Styles of Editing

Styles of Editing

The movement from one shot to the next is called a transition.

In this post i will talk about the following transitions:

• Straight cut
• Dissolves
• Fades
• Wipes
• Jump Cut
• Graphic Match
• Eye-line Match
• Match on Action

Another thing I will mention in this post is the 180° rule as it is an important factor to consider while filming or editing.

Straight cut
Most common and an invisible form of transition, one shot moves instantly to the next without catching the audiences attention. The straight cuts help retain reality and do not break the viewers suspension of disbelief.

DissolvesIt fades one shot off the screen while another shot fades in. At the mid point of the dissolve you are able to see both shots on screen overlapping. It can help show a connection between two characters or places

FadesFade is when there is a gradual darkening or lightening of an image or scene, up until the screen becomes black (darkening) or white (lightening). One shot will fade until only a black or white screen can be seen. This transition can be used to indicate the end of a particular section of time within the narrative. It can also show the passing of time.  

WipesWipe is when one image is pushed off the screen by another. The images can be pushed left or right, although it is more common for the image to be pushed from the left hand side, as this movement is more consistent representing the time moving forward. It can be used to signal a movement between different locations that have events happening at the same time.

Jump CutA jump cut is where the audiences attention is redirected to focus on something very abruptly. It occurs by breaking the continuity of editing. This is also known as discontinuity. It appears as if a piece of the original sequence has been removed and it seems as if there is a few second jump.

Graphic MatchA graphic match is when the film maker can choose to place shots in a certain order