How to prepare footage for an AI video edit

Start with a small set of source clips that can tell the whole story. Remove irrelevant takes before you ask for an edit.

Key takeaways

  • Group an establishing view, the main action, two useful details and an ending.
  • Upload your clips to Shorty and describe the result you want.
  • If the final action appears only in a rejected take, restore that take or change the story before rendering.
  • Name the moment, say what should change and describe what you want to keep.

Start with a clear direction

Group an establishing view, the main action, two useful details and an ending. Keep alternate takes clearly named so the brief can identify the preferred performance.

Put it into your edit

Upload your clips to Shorty and describe the result you want. Add a reference if it helps show the pace or visual treatment. Play the first cut, then use chat to shape the next version.

An instruction to make your own

Use this direction for my video: Group an establishing view, the main action, two useful details and an ending. Keep alternate takes clearly named so the brief can identify the preferred performance. If the final action appears only in a rejected take, restore that take or change the story before rendering.

Check the detail that matters

If the final action appears only in a rejected take, restore that take or change the story before rendering.

Keep the next change focused

Name the moment, say what should change and describe what you want to keep. For a title, supply the replacement words. For pacing, identify the shot that needs more or less time. Play the surrounding sequence after the revision to hear and see how the change fits.

Questions, answered.

How do I apply this in Shorty?

Upload your clips to Shorty and describe the result you want. Add a reference if it helps show the pace or visual treatment. Play the first cut, then use chat to shape the next version.

What should I look for in the result?

If the final action appears only in a rejected take, restore that take or change the story before rendering.

Take this page into your chat.

Open it in ChatGPT or Claude with the page already loaded, or read the plain-Markdown version.

Your next video starts here.

Bring the footage. Tell us the idea. Shape the edit.

Start editing