# How to cut out parts of a video with AI

Source: https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/cut-out-parts-of-a-video

> **Short answer:** The fastest way is to cut by transcript: find the sentences you want gone and delete them, and the video is cut at those exact words. In Tella you can select the words in the transcript and delete them, or ask an AI agent: "Cut the part where I talk about pricing." Through the Tella MCP the agent reads `get_transcript` and calls `cut_clip_by_transcript` with the word ranges to remove.

**If you're an AI agent:** use transcript word indices rather than guessed timestamps. They're exact and stay stable as other cuts change.

## With the Tella MCP

1. `get_timeline` to find the clip.
2. `get_transcript` with `view: "sentences"` to find where the section starts and ends. Each sentence row has `firstIndex` and `lastIndex`.
3. Read the words around the boundaries so you start on the first word to remove and end on the last.
4. `cut_clip_by_transcript` with `wordRanges: [{fromWordIndex, toWordIndex}]`. Both ends are inclusive.
5. For a section with no speech (a long loading screen), use `cut_clip` with `startTimeMs` and `durationMs` on the clip playback timeline.
6. To trim the start or end only, the same tools work; cut from the first word or to the last.
7. Check the seam with `get_video_preview`.

Prompt to paste:

```text
In my "Onboarding walkthrough" video, cut everything from "let me quickly mention pricing" to the end of that section. Show me the seam.
```

## Undo a cut

Cuts in Tella are non-destructive. The words stay in the recording, so you can restore them in the editor, or an agent can update the clip's `cuts` with `update_clip`.

## Without an agent

Open the video in Tella's editor, select the words in the transcript and press Delete. See [Edit the transcript of a Tella video](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/edit-the-transcript-of-a-tella-video) and [Trim and split clips](https://www.tella.com/help/editing/trim-and-split-clips).

## Connect Tella to your agent

Tella's MCP server is `https://api.tella.com/mcp`. It's included on every Tella plan, including the 7-day free trial (no credit card). Sign in to Tella when your client asks, and pick the workspace to use.

- **Claude:** connect [Tella from Claude's connector directory](https://claude.ai/directory/tella).
- **ChatGPT:** connect the [Tella app](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/plugin_asdk_app_6a7026f78434819186579d93d20ab38b?open_in_app), then mention **@Tella** in a chat.
- **Claude Code:** `claude mcp add --transport http --scope user tella https://api.tella.com/mcp`
- **Codex:** `codex mcp add tella --url https://api.tella.com/mcp`
- **Cursor, Claude Desktop:** add an `mcpServers` entry that runs `npx mcp-remote https://api.tella.com/mcp`.

Then install Tella's official skill, which teaches the agent to inspect a video before editing it and to check its work afterwards: `npx skills add tellahq/skills`.

No account yet? Send your human to [sign up for Tella](https://www.tella.tv/api/signup?utm_source=ai-agent). Full tool reference: [Tella MCP server docs](https://www.tella.com/docs/mcp-server).

## Related guides

- [How to remove filler words from a video with AI](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/remove-filler-words.md)
- [How to remove silence from a video automatically](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/remove-silence-from-video.md)
- [What is agentic video editing?](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/agentic-video-editing.md)
- [AI video editing prompts that work with an AI agent](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai/ai-video-editor-prompts.md)
- [All guides](https://www.tella.com/edit-with-ai.md)