Did you know that there are several types of ways that you can cut video content and transition between clips? In fact there are numerous options that you can use, and each of them could affect your video in different ways.
Before you start to trim or join videos it helps to know some of the simple types of ways that you can cut video content:
Action cuts
Also sometimes known as a cut on action, this type of cut is used because it is one of the smoothest and least jarring types of cuts out there. However to use it you need both your clips to show the same movement continuing across them.
By cutting from a clip with a particular movement in it and to a clip that shows that movement continue, viewers will be kept focused on it. That will make the cut less obvious to them and help to conceal it.
L and J cuts
The L and J cuts are useful to help cut video content along with the audio as well. It will let the audio be transitioned independently of the video, so that its flow isn’t interrupted.
The L cut requires you transition the video to the next clip but play the audio from the original clip for a few seconds before transitioning it. Similarly the J cut requires that you transition the audio to the next clip but continue playing the original video clip for a few seconds before transitioning it.
As you can imagine this type of cut is incredibly useful for conversations or any other video content where you want to ensure the audio isn’t cut off too abruptly.
Jump cuts
One of the more popular types of cuts nowadays are jump cuts. Essentially they involve cutting to and from the same clip, but at a later point in it. However because of that, jump cuts can be very jarring.
The reason jump cuts are popular nowadays is many people record videos using a single camera, making jump cuts the only option. Still you can make them less jarring by reframing one of the clips, or adding a cutaway from a different clip. Alternatively you could use them for a specific reason, such as to illustrate repetition or the time passing.
Knowing these types of cuts are useful, but in order to actually use them you need to first know how to cut out parts of your video and based on how you want to join them together. That can be done in most editors, or you could use a video trimmer such as the cut video web app, for example.
Make no mistake it will take time and practice for you to really nail the timing required to cut videos effectively. That being said the only way for you to get the experience that you need to master these cuts is to actually use them – which is what you should start to do right now.