Editing

 

Action Match: a shot that cuts to another, continuing a piece of action or movement between the shots. Allows the audience to see smooth action despite a cut in the shot. For example, we might see someone shoot a gun and the editor would perform an action match so we then see the bullet hit someone else and they fit together seamlessly so we can see both perspectives.

Continuity Editing: 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.  Continuity editing creates a narrative that approximates to the real experience of moving through time, even though screentime usually covers a much longer period. Audiences feel comfortable with a linear progression that reflects their everyday experience. 

Parallel Editing: when an editor cuts between two separate scenes happening at two separate locations at the same time. This serves to illustrate a contrast or link between them. For example, in the Godfather, where the editor cuts back and forth between christening of a child in a Catholic church and the violent killing of several men. The cross-cutting in this sequence emphasises the violence as we see it juxtaposed against child like innocence and religion. 

Cutaway: a brief shot that is not totally necessary but is to 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. 

Dissolve: is when the first shot on screen and the 2nd shot start appearing on top of it more and more until all you can see is the 2nd shot. 

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

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

Linear Narrative: a sequential narrative with a beginning, a middle and an end in that order. Linear narratives provide a straightforward, sequential representation of events leading to a single resolution. 

Montage: is a series of shots edited together to show time passing and something happening in that time.