6 Ways to Edit Any Scene - Essential Film & Video Editing Techniques Explained [Shot List Ep. 10]

Ultimate guide to film and video editing techniques, including eyeline match, cross cutting, eye trace, j cut and l cut, intellectual montage, and cut on action.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro - Editing: Creative Uses of the Cut
01:32 - Walter Murch & The Rule of Six
02:46 - Eyeline Match
05:55 - Cross Cutting
07:57 - Eye Trace
10:13 - Split Edit
13:14 - Intellectual Montage
15:40 - Cut on Action
17:54 - Honorable Mentions and FREE Reference Shot List
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Film editing is a language that started with the simple cut over a century ago. Since then, film and video editing techniques have turned that language into poetry. In this episode of The Shot List, we’re looking at the major film editing and video editing techniques that can be used when editing a scene. These techniques include eyeline match, cross cutting, eye trace, split edits, intellectual montage, and cut on action. We’ll explain how to edit video using these techniques and what they bring to the storytelling process.
First up is the eyeline match - where a character’s eyes guide the edit. If we see a character notice something off-screen, our immediate response is “What are they looking at?” Most of the time, the editor complies and cuts to match the character’s eyeline (not only what they see but from their literal or general perspective).
In film editing, cross cutting (or intercutting) is essentially weaving two or more scenes into one. The classic example of cross cutting is the baptism scene in The Godfather as we watch Michael become “The Godfather” twice over - to his sister’s child and to the Corleone family as we watch his men assassinate his rivals.
One bit of film theory from legendary editor Walter Murch is called eye trace. To help the viewer along, eye trace suggests to cut between shots when the area of focus is in the same spot. That way, the viewer can stay focused on the moment, especially when rapidly cutting through action scenes.
A hard cut is when both the sound and image are switch simultaneously to the next shot. But a split edit allows for the sound or image to switch before the other. These are known as either the J cut or the L cut - based on the way they look in a film editing timeline. These techniques are useful in dialogue scenes to help pace out the conversation and allow for reaction shots.
Intellectual montage is a fascinating bit of editing theory that suggests that when presented with two images back-to-back, the viewer will search for a connection between them. When deployed strategically, filmmakers can create meaning through juxtaposition that wouldn’t otherwise be there.
And, finally, much of movie editing is built around the cut on action - when a cut is made within a character or object’s movement in the frame. Rather than creating a chaotic onslaught of fragmented punches and kicks, the cut on action creates a more seamless flow.
These are the essential film editing and video editing techniques that editors use all the time. And as soon as you master these video editing tips and tricks, you’ll be able to speak that language fluently.
#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking
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