Selects can turn your raw footage into a structured rough cut in minutes. Total time depends on footage duration, your internet connection, and hardware specs. No footage on hand? Use the sample project included with the app to follow along.

Launch Selects and drag your footage files or folder onto the home screen, or click [Add videos or a folder].

Selects creates the project for you and opens it on the timeline. Your files are added, but nothing is synced or analyzed yet. You decide what happens next.

Import footage and start a project

When your project opens, the Assistant greets you in the chat panel with "I'll check your footage before we start editing. Or tell me what you want done." It offers one thing up front:

You can also ignore the button and just tell the agent what you want, or do everything by hand. Nothing is automatic. Once your footage is in and analyzed, clearing the chat offers two follow-ons: [Sync my angles and audio] and [Suggest a first cut].

If your shoot used more than one camera, or audio recorded on a separate device, sync those files into one timeline first so your angles line up.

Select the files that belong together, right click, and choose [Sync]. Selects places them on a new synced timeline and opens it. Click [Sync clips] to line them up by their audio waveform or timecode.

Shot on a single camera with its own audio? Skip this step.

Sync your files

Analysis is what gives Selects a transcript, speakers, and topics. Nothing is analyzed until you ask for it, so you only spend credits on footage you actually want.

Click [Analyze N clips] at the bottom of the [Project] panel. The popup opens with every file checked, so uncheck anything you do not want analyzed. Selects shows the estimated credits and your remaining balance before it starts.

Analysis runs in the background and you can leave the page. You'll get a notification when it's done.

How AI analysis works in Selects

Once analysis is complete, take a moment to check that names and key terms were picked up correctly, and set up your speakers and cameras if you're working multicam. Getting this right now saves corrections later.

What are topics and subtopics?

Check names and terms before editing

Set up speakers, cameras, and audio for multi-cam

Ask the Assistant to build your first draft. Open a new chat and click [Suggest a first cut], or describe the draft you want. For example, ask for an assembly cut that trims the unnecessary parts, or a cut that follows a script you paste in. You can also build the draft yourself from scratch.

Edit with chat

Start from scratch: creating a draft manually

Use the workspace to trim, reorder, add B-roll, or swap angles. The Assistant is built into the timeline too, so you can refine through conversation. Describe what you want, and the agent makes the changes.

Understanding the Selects workspace

When your rough cut is ready, click [Export] in the top right, choose your editing software under [Handoff to], then save. If you picked a main editing tool, you can click its icon beside [Export] instead to send your edit straight there. Selects supports Premiere (.prproj), Final Cut Pro (.fcpxml), and DaVinci Resolve (.drp). Open the file in your editing software. Your edit points, track layout, and speaker labels come across, linked to your original media. Audio level changes made in Selects do not carry over.

Export your edit to editing software, or as a transcript or video

You now have a structured rough cut ready for fine editing. From here, color grade, add effects, refine sound, and finish your cut the way you normally would.