Editing Techniques Glossary
Match Cut
A cut between either two different objects, two different spaces, or two different
compositions in which the object graphically match. Establish a strong continuity
of action.
Flash Cutting
Editing sequences so that the shots are short and brief (less than two seconds).
Subliminal Cut
A cut consisting of a few frames which go by so fast that the viewer is only partly
aware of them.
Cross Cutting
Editing that alternates shots of two or more lines of action occurring in different
places
Discontinuity Editing
Alternative system of joining shots together using techniques unacceptable
within continuity editing principles.
Elliptical Editing
Shot transitions that show parts of an event, causing ellipsis in plot and story
duration.
Jump Cut
A cut that appears to be an interruption of a single shot. It occurs within a scene
rather than between scenes, to condense the shot.
Overlapping Editing
Cuts that repeat part or all of an action, thus expanding its viewing time and plot
duration.
Invisible Editing
Editing that is so smooth that viewers become engrossed in the movie and don’t
notice the individual cuts.
Line Cut
Tape of the switches from one camera angle to the other that the multiple
camera directors call out as the show was shot.
Split Edit
In a split edit, the audio and video edit do not start at the same time; either video
or audio is delayed.
Credits
Provides attribution to the staff involved in their productions.
Cutaways
Interruption of a continuously-filmed action by inserting a view of something
else. It is usually followed by a cutback to the first shot, but not always.
Freeze Frame
A single frame forming a motionless image from a film or videotape.
Eyeline Match
Based on the premise that the audience will want to see what the character onscreen is seeing.
Flashback
A scene in a film set in a time earlier than than main story. Then it can jump from
one time frame to another.
Graphic Match
A cut in film editing between either two different objects, two different
compositions in which an object in the two shots graphically match, often
helping to establish a strong continuity of action and linking the two shots
together.
Juxtaposition
The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.
Montage
The technique of selecting, editing, and piecing together separate sections of film
to form a continuous whole.
Parallel Editing
This involves cutting back and forth between two or more scenes in which the
action is taking place simultaneously or in which one action is compared or
contrasted with another.
Visual Effects
Various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the
context of a live action shot.
Match on Action
Where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that matches the first shot’s
action.
Shot Reverse Shot
One character is shown looking (often off-screen) at another character, and then
the other character is shown looking “back” at the first character.
The Insert
An insert is a shot of part of a scene as filmed from a different angle and/or focal
length from the master shot.
Continuity
A system of cutting used to maintain continuous and clear narrative action by
following a set of rules.
180 Degree Rule
A basic film editing guideline that states that two characters (or other elements)
in the same scene should always have the same left/right relationship to each
other.
Action Match
Where the editor cuts from one shot to another view that “matches” the first
shot’s action and energy.
Establishing Shot
A shot, normally taken from a great distance or from a “bird’s eye view,” that
establishes where the action is about to occur.
Non-continuity
Continuity is broken and construction is more apparent. Meaning often created
through juxtaposition and metaphor shot inserts.
Dissolve
A dissolve is a gradual transition from one image to another. The terms fade-out
and fade-in are used to describe a transition to and from a blank image.
Fade
A visual transition between shots or scenes that appears on screen as a brief
interval with no picture. The editor fades one shot to black and then fades in the
next. Often used to indicate a change in time and place.
Wipe
Visible on screen as a bar travelling across the frame pushing one shot off and
pulling the next shot into place.
Superimposition
Two distant images appearing simultaneously with one superimposed upon the
other.
Long/Short Take
A long take is an uninterrupted shot in a film which lasts much longer than the
conventional editing pace either of the film itself or of films in general, usually
lasting several minutes.
Slow/Fast Motion
Slow motion is an effect in film-making whereby time appears to be slowed
down, in contrast to fast motion where time is sped up.
Expansion of Time
When you expand time in a video, you are making the duration of the video
sequence longer than real-time.
Post-Production Visual Effects
Visual effects (VFX) are the various processes by which imagery is created
and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shot. Visual effects using
computer generated imagery has recently become accessible to the independent
filmmaker with the introduction of affordable and user friendly animation.
Editing
The joining of one shot (strip of film) with another. The shots can picture events
and objects in different places at different times.
Final Cut
The finished edit of a film, approved by the director and the producer. This is
what the audience sees.
Iris
Visible on screen as a circle closing down over or opening up on a shot.
Rough Cut
The first version of a film after preliminary editing.
Sequence Shot
A long take that extends for an entire scene or sequence. It is composed of only
one shot with no editing.
Reaction Shot
A cut to a shot of a character’s reaction to the contents of the preceding shot.
Linear Edit
Before digital editing video sequences were edited by inserting new frames and
reconstructing the balance of the tape by adding the remainder of the frames.