Cutaway (filmmaking)

In film and video, a cutaway is the interruption of a continuously filmed action by inserting a view of something else.[1] It is usually followed by a cut back to the first shot. A cutaway scene is the interruption of a scene with the insertion of another scene, generally unrelated or only peripherally related to the original scene. The interruption is usually quick, and is usually, although not always, ended by a return to the original scene. The effect is of commentary to the original scene, frequently comic in nature.

## Usage[edit | edit source]

The most common use of cutaway shots in dramatic films is to adjust the pace of the main action, to conceal the deletion of some unwanted part of the main shot, or to allow the joining of parts of two versions of that shot.[2] For example, a scene may be improved by cutting a few frames out of an actor's pause; a brief view of a listener can help conceal the break. Or the actor may fumble some of his lines in a group shot; rather than discarding a good version of the shot, the director may just have the actor repeat the lines for a new shot, and cut to that alternate view when necessary.

Cutaways are also used often in older horror films in place of special effects. For example, a shot of a zombie getting its head cut off may, for instance, start with a view of an axe being swung through the air, followed by a close-up of the actor swinging it, then followed by a cut back to the now severed head. George A. Romero, creator of the Dead Series, and Tom Savini pioneered effects that removed the need for cutaways in horror films.[3][4]

In news broadcasting and documentary work, the cutaway is used much as it would be in fiction. On location, there is usually just one camera to film an interview, and it's usually trained on the interviewee. Often there is also only one microphone. After the interview, the interviewer will usually repeat his questions while he himself is being filmed, with pauses as they act as if to listen to the answers. These shots can be used as cutaways. Cutaways to the interviewer, called noddies, can also be used to cover cuts.[5]

The cutaway does not necessarily contribute any dramatic content of its own, but is used to help the editor assemble a longer sequence.[6] For this reason, editors choose cutaways related to the main action, such as another action or object in the same location.[7] For example, if the main shot is of a man walking down an alley, possible cutaways may include a shot of a cat on a nearby dumpster or a shot of a person watching from a window overhead.

## See also[edit | edit source]

* Buffer shot
* Cross-cutting
* Dissolve (filmmaking)
* Fast cutting
* Flashback
* Jump cut
* L cut
* Match cut
* Shot reverse shot
* Slow cutting
* Cutscene

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ "Glossary". The Art of the Guillotine. Retrieved 31 March 2010.[permanent dead link]
2. ^ "The 'Grammar' of Television and Film". Aberystwyth University. Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
3. ^ "George Romero Surveys the Dead". Parallax view. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
4. ^ "Tom Savini biography". film reference. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
5. ^ "Talk about Newsnight". BBC. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
6. ^ "Cutaway". MediaCollege.com. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
7. ^ "Module 51". Cybercollege.com. Retrieved 31 March 2010.

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Film editing

Concept|

* Choreography
* Synchronization
* Interaction
* Attentional control
* Master shot
* Parallel cut

Technique|

* Clues
* Cutaway
* Eyeline match
* Points of view
* Multiple exposure
* Optical illusion
* Split screen
* Transition

| Insertion|

* Dialogue
* Match cut
* Long shot
* Insert

|

Timelapsing|

* Cut
* Jump cut
* Axial cut
* Wipe
* Dissolve
* Slow motion
* Prelap

Other|

* Fast cutting
* Invisible cut
* Montage
* Supercut

Storytelling|

* Cut on action
* Contrast cut
* Shot reverse shot
* Flashback / Flashforward

Action|

* Smash cut
* Cross cut
* Slow cutting
* Walk and talk

Rule|

* 180-degree rule
* 30-degree rule

Term|

* Reaction shot
* Kuleshov effect
* Establishing shot
* Long take
* Internal rhythm
* External rhythm
* Footage
* B-roll
* Stock footage

Editing|

* Continuity editing
* Soviet montage theory
* Post-classical editing
* In-camera editing
* Video editing
* Linear video editing
* Non-linear editing (NLE)
* Video editing software
* Offline editing
* Online editing
* Vision mixing

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Cinematic techniques

Lighting|

* Background
* Cameo
* Fill
* Flood
* High-key
* Key
* Lens flare
* Low-key
* Mood
* Rembrandt
* Stage
* Soft

Sound|

* Diegetic
* Non-diegetic
* Narration
* Film score
* Sound effects

Shooting|

| Field size|

* Wide / Long / Full
* American
* Medium
* Close-up
* Italian
* Two shot

|

Camera placement|

* Perspective
* Over-the-shoulder
* Point-of-view (POV)
* Reverse
* Trunk
* Single / multiple-camera setup

Camera angle|

* Tilt
* Aerial
* High-angle
* Bird's-eye
* Crane shot
* Jib / boom shot
* Low-angle
* Worm's-eye view
* Dutch angle

Camera movement|

* Unchained camera technique
* Tilting
* Panning
* Whip pan
* Hand-held
* Shaky
* Tracking
* Dolly
* Steadicam
* SnorriCam
* Walk and talk
* Follow
* Dolly zoom

Lens effects|

* Focus
* Racking
* Depth of field
* Shallow
* Deep
* Zooming

Other techniques|

* Establishing shot
* Master shot
* B-roll
* Freeze-frame shot
* Long take
* One-shot
* Insert

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Special effects

Practical|

* Aerial rigging (wire-flying)
* Air bladder effect
* Animatronics
* Bullet hit squib
* Costumed character
* Creature suit
* Dead-character costume
* Kitbashing
* Miniature effect (hanging)
* Prosthetic makeup
* Puppetry
* Pyrotechnics
* Matte painting
* Sugar glass
* Theatrical blood

In-camera|

* Bipacks
* Bullet time
* Dolly zoom
* Forced perspective
* Front projection
* Infrared photography
* Lens flares
* Lighting effects
* Multiple exposure
* Filtration
* Rear projection
* Reverse motion
* Schüfftan process
* Shutter effects
* Slit-scan
* Tilted plane focus
* Time-lapse
* Fast motion
* Slow motion
* Speed ramping

Visual|

* Chroma key
* Compositing (digital)
* Computer-generated imagery
* Go motion
* Introvision
* Match moving
* Optical printing
* Smallgantics
* Split screen
* Stop motion

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