What happens when AI wants to replace my timeline?
When you use the AI Camera Assistant, it may suggest camera movements that would replace your existing work. Smooth Operator protects you from accidentally losing your timeline with a clear warning.
When does the warning appear?
The replacement warning appears when you tap "Apply" on an AI suggestion and both conditions are true:
- The AI suggestion is marked as a replacement (not a modification).
- You have existing anchors on your timeline.
What the warning says
The alert dialog shows:
"Replace Timeline?" "This will replace your existing camera movements with a new timeline. Your current work will be lost."
You have two choices:
- "Cancel" — Keeps your existing timeline. The AI suggestion is still visible for preview, but not applied.
- "Replace" — Discards your existing timeline and applies the AI's camera movements.
What counts as a modification vs a replacement?
The AI decides whether a suggestion is a modification or a replacement based on your prompt:
- Modifications (no warning): Adjusting timing, adding anchors, changing zoom levels, tweaking existing moves. These refine what you already have.
- Replacements (warning shown): A completely different approach, starting over, or something fundamentally incompatible with the current timeline.
Prompts like "start over" or "redo this entirely" are treated as replacements. Prompts like "make it slower" or "zoom in more on the speaker" are treated as modifications.
How to avoid losing work
- Always preview before applying. The preview shows you exactly what the AI's version looks like without committing to it.
- Read prompts carefully. If you use words like "start over" or "redo," the AI may treat it as a replacement.
- Use the conversation approach. Instead of asking for a complete redo, ask for specific adjustments: "Increase the zoom on the second anchor" rather than "Redo the whole thing."
- Undo is available. Smooth Operator supports undo (up to 50 levels). If you accidentally apply a replacement, you can undo it immediately.
What happens after applying
- Replacement applied: Your old timeline is replaced. The AI chat shows: "Timeline replaced with new camera movement! You can continue refining or close this panel."
- Modification applied: Your timeline is updated. The AI chat shows: "Camera movement updated! You can continue refining or close this panel."
Tips
- The warning is a safety net, not a problem. It only appears when your work would genuinely be replaced.
- If you are not sure, tap "Cancel," save your project, and then try again. You can always undo.
- You can use the AI conversationally to gradually build up camera movements without ever triggering a replacement. Just describe incremental changes.