Shot detection for Mac

Shot Detection Tool for Mac

Shot detection is the first step before a video library becomes searchable. ShotMind helps creators split local videos into shots, review the useful moments, and analyze selected clips so they can be found later by description.

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Turn long video files into usable shots

Shot detection is not just trimming

A long video can contain many camera angles, product details, gestures, cutaways, and visual references. Shot detection breaks the file into smaller visual units so each useful moment can be reviewed and reused.

Find where one visual moment ends and the next begins.
Review the library as shots instead of scrubbing entire files.
Use the detected shots as the starting point for AI analysis and search.

Shot detection vs scene detection

People often use these terms together, but the workflow goal is different. Scene detection usually groups larger story or location changes. Shot detection is more granular: it focuses on individual visual cuts that creators may want to reuse.

A scene can contain several separate shots.
A reusable product close-up may be only a few seconds long.
Shot-level units are easier to search by subject, action, camera movement, light, and mood.

How ShotMind uses shot detection

ShotMind imports local videos on macOS and automatically splits them into shots. You then choose which shot clips deserve cloud AI analysis, and the returned descriptions, thumbnails, and local searchable index stay with your local library.

Full source videos remain on your Mac.
Only selected shot clips are temporarily sent to cloud AI when you choose to analyze them.
Already-analyzed shots can be browsed and searched locally.

Use detection before editing or prompting

Shot detection is most useful before you open a timeline or write an AI video prompt. It helps you find candidate shots first, then move into editing, pitching, or generation with concrete references.

Collect B-roll, product details, camera moves, and mood references.
Build a searchable reference layer without changing existing folders.
Verify important matches against the source video before final use.

Search examples after detection

Product detail

"close-up hand rotating a metal knob, shallow depth of field"

Find a detected shot hidden inside longer product footage.

B-roll moment

"quiet office cutaway, warm window light, slow lateral move"

Recover reusable B-roll after the original project is over.

AI video reference

"wide rainy neon street, lone person walking, slow push-in"

Use detected shots as real references before writing prompts.

Good workflows

Mac creators who need to review long local videos as smaller shots.
Editors and small studios that reuse B-roll, product footage, and reference reels.
AI video creators who want real visual references before prompt writing.

Current boundaries

ShotMind is not a timeline editor or automatic final-cut tool.
It does not provide stock footage or footage rights.
New AI analysis still requires you to select the shot clips you want to send for cloud analysis.

FAQ

What is video shot detection?

Video shot detection means splitting a video into individual visual shots, usually around cuts or meaningful visual changes. It gives creators smaller units to review, analyze, and search.

Is shot detection the same as scene detection?

Not exactly. Scene detection usually describes larger story or location changes, while shot detection is more granular and better suited to finding reusable visual moments inside footage.

Does ShotMind analyze every detected shot automatically?

No. ShotMind can split imported local videos into shots, but you choose which shot clips to analyze with cloud AI. That keeps source videos local and the analysis workflow selective.

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