Not every edit approach works the same way. Selects lets you generate multiple versions and iterate on them using prompts, so you can compare different editorial choices before committing.
Creating and managing drafts
Click New Draft in the top bar in timeline to generate a fresh edit. You can start from any edit direction or modify the prompt from a draft you used before. Each draft is saved separately. You can switch between drafts to compare different approaches.
You can start describing what you want in your rough cut, and Selects will handle the rest.
Tips for Writing a Good Prompt
Include any of the following to guide your edit:
Structure and format
Target length (e.g., "Make this a 10-minute video")
Video structure (e.g., highlights first, chronological, grouped by topic)
Platform or purpose (e.g., YouTube main video, Shorts, internal review)
Content selection
Topics or keywords to include (e.g., "Focus on the cooking segment")
Sections or speakers to exclude (e.g., "Leave out Speaker 2's intro")
Speaker focus (e.g., "Edit around Angie's responses")
Paste exact transcript text for precise matching. Rearranging the order changes the edit order too.
Tone and pacing
Mood (e.g., lighthearted, serious, high energy)
Pacing (e.g., fast cuts, slow and conversational)
For example: "Focus on the product demo section. Cut the small talk at the beginning. Keep the Q&A but remove the repeated questions. End with the closing statement from the CEO."
A vague prompt gives you a generic edit. A detailed prompt gives you something close to what you actually need.
Start from suggestion
If you're not sure where to start, click the "Suggest" button to get a suggested prompt. Select your target length, pacing, and camera switching preferences, and Selects will generate a starting prompt based on those settings.
Target length sets your desired output duration. If you need a 5-minute piece from 40 minutes of footage, set that here. Selects prioritizes the strongest content to fit your timeframe.
Pacing controls the rhythm of cuts. Higher pacing creates faster cut sequences with more energy. Lower pacing holds on moments longer, letting content breathe. Choose based on the feel you want for the final piece.
Cut unnecessary tells the AI to remove dead air, false starts, and tangential content. Enable this when you want a tighter, more focused result.
Camera switching determines how multiple cameras are handled. Follow speaker keeps the active speaker on screen. Auto scene mix varies angles for visual interest at logical moments.
From there, add any additional details you want, then click "Continue" to generate your rough cut.
You can check the prompt used for your current draft by clicking "See prompt" in the bottom right corner. Copy it and use it as a starting point when creating a new draft with different adjustments.
This workflow lets you iterate quickly: generate a draft, review it, adjust the prompt, generate another. Keep the versions that work best. You might create one version that prioritizes pacing, another that prioritizes completeness, and merge ideas from both.