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How to auto-split shots: Shot Detection, cut points, and corrections

For directors, editors, and commercial makers · Updated 19 Sep 2026

Auto-splitting shots means cutting a finished video at picture changes and edit cuts. People also search for shot splitting, scene detection, finding edit points, or extracting a shot list. In CutGo the button is Shot Detection. It saves you marking every cut by hand. It is not story-aware generative AI, and it is not an NLE project.

CutGo is not a downloader, not a full editor, and not an AI video generator. Use the extension for original web video. Use CutGo Studio on the web for local files, with no install.

When you need it

Ads and reference films are faster to study once they are split into shots. Fix only the wrong cuts, then spend time on framing, pacing, and sound.

What to click

  1. Open CutGo Timeline on a web video, or drag a local file into CutGo Studio on the web.
  2. To split one section, set In / Out first; otherwise run the entire video.
  3. Click Shot Detection. Raise or lower sensitivity for flash frames and fast cuts.
  4. Scan the Shot Strip. Correct cut points on the timeline, then capture stills or build a storyboard.

Example: a 60-second commercial splits into 23 shots.

Scan the strip for dissolves and flashes that over-cut. Frame-step to the real picture change, then keep one still per shot instead of screenshotting 23 times at random.

Limits

Dissolves, white flashes, and tiny camera moves can miss or over-cut. Signed-in or encrypted players may not read fully. Detection runs in the browser; the full video is not uploaded to CutGo.

JobTool
Study a finished piece and split shotsCutGo Shot Detection
Finish, grade, mix, deliverPremiere, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut
Save an entire web videoCutGo does not do this

Related guides

FAQ

Are Shot Detection and auto-splitting shots the same thing?

In CutGo, yes. The product name is Shot Detection.

Does Shot Detection understand the plot?

No. It finds picture changes and edit cuts.

Can CutGo download an entire video?

No. Export an In/Out reference clip if you need to take a range with you.