Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 512 Journalism: Publishing Across Media Cutaways Cutaways A cutaway allows you to continue the audio from one clip while moving to the video of another clip. For instance, you can break up a long interview with a softball coach by cutting away to game footage that shows the player she is discussing. The audience continues to hear the coach while it watches the player. Cutaways visually break up long interview clips and hide jump cuts. Jump Cuts Jump Cuts When two similar video clips that portray the same subject in the same setting are cut together, the effect can be jarring to the audience. Think of cutting out part of an interview and butting the two remaining clips up against each other. The clips are clearly not continuous and so they draw the audience’s attention to your editing. The audience may wonder what was cut out or how the person was able to shift instantaneously from his right hip to his left. Video journalists avoid abrupt jump cuts by cutting away from the interview to b-roll or, if you have more than one camera, by cutting to another angle. If neither of those options is available, utilize an obvious transition like a cross dissolve, in which one clip fades out while the other fades in. Transitions Transitions Transitions are used between clips to move from one to another. The simplest transition is a cut, in which one clip ends just as another begins. You do not need to do anything to create this transition other than place two video clips next to each other on the editing program’s timeline. Other simple transitions include fade out/in or cross dissolve. Usually the simplest transition is the best choice. Shot-Reverse-Shot Shot-Reverse-Shot Shot-reverse-shot is a method of eyeline matching often used to portray a conversation between two people. The fi rst shot shows the subject facing one direction, the next shot shows a second subject facing the opposite direction, and the following shot returns to the fi rst subject. The viewer assumes the two subjects are facing each other in conversation (Figure 16.21). a b c Figure 16.21 The shot- reverse-shot method can be used to record an interviewer’s question, the subject’s response and then any reaction or follow-up questions the interviewer may have.