Overusing jump cuts

A jump cut is where two shots of the same focal length, in the same setting and at the same time, have a section chopped out of the middle in order to shorten the clip. This causes a jump in time – hence the term jump cut.

Jump cuts push a timeline forward quickly, so it’s tempting to use all the time when you first start video editing. However, it can be easy to overdo them, making a video appear poorly put together in the process.

Avoid using jump cuts from the same shot, as these will make subjects appear as if they’re moving around when they aren’t and won’t properly show that time has moved on. Try using a camera from a different angle to get a different perspective.

If you need to cut around dialogue, use cutaways to mask your edits – relevant cutaways are your friend.

Alternatively, use different cut styles, such as the L cut, where audio continues from one scene while using a different shot, or a J cut, where audio starts from one particular scene before it appears on screen.

Remember – your job is to tell a story so control the narrative and use jump cuts wisely.