ISL Week Two - Editing Techniques Glossary

 

Week Two – Glossary for editing techniques

 

Cut – A visual transition created when one shot is replaced by another shot on screen.

Cross-cutting – Cutting back and forth between two or more lines of action, showing they are happening at the same time.

Dissolve – Gradual scene transition, overlapping the end of one shot with the start of another.

Editing – Joining shots together to create a scene.

 

Errors of continuity – The scene doesn’t flow, for example, not matching up the placement of props.

 

Establishing Shot – Shot taken from a ‘birds-eye’ view to show where the action is about to happen.

 

Eyeline match – Matching of eye-lines between two or more characters, showing a relationship of continuity and proximity.

Fade - Visual transition between shots with no picture, fades one shot to black then the other scene, indicates a change of time and a change of place.

 

Final Cut – The finished edit of a film, approved by the director and producer which the audience see.

 

Iris- A circle opening up or closing down on a shot.

 

Jump Cut – Jump to another part, leaving out parts of the action.

Matched Cut – A cut joining two shots where the elements match, showing the strong bond of the action where it is happening.

Montage – Scenes who’s emotional impact and the visual design are shown by putting lots of brief shots together.

 

Rough Cut – The first time of putting shots into a film before tightening them all together and polishing occurs.

Sequence Shot – A long take that extends for a whole scene or sequence, composing of only one shot with no editing.

Shot Reverse Shot Cutting – Used for a conversation shot, can be over-the-shoulder-shots showing each character when they speak.

 

Wipe – Bar travelling across the frame pushing a shot off to pull another shot on into place.

 

Continuity Editing:

Movement – Start at different places and move in the same screen direction, they’re going to the same destination. However, start at different places and move in opposite screen directions they’re going away from one another. If they start at the same place and move in the same screen direction they are pursuing each other, for example, racing.

Look – Keeping two of the respective sides in line you have screen direction continuity so when you establish a screen direction for the subject to look at or move you create an ‘action line’ between the subject and camera.

Action – Activities should match from shot to shot, for example, same action from a different camera angle.

Information – Editing may not be made in chronological order so therefore the same material covered may be different.

Match on action - Action that begins in one shot and is continued or completed in the next.