What Is a Jump Cut and When to Use the Jump Cut Editing

Jump Cut

Definition of Jump Cut

What is a jump cut? The jump cut is a sudden transition, usually in a continuous clip, that makes the object appear to jump from one point to another without continuity. You can refer to the following picture.

When the same subject’s two consecutive shots in the same scene are cut off from camera positions that only change slightly, a jump cut can happen. The jump cut also appears when cutting between two shots taken from the same camera angle (for example, during an interview).

The jump cut can be annoying. It focuses on the process of filmmaking and editing, which can distract viewers from the story, so they have traditionally been regarded as something to cover up. However, this is also because jump cut attracts attention, otherwise, it can be used strategically and creatively.

Continuity editing uses a criterion called the “30-degree rule” to avoid jump cuts. The 30-degree rule suggests that for continuous shooting to look seamless, the camera position must be at least 30 degrees different from the previous position. Some schools would call for a change in framing as well (e.g., from a medium shot to a close-up).

If the camera position changes by less than 30 degrees, the difference between the two shots will not be large enough, and the viewer will feel the change in the position of the subject that was edited to jump.

Also see: Top 7 Video Editing Software – Improve Video Quality Easily

History of Jump Cut

Just now, you have known the definition of a jump cut. Now, I will introduce the history of jump cut editing. Georges Méliès is known as the father of the jump cut because it was discovered by accident and then used to simulate magic. However, he tried to make the cuts seamless to complement his fantasy.

Dziga Vertov’s avant-garde Russian film Man With a Movie Camera (1929) consists almost entirely of jumping clips. The contemporary use of the jump cut originates from its emergence in the work of Jean-Luc Godard (suggested by Jean-Pierre Melville) and the work of the French New Wave of the late 1950s to the 1960s.

For example, in Godard’s ground-breaking Breathless (1960), he will make Jean Seberg ride in a convertible (see picture), emphasizing discontinuities between shots And deliberately consider its tremor effect. In the clip above the scene, the perspective suddenly changes-highlighting the gap in action.

More recently, the jump cut is like snatches used in the movie, run by Guy Richie and Rolla, and by Tom Tuckaway. For example, it is often used in television editing, such as in documentaries produced by Discovery and National Geographic (NatGeo). It’s notable in Universal Monsters movies and music videos.

Also see: Solved – How to Make a Music Video by Yourself

When to Use the Jump Cut

Here is some information on when to use the jump cut editing. With the popularity of social media and short videos, brands and creators are relying on small-scale production. In this case, you don’t always have physical space for multiple camera settings and you can use the jump cut to make the videos.

It provides an editing solution that eliminates the need to shoot multiple camera angles and does not require a B-Roll to cover all clips. The vlog is one of the popular formats that can benefit from the jump cut. To create a natural conversational atmosphere, vloggers use loose or non-existent scripts for long shots.

The resulting clip may contain a lot of “us”, pauses as well as other errors. Jump cuts are the ideal solution to clean up these problems. Practicality may be why skip editing is becoming more popular, but skip editing can also be used to add visual effects to videos.

Final Words

This post has shown you that what the jump cut is and when to use the jump cut editing. Besides, you can also know the history of the jump cut. If you are interested in it, you can refer to this post that will provide some useful information for you.