Cuts & Transitions Editing Techniques

     Hey Everyone! When watching movies, especially action movies, have you ever noticed how one shot transitions to the next? I haven't really noticed the cut because it was done in a way so smoothly. I've only recently realized this after watching a video on cuts and transitions. For this week's reflective response, I will be talking about that video and its information on how to use cuts and transitions creatively or so that the audience doesn't even notice the cut. The first cut they talk about is cutting on action. This is where the shot changes right when the action starts. Cuts von action usually occur during fighting or chasing scenes but we see them quite often in really simple actions although we may not notice them. The next shot they talk about it the cutaway. The cutaway is an insert shot of something else away from the frame. Sometimes, it could be of something in the same location but totally unrelated. Other times, it can be used to see a person's thinking. The next cut they talked about is cross cutting. Cross cutting is the alternating shots of different locations. In the example they used, cross cuts are used commonly during phone conversations. They also can add tension and drama to the scene. The shot they talked about after that we are familiar with, the jump cut. The jump cut is essentially a cut of the same shot. It's usually used to show change or the passing of time. Although you may think that jump cuts are always a bad thing or a mistake in editing, when used effectively and with purpose, they can be a creative technique. The next cut is similar to the jump cut, but in fact different. The match cut is one of my favorite cuts. It's when they switch to a different shot that has the same composition or action. It's a really cool technique but I think is really difficult to pull off, especially trying to match the composition. Match cuts can be both visual and verbal. In fact, verbal match cuts are common in a lot of comedy skits. Next, I'll talk about transitions. There's the simple fade in and fade out which is pretty self explanatory. There's a dissolve which is also pretty explanatory. You can use dissolves to show time passing by, too. Smash cuts are really sudden and unanticipated. A lot of the times it'll be really quiet then get super loud, or the other way around. It works either way, as long as it's used effectively. Another transition is called the iris. It's where everything shuts to black except for a small hole, exposing the shot. This reminds me of the ending of old cartoons such as Tom and Jerry. Nowadays, you don't often see iris transitions in cinemas. The video continued explaining the different kinds of wipes, again, self explanatory. The next transition discussed is the invisible cut. It gives the idea of a single take, yet it hides the cut when it cuts to black. Editors often hide cuts through different distractions. Whip pans, or fast pans, are used to hide the cut. Cuts are also hidden through the movement of an object in the frame, and leaving the frame. There are also audio cuts. The L-cut is when audio is carried over to the next shot. It's likely that in the next shot, the audio sounds softer, more distant. The J-Cut is where audio from the next scene plays before the scene starts. Many movies combine all of these cuts, and often times than not, we don't even notice them! They're made to seem unnoticeable. Next time while watching a film, concentrate on the types of cuts and the transitions that occur. What kinds can you work into your video? I thought this was an interesting video that was worth a share. It's amazing what editors can do, putting in thought into each cut, instead of just slapping things down into the timeline. I can't embed the video right now and will do so on Tuesday. For now, click https://youtu.be/OAH0MoAv2CI for the link. Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Thanks for reading! Bye!