Editing

editing that provides a continuous and clear movement of events/images in a film as if they had occurred continuously when, if fact, they were shot out of sequence; also refers to the degree to which a film is self-consistent without errors

continuity

the thin strip of transparent plastic coating that forms the film’s highly-flammable, light-sensitive base layer; also used as an adjective related to some aspect of cinema or as a slang word for a movie

celluloid

a splicing together of two sections of film; the most abrupt transition between shots

cut

an uninterrupted section of film produced by a single running of the camera

shot

shot = close up: Ben speaking with woman scene = close up: Mr. McGuire intercepts Ben on the stairs/tracking long to medium shot: Ben and Mr. McGuire outside by the pool sequence = Ben’s graduation party

a series of shots that together comprise the smallest narrative unit of film

scene

a series of several scenes that together create a major emotional narrative in a film

sequence

a series of shots edited together to music, developing the theme or emotional mood in a film and to quickly span time, preserving the pace of a film

montage sequence

jump cut graphic match

a shot of short duration

short take

a shot of long duration, not to be confused with a “long shot”

long take

the opening shot of a sequence which creates the context of setting or location

establishing shot

a close-up or medium shot that focuses on a particular character’s reaction to the events in a film

reaction shot

a close-up image inserted into a scene, usually to give the audience a closer look at what the character on screen is seeing, such as a letter or photo

insert shot

an abrupt, disorienting transitional device in the middle of a continuous shot in which the action is noticeably advanced in time, either a result of bad editing or done purposefully for artistic effect

jump cut

the editing technique of alternating, interweaving, or interspersing one narrative scene or sequence with another, usually in different locations to suggest parallel action

cross cutting

a transitional technique in which two shots are linked by visual, aural, or metaphoric similarities

graphic match or match cut

scenes at the beginning and end of a film that complement each other and help ties a film together

bookends

a shot transition in which the second image gradually appears on top of the first until the two are blended and the first image gradually disappears

dissolve or mix

a dark screeen that gradually brightens as a shot appears

fade-in (fade-out)

a round, constricting lens attachment that closes in the shape of a circle to end or begin a scene

iris

irismontag

a shot transition in which a second shot slides its way into the frame while simultaneously horizontally, vertically, or diagonally pushing out the first

wipe