Transitions

Transitions in filmmaking

what are transitions?

In film editing, transition refers to how one shot ends and the next begins, and the filmic device (a cinematic devices used to communicate and convey meaning) that bridges one to the other. a range of different types of transitions have been employed since the early years of cinema and filmmaking. Some are outdated, used mainly to refer to those first years, but others are still greatly used today and each type of effect invokes a different emotion and a different way to be . Understanding those emotions is essential when it comes to master editing.

Cut

The most basic and common type of transition is the cut. A cut happens when one shot instantly replaces the other. Cuts are so widely used that feature movies normally count thousands of them.

Cuts are essential for the effects of juxtaposition, especially as demonstrated by the Kuleshov Experiment. Although most cuts exist simply for a technical need, the abrupt replacement of one shot by the other often demands a certain interpretation from the viewer.

Consider the following example from the very beginning of Three Days of Condor (1975). Note that this early in the movie the main character, Joseph Turner (Robert Redford), has not been introduced yet.

• The Dissolve. The dissolve is an editing technique where one clip seems to dissolve, or fade into the next. ...
• The Wipe. This transition is the opposite of the dissolve in that it draws attention to itself. ...
• The Cutaway. ...
• The L Cut. ...
• The Fade.

In film editing, transition refers to how one shot ends and the next begins, and the filmic device that bridges one to the other. Many different types of transitions have been employed since the early years of cinema. Some are outdated, used mainly to refer to those first years, but others are still greatly used today. Each type invokes a different emotion. Understanding those emotions is essential to master editing.

Here is an example of some transitions in filmmaking -