Transitions

Transitions are the edits that link one shot to another. Editors apply them in post-production, after the footage has been captured. A transition is a technical code, so the one chosen shapes how the audience reads the move from one shot to the next.

Types of transition

Transition	What happens
Cut	Changes straight from one shot to the next.
Fade in / fade to black	Fades up from black at the start, or fades down to black at the end.
Cross-fade (dissolve)	Fades between two shots, so both are briefly visible.
Wipe	Reveals another shot by wiping across the screen.
Jump cut	Removes frames from a shot, so it jumps forward.
J cut	Sound from the following scene begins before its picture appears, easing the audience into what comes next.
L cut	The picture moves on to the following scene, but sound from the earlier scene continues for a moment.

Choosing a transition

The choice of transition affects pace and mood. Quick cuts add pace and energy, while slower fades create a calmer, less urgent feel. A jump cut can make a scene feel sudden or disjointed, and a cross-fade can make a change feel smooth. The choice should also suit the audience, purpose and context: a bold wipe can lift a lively entertainment show but would jar in a serious news report.

For example, a short film about a school recycling campaign could wipe from a bin overflowing with rubbish to the same bin standing empty, so the before-and-after comparison is instant. A jump cut could take the caretaker from one end of the corridor to the other in a single jerk, making the clean-up look brisk. Near the end, a J cut lets the caretaker's voice begin over the last shot of the empty corridor, so the message lands before you see who is speaking. Naming a transition is only half the job: say what it does and what effect it creates.

Transitions are not camera movements. A camera movement happens as the shot is filmed, while a transition is an edit used to connect two shots afterwards.

Types of transition

Choosing a transition

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