Notes on editing techniques

1. Continuity editing
Continuity editing creates the illusion of a smooth transition from one shot to the next. The
editing flows in a logical way helping to keep the audience’s attention to the story without
any confusion as the shots are placed together in order telling the story clearly. What proves
to be good continuity editing is where shots are linked together without the audience
noticing editing had been involved.
Non-Continuity editing
Un-like continuity, non-continuity editing removes the law of physics between shots. Using
this technique for editing can confuse the audience as the first shot would be about one
subject, or in a certain spot, then straight to the next shot which would be showcasing
something completely different. Which when pulled off wrong, could lose the interest of the
audience as they wont understand what’s going on in the scene. One of the best ways to
use non-continuity editing though could include for when filming montages.
Cutting Techniques
Cutting on Action
A shot transition used whilst the subject is still in motion.
Such action could include a punch, kick, a character turning around or throwing an item,
someone going through a door, anything that includes any type of action, small or big.
Cut away
Cutting from a subjects shot to an insert shot then back.
The insert focus could be in the same area as the characters, or far away. Another way to
use this technique could be to get inside the head of the on-screen character.
Cross cut
Cross cut is used when a shot cuts back and forth between locations, a good example would
be how most phone call scenes take place cutting to both ends of the call.
When used correctly, cross cutting can spice up both the tension and suspense for a
sequence.
Can also be used to show what is going on within a character’s head.
Jump cut
When the editor cuts between the same shot, they are most often used to deliberately
show the passing of time.
Can also find the use of jump cuts for montages.
A level of urgency can be added to the scene by using this technique.
Match cut
Cuts from one shot to a similar shot either by matching the action, or the composition.
Often used as scene transitions.
Match cuts don’t need to be a visual transition as they can also be a verbal transition where
one character starts a sentence then the scene changes with someone (unintentionally for
the character) finishing the sentence.

2. Fade in/Fade out
Where the scene either dissolves into or out of (or both) a screen of black.
Dissolve
This is where one shot blends into the next.
Commonly used as montages and showing the passing of time.
The same shot can even have the use of a transition edit showing a spot where the subject
remains, then they fade away showing they left after some time.
Smash cut
Abrupt transitions switching from one shot found to be loud then quickly moving onto the
next shot which would be quiet. Or reversed as that works also.
One example of this use could be a character waking up from an intense dream or
nightmare.
Iris
Whether it’s a POV shot or not, the iris shot works to open a shot or/and close a shot
looking like an eyelid opening or closing.
Wipe
This technique takes place when a shot transitions with a wipe, as such, crossing the screen
entering the next shot.
Invisible cut
Gives the impression the scene was taken with a single take as the scene transitions through
darkness.
Can also be transitioned from the same use of motion still looking as if to be the same exact
shot with no use of editing.
Or maybe even for when the subject leaves a frame but looks remains to look no different.
L-cut
An audio-based transition where the sound from the first shot carries over to the next.
J-cut
The opposite of the L-cut, where the audio from one shot starts the shot before.
“You hear what’s going on before you see what’s going on.”
Also great for introducing a new element within a scene, like seeing someone playing an
instrument but we, as the audience, can only hear the music before we get to see the
instrument in the same scene.