Most videos put together by beginners use lots of hard cuts — cuts that abruptly jump from scene to scene without any transitions. While there’s nothing wrong with using these, it’s worth learning about other cutting techniques to have under your belt.
Starting to incorporate “J” and “L” cuts into your videos can significantly up your editing game and help create more purposeful transitions within your stories.
In This Lesson
J-Cuts and L-Cuts
- Why incorporate J and L cuts into your videos?
- Defining J-cuts
- When to use J-cuts
- Defining L-cuts
- When to use L-cuts
- Looking at the cuts from an editing perspective
- Practice identifying J-cuts and L-cuts in action
[Click here to view and use the Google Slide Presentation “J-Cuts and L-Cuts”]
Activity
The Art of the Edit
J and L cuts are de facto standard editing methods. In fact, they are used so often in audio and video stories that you might not even notice them — something that signifies the work of a good editor.
In this activity, students will watch a video of their choice and identify J-cuts and L-cuts when they occur. They will then answer a series of discussion questions to further their understanding of when these cuts are commonly used and the purpose that they serve.
[Click here to view and print the Google Doc handout “The Art of the Edit”]