> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Make voice, music and pictures with AI

> Generate a voiceover, music, sound effects, pictures and short videos, and put them straight into your video.

Cutaway can make new media for your video from a short description:

| What | Made with | Where to find it |
| - | - | - |
| **Voiceover** (a voice reading your words) | ElevenLabs, fal.ai, or your Mac's own voices (free) | **+** on the audio row → **AI voiceover…** |
| **Music** | ElevenLabs or fal.ai | **+** on the audio row → **Generate music…** |
| **Sound effect** | ElevenLabs or fal.ai | **+** on the audio row → **Generate a sound effect…** |
| **Picture** | fal.ai | **+** on the video row or the text & effects row → **Generate an image…** |
| **Short video** | fal.ai | **+** on the video row or the text & effects row → **Generate a video…** |

![The AI voiceover window with ElevenLabs, fal.ai and This Mac (free) to choose from, the words to say, a voice, and a preview player](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/VD2lmHtGhqo6R4cL/images/screens/ai-voiceover.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=VD2lmHtGhqo6R4cL\&q=85\&s=7e6eb74f21c6c3b6ee2209f94bfd792b)

## Before you start: add your key

ElevenLabs and fal.ai are AI services you sign up for yourself. Cutaway uses **your own account**, so you pay them directly for what you make. (Your Mac's own voices are free and need no account.)

**1. Get a key**

* **ElevenLabs:** in ElevenLabs, open **Developers → API keys** and create a key. Give it access to Text to Speech, Sound Effects, Music and Voices (read).
* **fal.ai:** in fal.ai, open the dashboard → **Keys** and create a key.

**2. Add it to Cutaway**

Open **Settings → AI generation**, paste the key, and press **Save**. Press **Test** to check it works. This doesn't use any credits.

![Settings, AI generation tab, with ElevenLabs and fal.ai keys saved and connected](https://mintcdn.com/cutaway-docs/VD2lmHtGhqo6R4cL/images/screens/settings-ai-generation.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=VD2lmHtGhqo6R4cL\&q=85\&s=930476ab5071319a52e9f6ddc2213ea1)

> [!NOTE]
>
> Your key is kept in your Mac's keychain. It is never put in a project or an export. Only what you type for a generation is sent, to the service you chose.

## Make a voiceover

**1. Put the playhead where the voice should start**

The voiceover is added there.

**2. Press + on the audio row and choose AI voiceover…**

**3. Choose who makes it**

**ElevenLabs**, **fal.ai**, or **This Mac (free)**.

**4. Type what it should say and pick a voice**

Press **Generate**, then listen to it in the window.

**5. Keep it**

Not quite right? Change the words or the voice and press **Make another**. Happy? Press **Add to timeline**.

Want to use your own voice instead? See [Record a voiceover](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/edit/music-and-sound.md#record-a-voiceover).

## Make music or a sound effect

1. Put the playhead where it should start.
2. Press **+** on the audio row and choose **Generate music…** or **Generate a sound effect…**.
3. Describe it, for example "calm lo-fi beat" or "a soft whoosh".
4. Set the **Length**. For music from ElevenLabs, leave **Instrumental** on so there's no singing over your voice.
5. Press **Generate**, listen, and press **Add to timeline**.

Generated music is added like any other music: quieter, and lowered while you talk. See [Voice, music and sound](https://cutaway-docs.mintlify.site/edit/music-and-sound.md#change-the-music) to change it.

## Make a picture or a short video

1. Press **+** on the **video row** to add it as its own clip, or on the **text & effects row** to put it over your footage (like B-roll).
2. Choose **Generate an image…** or **Generate a video…**.
3. Describe it, and choose a **Shape**: **Wide**, **Tall** or **Square**. Videos can be **5 s** or **8 s** long.
4. Press **Generate**, look at it, and press **Add to timeline**.

> [!TIP]
>
> Nothing is added until you press **Add to timeline**, so you can try a few versions first. Each try uses credits from your account.

## Choose the fal.ai models

**Settings → AI generation → fal.ai models** lets you pick which fal.ai model makes each kind of media. The defaults are inexpensive. You can paste any model id from fal.ai's model list that takes a text prompt, or leave a field empty to go back to the default.


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.