While not always necessary for story-telling, freeze frames are a timeless tool in film and television. Whether for stylistic purposes or to draw attention to particular aspects of your film, it’s important to whittle down the motivation for your freeze frame. Read on to dissect successful freeze frame movie examples and ways you can implement… Continue reading What is a Freeze Frame — The Best Examples & Why They Work
Are you wondering how to add motion blur to your photos or videos? If so, you’ve come to the right place. If you didn’t get the motion blur you were looking for at the time of recording, or if you snapped some crystal clear photographs and have decided they would look a little better with… Continue reading How to Add Motion Blur — Premiere, Photoshop & After Effects
From time to time, a little bit of masking might prove necessary throughout our various editing pursuits. Learning how to mask in Adobe Premiere Pro doesn’t need to be a hassle. In this post, we will walk you through the four steps needed to create and use a mask in Premiere Pro. But, before you… Continue reading How to Mask in Premiere Pro — An Essential Compositing Guide
If you want to edit faster, there is one piece of sage advice that you will hear time and time again: learn the hotkeys! While it is possible to edit most projects using only the simplest tools available in Premiere Pro or by navigating through a series of menus and right-clicks, having a thorough knowledge… Continue reading Adobe Premiere Pro Keyboard Shortcuts — The Ultimate Guide
A match on action cut, also referred to as cut on action, is one of the most important editing principles in all of filmmaking. But what is a match on action cut? We’re going to explain matching on action with film examples and more – but first, let’s quickly define the term.Continue reading What is a… Continue reading What is a Match on Action Cut — Definition & Creative Examples
Do you have a shaky video on your hands that you need to make smoother? The solution might be to stabilize your footage in Adobe Premiere Pro. This post will walk you through three simple steps to stabilize your footage in Premiere, plus offer a few tips and tricks to best set yourself up for… Continue reading How to Stabilize Footage in Premiere Pro — Step-by-Step
What is a dissolve in film? Dissolves are some of the most commonly used editing transitions in all of film. We’ve seen them used to expert effect in films like Citizen Kane, Saving Private Ryan, and more. We’re going to explain the dissolve definition in a simple and concise way. Then we’ll show you how… Continue reading What is a Dissolve in Film — Editing Transitions Explained
Much has been made about Wes Anderson’s use of symmetry in shot composition – but did you know symmetry extends to his editing style as well? Wes Anderson utilizes symmetry in every facet of his filmmaking process, from pattern events to blocking and staging. We’re going to show you the art behind Wes Anderson’s symmetrical… Continue reading Wes Anderson Symmetry & Symmetrical Editing Explained
The lap dissolve is one of the oldest editing transitions in cinema. Originally, the lap dissolve was achieved by overlapping the exposure of a single frame of film from shot to shot similarly to a double exposure in photography. Why exactly did filmmakers want to create this effect? How do they use the lap dissolve differently… Continue reading What is a Lap Dissolve — Film & Video Editing Techniques
Editing is one of the most fundamental processes of filmmaking. Many call it the last rewrite of a film in which the film truly comes together. So how do you create a movie without normal post-production editing? Through in-camera editing of course. In-camera editing may seem like a disadvantageous technique. However, the popularity of the… Continue reading What is In Camera Editing — Techniques for Photo and Video
Scene transitions, sudden sounds, quick cuts, off-screen voices, and narrative flow are just among the many terms associated with the “invisible art” known as film editing. Originally seen as a technical tool in the movie making process, film editing quickly evolved to become one of the most important creative aspects of filmmaking. But as its… Continue reading What is Film Editing — Editing Principles & Techniques Explained
There are a few fundamental editing techniques that every editor should know. One of the major ones is the J-cut. Just about every movie you watch has some sort of J-cut within its edit. J-cuts help move the film along in an engaging way, but can also be an incredibly effective storytelling device when used… Continue reading What is a J-Cut in Film — Editing Techniques Explained
Video transitions are used in just about every film and video – and they play an enormous role in the subliminal or liminal effects of moving from shot to shot. As such, knowing when and how to use specific types of editing transitions in film – like wipes, fades and pans – can make your… Continue reading Types of Editing Transitions in Film — The Ultimate Guide
Great performances, direction, cinematography, and even production design are all essential for creating an engaging dialogue scene. But one of the most important aspects of a great dialogue scene is effective editing. Editing can make or break a dialogue scene even if all of the other filmmaking elements fall into place. So how do you edit… Continue reading How to Edit a Dialogue Scene — Tips and Techniques for Editors
Are you wondering how to ramp speed in Premiere? We’ll be walking you through four simple steps to create your very own speed ramps in Adobe Premiere Pro. We’ll even provide a couple of tips to set yourself up for success in advance of bringing your footage into the editing room. Let’s get started with… Continue reading How to Speed Ramp in Premiere — A Guide for Video Editors
Are you having trouble transitioning from one scene to the next? Maybe you feel like there’s something missing in the cut. Or maybe the cut is just far too abrupt and distracting. Sound bridges are an incredible editing technique that can be found in nearly every film you’ve seen. What is a sound bridge in… Continue reading What is a Sound Bridge in Film — Scene Transition Techniques
One of the most important parts of creating an engaging film is being efficient with time. As a storyteller, you must make sure that you are communicating the necessary plot information to your audience without boring them with superfluous details. A bridging shot helps filmmakers accomplish exactly this. When a story jumps from one moment… Continue reading What is a Bridging Shot in Movies — Shot Types Explained
If you ever took any type of film editing class or read a book on film editing, L cuts might have been among the first techniques you learned. This is because it is one of the most effective techniques at creating a natural flow of a film. Nearly every single movie you watch will have… Continue reading What is an L Cut in Film — Editing Transitions Explained
Transitions can be an incredibly effective storytelling device that filmmakers use to visually communicate to the audience. One of the earliest transitions is the wipe transition. What is a wipe transition? First used in 1901 in Robert Paul’s Scrooge, the wipe was used from the top of the frame to the bottom, emulating the visuals… Continue reading What is a Wipe Transition in Film — Editing Transitions Explained
Rhythm in art is often synonymous with music. Tempo, measures, and beat are critical to captivating listeners and building a great song. Rhythm in film editing works in the same way. The audience’s engagement is largely dependent on the pacing of a film. Too slow is boring and too fast makes it hard to connect… Continue reading How Does an Editor Control the Rhythm of a Film?
