Editing terminology

Question 1

Action Match

Answer 1

A shot that cuts to another continuing a piece of action or movement between shots.

Question 2

Continuity editing

Answer 2

An editing style that aims to present the text in a chronological manner to emphasise the real time movement of the narrative and to create a sense of realism for the viewer by giving the impression of continuous filming.

Question 3

Cross cutting or Parallel editing

Answer 3

Where an editor cuts between two separate scenes happening in two separate locations at the same time This serves to illustrate a contrast or a link between them.

Question 4

Cut

Answer 4

To simply move from one shot to another.

Question 5

Cutaway

Answer 5

A brief shot that is not totally necessary but is cut into a scene showing a related action, object or person, not necessarily part of the main scene, before cutting back to the original shot.

Question 6

Dissolve

Answer 6

When the first shot is on screen and the 2nd shot starts appearing on top of it more and more until the frame has transitioned to the 2nd shot.

Question 7

Ellipsis

Answer 7

The removal or shortening of elements of a narrative to speed up the action.

Question 8

Eyeline Match

Answer 8

A type of editing that maintains the eyeline or level when cutting from a character to what the character sees.

Question 9

Fade

Answer 9

A type of moving image editing where the image gradually fades and disappears, leaving a white or black screen.

Question 10

Graphic match

Answer 10

A cut from one shot to another that look visually similar.

Question 11

Jump Cut

Answer 11

A cut that moves to a very similar part of the same scene but missing a piece of action out.

Question 12

Linear Narrative

Answer 12

A sequential narrative with a beginning, middle and end in that order.

Question 13

Long take

Answer 13

A take that is allowed to remain on screen for a long duration before it is cut. Long takes are often used to slow the pace of the scene down, making it calmer and more peaceful.

Question 14

Montage

Answer 14

A series of shots edited together to show time passing and something happening in that time.

Question 15

Parallel Action (Cross-Cutting)

Answer 15

A narrative technique of showing two or ore scenes happening at the same time by cutting between them.

Question 16

Short take

Answer 16

A take that is allowed to remain on screen for a shot time before the editor cuts to something else. Short takes re often used to speed the pace of the action up, making it more dramatic and exciting.

Question 17

Shot/Reverse shot

Answer 17

Cutting between the faces of two people having a conversation.

Question 18

Slow motion

Answer 18

Used in the editing processs to slow down the action for emotional or comic effect.

Question 19

Split screen

Answer 19

An editing technique which involves the cinema screen being split into two or more parts to allow the sowing of events that are taking place at the same time.

Question 20

Superimpose

Answer 20

The appearance of writing/symbols or images on top of an image so that both are visible at once, increasing the amount of information the viewer has in one shot.

Question 21

Wipe

Answer 21

A moving image editing technique that involves one image wiping another off the screen. This suggests that whatever scene / character pushes the other one off the screen, is more important or powerful. Wipes can go left or right, up or down.