Cutting to action

Cutting to action 

Cutting to action is the most basic facet of editing and therefore the most frequently used. Cutting to action involves cutting between camera angles of the same sequence while the character is still in motion and while it might be assumed that this action must be something drastic like a punch or a kick, it only depends on whether the action merits the cut. Therefore, even seemingly menial actions such as a character turning around or leaving a scene.  

While cutting to action might always seem the best way to keep pace in a scene and keep the action flowing, this is not always the case. It is true that the majority of the time this is the easiest way to cut between action it can be overused and spoil the action of a scene. This is all too common in big blockbusters such as in the Marvel franchise where directors choose to cut far too often and leaving the audience confused. Examples of this can be seen in any fight scene in these films as editors leave no time for action to take place and, as a result, we see the build-up to an action at which point the camera cuts and we then see the reaction.  

This style of editing undoubtedly an effective tool for the editor to use, however it can be detrimental to a scene as it is so sped up that the audience don’t have time to process what’s going on and end up missing the action of a scene. It can therefore be said that cutting to action is an effective tool in the repertoire of any editor but should definitely be used in moderation