Usually there is an endless sequence that goes like this: export out a video cut, share it with the team for comments, implement the notes, and export out again. That cycle continues ad nauseum. Simon Says has put an end to the endless feedback loops. Text-based video editing pulls together soundbites for your story and creates the foundation for your audio or video edit, collaboratively from the web. Using artificial intelligence to transcribe your recordings, you can quickly turn interview footage into rough cuts saving hours of post-production time. Yes, hours! Highlight soundbites and drag and drop them into place: it is as easy to do as editing a doc. That means you can put more energy into the creative elements that bring your story to life versus finding alternative lines and implementing feedback. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create assembly edits, also known as paper edits or rough cuts, from video transcripts using Simon Says.
Usually there is an endless sequence that goes like this: export out a video cut, share it with the team for comments, implement the notes, and export out again. That cycle continues ad nauseum. Simon Says has put an end to the endless feedback loops. Text-based video editing pulls together soundbites for your story and creates the foundation for your audio or video edit, collaboratively from the web. Using artificial intelligence to transcribe your recordings, you can quickly turn interview footage into rough cuts saving hours of post-production time. Yes, hours! Highlight soundbites and drag and drop them into place: it is as easy to do as editing a doc. That means you can put more energy into the creative elements that bring your story to life versus finding alternative lines and implementing feedback. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create assembly edits, also known as paper edits or rough cuts, from video transcripts using Simon Says.
How to create assembly edits from transcripts

1. Upload videos and transcribe

Log in to Simon Says and upload your video files to a new project via the web or with one the Simon Says extensions for pro video editing software. Select the original language of your recording and click ‘Transcribe’.

2. Import transcripts for assembly

The transcription will complete in minutes! Next, click on the ‘Assembly Mode’ button in the dashboard and create a new project. Import in your video transcripts from the sidebar.

3. Add and arrange soundbites

To add a soundbite to the assembly edit, select the video transcript from the sidebar bin, and scan the transcript for great soundbites. Highlight them and click the insert button. Search your transcript by keyword to quickly find specific clips you recall from the interview. To adjust the assembly timeline, drag and drop clips to rearrange the order or remove clips by clicking on the trash button. Your video instantly and dynamically forms in the timeline letting you preview it as a rough cut. Invite your teammates and clients to it using the share icon and get the team aligned on the story.

4. Export assembly edit

When everyone is aligned, select ‘Export Project’ in the upper right and choose your preferred option. The timeline will magically export to your preferred video editing application (including Adobe Premiere Pro, FCPX, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, and many more) and seamlessly reconnect with the original clips, including multicam and sync clips! Simon Says also supports export to Microsoft Word and SRT subtitle/caption file formats.

Nice work! You can now easily move into the next phase of your post-production workflow: add b-roll shots, polish, add titles and credits, and color/grade it to finalize your video edit. Woohoo! You just saved yourself so much time aligning on the story with your team, simply and easily from the web.
How to create assembly edits from transcripts
Nice work! You can now easily move into the next phase of your post-production workflow: add b-roll shots, polish, add titles and credits, and color/grade it to finalize your video edit. Woohoo! You just saved yourself so much time aligning on the story with your team, simply and easily from the web.

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