Jump cuts

Jump cuts    

Normally when we record in order to prepare for a cutting point which is between two consecutive shots – for example – cutting from a wide shot in a scene onto a closer coverage – you vary from both the size and the angle of the shot.

Some filmmakers will consciously choose not to vary the size and angle of the shot which will result in the cut having a jarring effect, this shows it literally jumping in what often feels like an awkward way from one shot to the next.

In the industry and universal terms, this is what we call a Jump-cut.

Filmmakers use jump cuts for several reasons:

Rebellion:

French New Wave filmmakers used jump-cuts in the 50’s to break from the traditional dominance of continuity editing.

Pace:

Jump-cuts can be used to ass a sense of speed to the sequence of events.

Psychological:

Jump-cuts can be used to suggest the non-linear way that te human mind works.

An example of a jump-cut in a film is  A bout de soufflé (breathless) – car scene. This clip conveys the types and ways jump cuts were used back in the day.