Photoshop’s cloud Select Subject is strong enough to use as a batch roto starting point for video frames. The workflow is not manual selection, frame-by-frame masking, or endless keyframing. You export the footage as a PNG sequence, batch process it through Photoshop using a custom script, and bring the processed transparent PNG sequence back into DaVinci Resolve as an alpha matte.
The best part is how hands-off the process is. Once everything is set up, you point the script to your input folder, choose an output folder, hit run, and let Photoshop run Select Subject across the sequence. For difficult shots with messy edges, overlapping subjects, and detailed shapes, the result can be clean enough to use as a strong first pass.
What this workflow does
This method uses Photoshop’s cloud-based subject selection to automatically cut out the subject in every exported frame of a video. Instead of trying to roto directly inside your editor, you turn the shot into an image sequence, process the frames in bulk, and reuse those cutouts as an alpha matte back in Resolve.
That gives you a workflow that is:
- Automatic for the actual background removal step
- Accurate even on complex footage
- Flexible because the resulting sequence can be reused in compositing
- Useful for production when you need cleaner edges than a fast AI mask can deliver
Start here
Use the pages in this section to move through the process in order: export the source frames, configure Photoshop, run the script, set up the processed sequence as an alpha matte in Resolve, compare the result against Magic Mask, then review strengths and limits.
- Export PNG sequence covers the Resolve render settings and file naming rules.
- Photoshop setup covers Cloud Select Subject and the script options.
- Resolve compositing explains how to import processed frames and use them as alpha.
- Photoshop vs Magic Mask preserves the jogging and bike comparison tests.
- Best results and FAQ covers where the workflow shines, limitations, final thoughts, and common questions.
