Editing Motif Terminology

[Mark Suszko]

That’s exactly what it is and all it is; jump-cutting. Why do you thik it needs another descriptor?

[Michael Kammes]

I always believed that a Jump Cut not only involved time, but also camera angle. Thus, a continuous take – with only a section of time omitted – wouldn’t adhere to this.

It was suggested by a friend – “Temporal Jump Cut”.

A Google search for “Temporal Jump Cut” comes up with the almighty Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_cut

Quoteth:

“Continuity editing uses a guideline called “the 30 degree rule” to avoid jump cuts. The 30 degree rule advises that for consecutive shots to appear “seamless,” the camera position must vary at least 30 degrees from its previous position. Some schools would call for a change in framing as well (e.g., from a medium shot to a close up). Generally, if the camera position changes less than 30 degrees, the difference between the two shots will not be substantial enough, and the viewer will experience the edit as a jump in the position of the subject that is jarring, and draws attention to itself. Although jump cuts can be created through the editing together of two shots filmed non-continuously (Spatial Jump Cuts), they can also be created by removing a middle section of one continuously-filmed shot (Temporal Jump Cuts).”

.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com

[Mark Suszko]

Well if it cuts to a new space, that’s not necessarily a “jump cut” in my book, but that is often called a “smash-cut” by some of the West-coasters, I think. Jump cuts I define as when the background is the same but the main subject remains in the new shot at pretty much the same proportion of screen coverage, only displaced in x-y space. If you change the shot from a close to a medium or wide, or any variation of that, it no longer is a jump cut, just a cut. If the background changes, then it is a smash cut, IMO.

[Gary Hazen]

Semanitcs aside. Jump cutting can come across as sloppy or brilliant depending on the skill set of the editor.

[Michael Kammes]

So we’re all on the same page… here is an example, using the cable broadcast show Viral Video Film School (CurrentTV):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56rZSBP6bLI

For instance: Skip to :30, then a few at about :45.

~Michael

.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com

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[Jeremy Garchow]

[Michael Kammes] ” has anyone come up with a ‘term’ to describe this?”

The cut of the times.

[Bill Davis]

“Ahhh, I see you’ve used the new Editus Mediocritus style here.”

(The pesudo-Latin will surely make them think it’s a compliment!)

[Mark Suszko]

It *used* to be used creatively by people with experience.

Most often now, it is a style evolving from very casual flip cam users who edit “in camera” by stopping and starting, and they don’t edit the footage beyond that in-camera editing, either becuase they don’t know how, they can’t afford the gear, or they just don’t care. This last one, “just don’t care”, is probably the biggest reason; though pros cringe at this, the great unwashed mass of casual consumer users are generally ambivalent to the jump-cutting and just accept it. Some of that I attribute to the short attention span of the gamer generation. If you compare the editing of anything today to a similar subject from ten and twenty years or more ago, the older footage and it’s editing will seem glacially paced by today’s standards.

One of the first techniques a pro will employ to make pro footage look casual, candid, and consumer-y is to use a lot of jump-cuts as a deliberate, forced aesthetic. In this sense, it is a sister technique of the once-hip but now so over-used and mis-applied “shaky-cam”.

[Michael Kammes]

Thanks for the discussion, all.

I think it’s now a symptom of the tail wagging the dog: this “technique” {snort} has become extremely prevalent within the youtube / vimeo culture, and has become a somewhat acceptable form for editorial. My example above is a cable television show on a network – not some homebrew edit. The ‘look’ goes hand in hand with the content of the show.

I think a great example of this (for those with short attention spans) are movie trailers. The leaps taken from 1970-80, 80-90, etc. – in not just the picture & timing, but audio too, are staggering.

I appreciate the input, and if anyone has any terms they’ve heard – I’d love to hear it.

~Michael

.: michael kammes mpse
.: senior applications editor . post workflow consultant
.: audio specialist . act fcp . acsr
.: michaelkammes.com

[Alan Lloyd]

[Michael Kammes] “Aside from “sloppy editing” (yes I’m stealing thunder from whoever was going to make that comment) has anyone come up with a ‘term’ to describe this? Jump Cut – to me – doesn’t seem to adequately explain this particular (*cough*) motif.”

Annoying works for me.

It was OK – to a point – when Godard used it in the original Breathless, but it shows an utter lack of respect for a viewer to me when I see it now.