Turn Around: Git for Video Editors (Finally, a Real Version History for Your Projects)

2 min readFeb 26, 2026

If you’re a video editor, you’ve probably done this at some point:

Project_final.prproj  
Project_final_v2.prproj  
Project_final_v2_REALLY_FINAL.prproj  
Project_backup_before_client_changes.prproj

Sound familiar? You’ve been trying to solve a simple problem: “What if I mess up this edit?”

Developers have Git. Designers have version history. Video editors… mostly have copies and hope.

That’s why I built Turn Around a desktop app that brings true version control to video editing.

The Problem

Video editing software assumes one timeline moves forward. Undo exists, but only so far. Auto-save helps with crashes, but it doesn’t help with experimentation.

Ever wanted to:

Test a risky cut without losing the main timeline
Compare two versions side-by-side
Quickly go back to a version you made last week

…without creating dozens of duplicate project files?

Get Muhammad Khubaib’s stories in your inbox

Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.

Remember me for faster sign in

Until now, there wasn’t a clean solution.

How Turn Around Solves It

Turn Around sits alongside your editor (currently DaVinci Resolve) and gives you a structured way to track changes:

Commits — Snapshot your project with messages and optional milestones
Branches — Try alternate cuts or styles without touching the main edit
Time-travel slider — Scrub through your project’s history and restore instantly
Timeline diffs — Compare two versions side-by-side to see exactly what changed
Smart storage — Large media files aren’t duplicated unnecessarily
File watcher — Detects edits and nudges you to commit so nothing is forgotten

Why This Matters

Video editing is messy. Clients request changes. You experiment with openings, endings, pacing, or social cutdowns. Without proper versioning:

You waste storage on duplicate projects
You risk losing work
Experimentation feels scary

With Turn Around, you can edit without fear. Want to try a bold change? Create a branch. Don’t like it? Switch back. Everything is visual, intuitive, and timeline-aware.

Built for How You Work

Current support: DaVinci Resolve (live project tracking & restore)
Formats: OpenTimelineIO (OTIO) & Final Cut Pro XML (FCPXML)
Tech: Angular 21 + Rust + Tauri 2, SQLite + content-addressable object storage

Turn Around is open source and currently available for macOS Apple Silicon. More platforms and editors are coming soon.

See It in Action

I’ve included a short demo showing a real workflow: branching a cut, experimenting safely, and restoring an earlier version all without duplicating projects.