Transitions
Editing apps have whole menus of transitions: wipes, cubes, spins, page turns. Almost none of them are any use. The transitions used in film can be counted on the fingers of one hand, and each one means something.
The cut is the best transition
The vast majority of shot changes in any film are straight cuts. The cut is invisible; a transition, on the other hand, draws attention to itself and adds meaning. Only use one if you want that meaning.
The classic transitions and what they say
| Transition | What it means | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Fade to black (fade out / fade in) | An ending, a long pause, a significant passage of time | End of a section, close of the video, before a change of subject |
| Fade to white | Memory, dream, death, being dazzled | Flashbacks, moments of impact |
| Cross dissolve | Passage of time or a link between two images | Going from day to night, summarizing a process, accompanying gentle music |
| Wipe | Change of location, light or retro tone | In moderation; it recalls certain sci-fi sagas and old-school TV |
| Iris | Silent-film tone, humor | Parodies and homages |
Putting a cross dissolve between every shot “to make it smooth” is one of the most recognizable beginner mistakes. It slows the video down and suggests time passing where none has. If you need to smooth things out, try a J-cut or an L-cut first.
Rough durations
| Transition | Typical duration (frames at 25 / 30 fps) |
|---|---|
| Fade to black at the end | 1–2 s (25–50 / 30–60 frames) |
| Cross dissolve | 0.5–1.5 s |
| Audio fade to avoid clicks | 2–4 frames |
In-camera transitions
The most spectacular transitions on social media aren't made in the editor but while shooting. The trick is for the end of one shot and the start of the next to share a movement or a moment where the lens is blocked:
- Whip pan: a very fast pan at the end of one shot and at the start of the next, in the same direction. The motion blur hides the cut.
- Block: something passes in front of the lens (a hand, a person, a pillar) and you cut while the image is covered.
- Zoom or push-in: get as close as possible to a dark surface and come out of the next shot from another one.
- Match: the same framing and position in two different places (your front door and the office door).
Shoot both shots with the same speed of movement and in the same direction, with a shutter speed of 1/50 (1/60 at 30 fps) or slower so there's motion blur. Cut on the blurriest frame of each. A few frames of directional blur in the editor help hide the cut.
Sound transitions
Often the best transition is a sound one: a J-cut, a sound that links two scenes, music that starts before the change. And always apply tiny audio fades at every cut to avoid the clicks that appear when the waveform is cut off abruptly.
- Cut by default; only use a transition for its meaning.
- Fade to black to close; cross dissolve for time passing.
- In-camera transitions are planned while shooting.
- Short audio fades at every cut.
Your turn: three transitions without an editor
Shoot three in-camera transitions to get from your home to the street.
- A whip pan.
- A block with your hand.
- A framing match (for example, a door).