Continuity and Editing

Match on Action

'Match on Action' is a technique used in editing which makes the footage come together and seem natural when a shot cuts to another shot which shows the action of the first one. The video below shows some of our footage which can be used one of my examples of a Match on Action technique.




Shot Reverse Shot

The 'Shot Reverse Shot' is used to show what a character is looking at (usually a person or an object). It gives the viewer almost a 'Point Of View' feel when watching, as if they where looking at the subject. The 180° is often tied in with this technique as a shot reverse shot can easily become confusing when the rule is broken. The video below shows the shot reverse shot used in our preliminary task where the two characters talk with each other.





The 180° Rule

The 180° Rule is another 'rule of film' which is used to enforce the continuity of the video. The line of the 180° Rule is drawn perpendicular to the camera from the very first establishing shot. If the camera crosses the line (travels over 180 degrees) to reveal the other side (making the shot seem flipped horizontally) it can disorientate the viewer, creating a confusing state of position and has no continuity to the footage.