EDITING

cross cutting

Cutting back and forth quickly between two or more lines of action, indicating they are happening simultaneously.

iris

Visible on screen as a circle closing down over or opening up on a shot. Seldom used in contemporary film, but common during the silent era of Hollywood films.

Cross-fade

A method of smoothly moving from one video clip or photo to another. With a cross-fade transition, the frames in the playing clip fade out as the frames in the new clip fade in.

Dissolve

A video transition where one shot gradually fades out while a second shot fades in

wipe

Visible on screen as a bar travelling across the frame pushing one shot off and pulling the next shot into place. Rarely used in contemporary film, but common in films from the 1930s and 1940s.

straight cut

an abrupt transition between two shots

jump cut

sequence of very fast cuts

Dissolve cut

One shot comes through another

Fade in/out

From or to a black screen/shot