01
It began with a link and a long conversation
Cutline began with a practical request: give the app a link to a long video and get a first selection of short clips to review. Podcasts, interviews and talks were the starting point. I wanted to bring downloading, transcription, framing and export into one local workflow.
A useful clip still needs context and a complete thought. The software prepares suggestions; the person reviewing them decides what is worth publishing. That distinction shaped the project from the beginning.
02
The first pass happens on the Mac
The Mac application downloads a video from an authorised public link, transcribes it locally with Whisper and suggests up to ten moments. It prepares previews so the results can be reviewed before export.
The selection uses editorial heuristics, including the opening, concrete detail, rhythm and conclusion. These are suggestions to examine, rather than a prediction of how a clip will perform online.
03
Portrait video and editable captions
Cutline follows a face or subject to prepare a vertical 9:16 frame and exports 1080 × 1920 MP4 video. It uses the Mac’s video and machine-learning facilities for parts of the processing.
Captions are exported as separate SRT files, alongside text and other project outputs. They can be corrected in an editing workflow without having to remove words already burned into the video. The exported MP4 keeps the picture free of embedded captions.
04
What local use means
The Mac workflow described here runs transcription and rendering on the computer and keeps its working files locally. It does not require a mandatory online account, a subscription or an AI API key.
A connection is still needed to fetch a linked video and to download the transcription model on first use. The supported Mac build is for Apple silicon with macOS 13.5 or later. Use your own videos or material you are authorised to process.
Cutline is presented here as a personal project. Its original code is proprietary, and no installer is distributed from this website. For current availability, contact me.