Jump Cut Editing: Quickly Grasp the Essence & Master its Techniques
Jump cut, as an editing technique, has become widely used in the field of film and art creation.
Initially, jump cuts were considered editing mistakes as they broke the traditional rule of "continuity" editing. It was not until the French New Wave film movement that jump cut was recognized as an editing technique and widely applied in various works.
So, what exactly is a jump cut and how can it be used effectively? In this article, we will share some application techniques of jump cuts in editing. Let's get started!
In this article, you will learn:
What Is a Jump Cut?
A jump cut is an editing technique that breaks the conventional rules of temporal and spatial continuity followed during shot transitions. It involves abrupt and significant jumps between shots to emphasize specific elements, omitting the passage of time and space to achieve a certain effect.
This expressive technique was first used by French New Wave director Jean-Luc Godard in his film "Breathless." When "Breathless" was released, it shocked the film industry because this editing technique, considered an error in smooth editing, gave the film a fresh new look.
In the following clip from "Breathless," the technique of jump cut is used to eliminate tedious and lengthy driving sequences. This speeds up the pace, accelerates the development of the plot, and also portrays the protagonist's feelings of boredom and frustration.
As jump cuts disrupt the traditional rules of shot continuity and omit certain actions, it gives the audience a sense of visual dislocation. Therefore, editors usually employ jump cuts with a specific purpose in mind.
A famous example of jump cut editing in film history is seen in "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," where jump cuts were used to showcase the dialogue between Gollum's dual personalities.
In the YouTube video below, you can see how the editor utilized continuous jump cuts to depict the split psychological state of Gollum and Sméagol.
It's important to note that jump cut should not be confused with match cut. Match cuts, often used as transitions, also have a sense of visual discontinuity, leading to the misconception that they are jump cuts.
However, they are different. Match cuts involve shots that are either cut on the same action point or have a similar composition.
For example, in the video below, taken from the classic film "Grease," the transitions are match cuts rather than jump cuts. Pay close attention to the differences between these two techniques.
How to Use Jump Cuts?
Some filmmakers perceive jump cuts as inherently bad because they draw attention to the construction and editing nature of the film, overshadowing the story itself.
However, it cannot be denied that jump cuts are still frequently seen in movies, and this technique appears to be rapidly gaining popularity on the internet. It is particularly embraced by video bloggers. Jump cuts in videos have become so prevalent that it's hard not to notice them.
When it comes to editing shots, the ultimate goal should be to convey the most important content. Therefore, understanding how to use jump cuts is a crucial skill that can help you create the best video content.
Here we share two fundamental principles for using jump cuts in video editing.
- Narrative Omission through Action Cutting: The essence of jump cuts in storytelling lies in compressing time and space. By eliminating unnecessary elements, the action or events can be swiftly propelled, accelerating the narrative.
- Adjusting Footage Rhythm: Within a sequence of shots, using jump cuts to present repeated and stacked content enhances the rhythm of the editing, giving the paragraph a smooth cadence. Through jump cuts, one can create climaxes, evoke emotions, and reveal the characters' psychology.
Jump cuts differ from regular editing. In conventional logical thinking, we typically choose to retain complete character actions, and the actions between two shots should be continuous to avoid a jarring effect on the audience.
In jump cut editing, we remove lengthy parts at the beginning or end of actions and keep only the most crucial parts of the action. The actions of the characters in the previous and following shots are not continuous.
For example, in the following clip from the movie "Dallas Buyers Club," jump cuts are used:
You'll notice that the editing points in this clip are within the action itself. Each jump cut shot is not very long and only includes the most prominent part of the action, omitting the starting, ending, and in-between processes of the action.
This style of jump cut editing is now widely used in various films. It can create rhythm in advertisements, save time in movies and TV shows, and the grouped jump cuts bring a certain sense of pace to lengthy narratives.
So, what are some techniques you should follow in jump cut editing?
- When editing, control the jump cut shots to be around 8-12 frames and appear in groups.
- You can choose three or four consecutive actions of characters for jump cut editing.
- Always select and retain the most prominent parts of character actions.
Note: Editors should determine whether to use jump cuts based on the intended message of the film. When editing, it is important to ensure smooth transitions between shots to create a sense of rhythm that effectively conveys the desired meaning to the audience.
Final Thoughts About Jump Cut
In addition to jump cuts, there are many other classic editing techniques. You can grasp the theory behind these techniques in a day, but to truly master their application, it requires extensive exposure to works and practice.
Theory only demonstrates its value when applied to actual footage. It is through watching clips and engaging in practical editing that one can better understand and utilize the theory.
If you find yourself understanding the theory and easily identifying the editing techniques used in classic clips, but still struggle to come up with an editing approach when faced with a pile of raw footage, it may be time to exercise your editing logic.
Start by determining the desired effect you want to achieve. This way, editing becomes more efficient and effective.
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And that concludes our article on what is a jump cut and how to use it. We hope it has been insightful and inspiring for you.
