The Cut Away shot

The Cut away shot 

A cut away shot, like cutting to action, is a basic technique that is littered throughout cinema. This is not only because of its easiness to execute but also its effectiveness in giving the audience new information and developing their understanding of a scene. In essence, the cut away takes the audience away from the protagonist or action to cut to an insert of something and then back to the action.  

While a relatively simple concept, the cut away can be used to different effect depending on what type of cut away is used. The first type of cut away is to reveal or emphasise something in the scene that is in the same space as the characters. This can be seen being used powerfully in the work of Edgar Wright for example in Hot Fuzz a cut away shot of Sergeant Angel’s low reception on his phone to signify his journey away from London. This cut away is can be seen as a technique of exposition and gives the audience new knowledge of the scene without having a character explicitly mention it. 

The second way that cut away shots can be used is to reveal an idea or piece of information that is outside the scene and is instead something in the mind of a character. This second technique of cut away shot can be useful in showing the motivation of a character, giving an insight into why they are acting in the way they are as they complete an action. Alternatively, jumping into a characters’ mind can show us flashbacks which help expose ideas and develop an understanding of a scene.