Try it now
A working sandbox. No sign-up, no project. Sample data only.
- Spreadsheet rows with speaker, in/out timecodes, source file, and verbatim text.
- Drag rows to reorder; type section headers inline.
- Import existing paper cuts from .docx, .xlsx, and .pdf via a guided wizard.
- Export to .docx, .xlsx, .pdf, and FCPXML for the timeline.
| IN | SPEAKER | TEXT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:04:31 | ELENA M. | It wasn't planned. None of it was. | |
| 01:12:04 | DAVID R. | We had run the simulation a hundred times. | |
| 02:44:11 | MARCUS T. | I followed protocol. That's all I'll say. |
How it works
Three steps from raw material to result.
Take me back to that night.
It wasn't planned. None of it was. We were sitting there… and the lights went out.
Highlight a line in any transcript and send it to the paper cut. The row lands with speaker, timecodes, and source file linked.
| IN | SPEAKER | TEXT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01:12:04 | DAVID R. | We ran the simulation a hundred times. | |
| 00:04:31 | ELENA M. | It wasn't planned. None of it was. | |
| 02:44:11 | MARCUS T. | I followed protocol. |
Reorder rows by drag, type section headers, and trim verbose selects. The AI assist can regroup and propose headers.
Send to .docx for the team, .xlsx for the producer, or FCPXML for the timeline. Speaker labels and timecodes ride along.
Hear how it sounds before touching the timeline
Line up the selects, press play, and listen to the paper cut play back as a continuous radio cut. Evaluate the rhythm, the pauses, and the voice balance before your editor opens the project.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is a paper cut?
A written assembly of interview selects in the order you want them in the edit, with speaker labels, in/out timecodes, and the text of each quote. Editors call it a paper cut, a radio cut, or a paper edit depending on the tradition. The structure is the same.
How do I add a select to the paper cut?
Highlight the line in any transcript and use the "Send to paper cut" action. The select lands as a new row with speaker, timecodes, and source file linked.
Can I import an existing paper cut from Word or Excel?
Yes. The import wizard reads .docx, .xlsx, and .pdf paper cuts and maps each row to a select, attempting to auto-link to the source transcripts where it can.
Does the AI assistant write text for me?
It helps with reorganising, suggesting section headers, and trimming verbose selects. It does not rewrite a speaker's quotes. Those stay verbatim.
What can I export?
.docx, .xlsx, and PDF formats. Each export preserves the row order, speaker labels, in/out timecodes, and section headers.
Related capabilities
Further reading
Background guides and comparisons.
Three terms from different production traditions describe the same practice: assemble interview selects in writing before touching the NLE. Here is where each term comes from and when the distinction actually matters.
Descript's text-based timeline editing and a spreadsheet paper cut both start from transcript text, but serve different moments in the workflow. Descript is a nonlinear editing environment; a paper cut is a plan.