Editing Terminology

Question 1

Editing:
Cut

Answer 1

A change of shot from one viewpoint or location to another. Cutting may change the scene, compress time, vary the point of view, or build up an image or idea.

Question 2

Editing:
Cutting rate

Answer 2

the speed (or the pace) at which the shots are cut together. A fast pace is often used during action scenes (quick cuts will be used)

Question 3

Editing:
Fade

Answer 3

One shot fades from or to a black screen, or in a cross-fade, a shot fades into another shot. This creates a less abrupt transition than a cut.

Question 4

Editing:
Matched cut

Answer 4

in a matched cut, a familiar relationship between the shots may make the change seem smooth. This might include matching:
*completed action (see next point)
*a similar centre of attention in the frame
*a one-step change of shot size, e.g. long to medium

Question 5

Editing:
Example of motivated cut-shot/reverse shot

Answer 5

where cuts coincide with the change of speaker, allowing us to see who is doing what to whom.

Question 6

Editing:
parallel editing or cross cutting

Answer 6

where there film moves between more than one sequence of events, as if they are happening simultaneously

Question 7

Editing:
Cutaway give an e.g

Answer 7

: a bridging, intercut shot between two shots of the same subject. It represents a secondary activity occurring at the same time as the main action. It is often used to provide visual illustrations in a long piece of dialogue. A reaction shot is another common example of a cutaway

Question 8

Editing:
Flashback

Answer 8

When the plot moves back in time to show events that have taken place earlier than the current scene. Flashbacks interrupt the current action using techniques such as blurring the edges of the current scene, having the scene in black and white or having the screen go wavy during the dissolve while a string instrument is played.

Question 9

Editing:
split screen

Answer 9

is the visible division of the screen, traditionally in half, but also in several simultaneous images, often to show action occurring at the same time in more than one location, or two versions of the action in a scene

Question 10

Editing:
Slow Motion

Answer 10

An effect used to make it seem as though time has slowed down