BLOG QUESTION: CUTTING ON ACTION

What is cutting on action? How does it seamlessly blend two shots together? What are two things that you must keep in mind when cutting on action in your films?

Cutting on action is when you cut a shot while an object/person is motion in order to make a smoother transition between shots. It seamlessly blends shots by drawing our attention to the action rather than the actual angle change of the next shot. When cutting on action, you should consider the timing of when you cut to the next shot. You shouldn't wait until the action is nearly over, as the transition won't be as continuous. You should also match on action, which means that you need to make sure that whatever is in motion is at the same place at the end of one cut and the beginning of the next shot.