the raw footage
You did not shoot the footage yourself, and need to learn the content quickly
You are working under tight deadlines with multiple projects
This makes Selects a strong fit for documentary production teams, video production agencies, freelance editors handling client projects, and broadcast or studio post-production teams.
Selects works best with footage that is conversation or dialogue-driven. It is most commonly used for:
Interviews
Podcasts
Talking head videos
Educational and corporate content
Core capabilities at a glance
Multi-cam sync Align up to 10+ camera angles by audio waveform or by timecode, whichever suits the shoot.
AI-powered analysis Selects transcribes your footage with word-level timing, identifies speakers, and detects topics and subtopics across your content.
Select the best audio Automatically identifies and prioritizes the clearest audio take when multiple audio tracks are present.
Different ways to start your edit Choose an edit direction that fits your workflow:
Stringout: every file appended in order with topic markers
Assembly cut: the unnecessary parts trimmed out
Script: paste a script and Selects matches the footage to it
Yourself: build the edit by hand from the topic breakdown
Text-based editing Edit your video by editing the transcript. Select, cut, and rearrange content at the word level, just like working in a text document.
AI cleanup tools Remove silence and cut filler words from the Tools panel, and ask chat to switch cameras by speaker across your edit.
Search your footage Find any moment instantly with natural language search across your transcript and footage.
Native NLE export Hand off as a .prproj for Premiere, an .fcpxml for Final Cut Pro, or a .drp for DaVinci Resolve. Your clips, tracks, and markers transfer as a native sequence.
Remove Retakes Ask chat to group the takes of a line and keep the best one.
Create Short-Form Clips Ask chat for shorts and Selects cuts them from your footage, up to 10 at a time, each around three minutes or less. Tell it how many you want, what each should cover, and whether to open with a hook. Each short arrives as its own draft. Reframing to vertical still happens in your NLE.
What is Selects’s role in your editing workflow?
Selects is not a replacement for your NLE. It is the layer that sits before your editor, handling the time-intensive prep work so you can focus on the creative decisions that actually matter. Think of it as an assistant editor who watches all the footage, organizes everything, and hands you a structured timeline ready for fine editing.
Getting started
Ready to try it? Head to the [Quick Start guide] to go from raw footage to your first AI-generated rough cut in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need internet access to use Selects?
Yes, an internet connection is required for Selects to function properly. The AI features and server-based processing depend on cloud connectivity to deliver real-time responses and updates.
Is my footage secure during processing?
Yes. Your files are processed in secure environments and deleted automatically after completion according to Cutback's privacy policy.
Can I use Selects without Premiere Pro?
Yes. Selects works as a standalone app and supports exports to Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve.
Does Selects support vertical reframing for social media?
No, Selects does not currently support vertical reframing of horizontal footage. For vertical outputs, export your drafts to an external video editor, such as Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro, to perform the reframing.