AI video search turns analyzed shots into a searchable visual layer. It helps creators find footage by subject, action, scene, composition, movement, lighting, mood, or style when filenames and folders are not enough.
The macOS app and local library are free. New cloud AI analysis uses Points.
01
What AI video search is
AI video search uses machine-generated descriptions or visual representations to help people retrieve footage by meaning, not only by metadata they entered in advance. In ShotMind, that search happens at the shot level inside footage the user imported.
Describe the visual idea you remember instead of guessing a filename.
Search for subjects, actions, scenes, composition, movement, lighting, mood, or style.
Use likely matches as a shortlist, then inspect the source footage.
02
Why shot-level search matters
A file can contain dozens of visually different moments. Searching at the shot level can point to the useful moment inside a long export, product shoot, AI generation batch, or reference reel instead of stopping at the whole file.
Folders preserve project and source context.
Filenames identify a file but rarely describe every visual moment inside it.
Shot-level descriptions add a retrieval layer without replacing the original organization.
03
Where AI video search fits
Use ShotMind before editing, prompting, storyboarding, pitching, or reusing footage. It helps you find the visual reference; your editing or generation tool still does the production work.
Prepare AI video prompts with reference shots from your own material.
Find matching visual ideas before opening Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or DaVinci Resolve.
Build a local reference library for ads, product videos, animation, game captures, UI recordings, and AI-generated video.
04
How ShotMind applies the category
ShotMind is a macOS, local-first shot library rather than a public search engine, cloud media repository, or full editing system.
Import local videos, split them into shots, and choose which shot clips are worth analyzing.
Full source videos stay local. Selected shot clips are temporarily sent to cloud AI only when you choose to analyze them; temporary copies are removed from active cloud storage after successful analysis. The resulting descriptions, thumbnails, and local searchable index return to your local library.
AI search can miss details or context, so important matches should still be checked against the original video.
Detailed searches, shown in the product
These product recordings use AI-generated demo footage approved for public use. Each search returns a shortlist to review, not a promise that every result will be exact.
“two characters fighting with fast camera movement”
Use an action plus camera behavior to narrow a visually varied library.
Product animation
“3D product exploded-view animation”
Describe the subject and presentation style instead of relying on a project filename.
Anime-style visual effects
“anime character casting a glowing magic attack”
Combine character, action, lighting, and style details in one natural-language search.
What ShotMind is not
Use ShotMind when you want to find and reuse visual references from footage you already have.
Not a video editor for cutting, color, audio, or delivery.
Not a stock-footage marketplace.
Not another folder system.
ShotMind is for finding exact shots inside videos you already own or manage.
How it differs from folders, filenames, and tags
Folders, filenames, and tags are still useful. ShotMind adds search by what is visible inside the shot.
Folders
Keeping projects separated.
A folder cannot describe every shot inside a long video.
Filenames
Remembering the source, client, or date.
A filename rarely captures composition, action, mood, or lighting.
Manual tags
Small libraries with disciplined tagging.
Manual tagging gets slow and inconsistent as footage grows.
ShotMind
Finding visual moments by description.
It depends on analyzed shot clips, and AI results still need judgment.
FAQ
What is AI video search?
AI video search helps retrieve footage by visual meaning, such as subject, action, scene, composition, movement, lighting, mood, or style, instead of relying only on filenames, folders, or manually entered tags.
How is AI video search different from filenames and tags?
Filenames and tags depend on what someone recorded in advance. AI video search adds a visual retrieval layer that can surface analyzed shots even when the remembered detail was never written into the file name or tag list.
Does ShotMind upload full videos?
No. Full videos stay on your local computer. Only the shot clips you choose to analyze are temporarily sent to cloud AI, then those temporary copies are removed from active cloud storage after analysis succeeds. The analysis results, thumbnails, and local searchable index are saved back to your local library, so already-analyzed shots can be browsed and searched locally.
Is this the same as a video editor?
No. Editors are for cutting, color, audio, and final delivery. ShotMind helps you find the exact visual references before editing, generation, pitches, or storyboards.
Who is this best for?
It is best for creators who repeatedly search for visual references: AI video creators, editors, product video teams, ad creators, animation and motion designers, game capture creators, and small studios.