Best Practices for Transitions

Whether you are new to the art of editing or a seasoned professional, one thing about it that at times can be oversaturated are transitions. Transitions come in all sizes in shapes. From a simple cut to more stylized transitions, we have been exposed to them in one form or another. The core of editing any video or film should be the story. Transitions and effects are meant to enhance the story, not define it. However, if a transition is used in the right context ant the right time then you can make it work with your project. I’m going to go over some simple practices for commonly used transitions.

The Cut

The most used and effective transition there is. The cut works best in situations such as cutaways, scene/location changes and dialogue. For example, if you are cutting an interview segment and you hear a soundbite about a place or thing, it would be best to cut to a shot of said place or thing to keep the viewer interested and informed. The best part about the cut is that it can trim scenes down or manipulate the interpretation of a scene.

Also, the cut can be utilized in stylized way. It is one of the preferred transitions in montages and rap videos when you want to cut to the beat or flicker between multiple images.

The Cross Dissolve

The second most used transition in editing. The cross dissolve works best when you need a change in place and/or time. For example, if I were showing someone losing weight after beginning a diet and exercise routine, I would want to cut that down to show the weight loss progression. The best way to show those points would be to show them at their worst weight to their healthy weight by using cross dissolves between each significant moment. The cross dissolves would help to give the feeling of time passing. read more...