Transitions used in your video editing workflow shouldn’t necessarily be limited to wipes, fades or just simple cuts. In fact, they don’t even have to be done solely in post-production. Some of the most appealing techniques in that regard combine clever editing and precise camera movements, thus creating a more dynamic-feeling cut.
In the video below, Jordy Vandeput of Cinecom.net shows off five easy to pull off yet intriguing in-camera transitions you can use to add more style and flavor to your video projects: from promotional videos to full-length feature films.
The first transition is known as the foreground swipe, wherein you take the camera and move behind a close foreground object and then cut to a shot that goes from the foreground object to your subject. There are many ways you can use this technique, whether you’re transitioning from one location to the next or even showing the passage of time through the swipe behind the foreground object.
To put your shots together, you just have to cut when the camera goes behind the foreground object, and then cut to the shot as the camera moves away. If you want, you can even add a quick cross-dissolve to smoothen out the transition.
Next on the list is the turning effect, which is very similar to the first transition, except this time you’re orbiting your foreground. Basically, you need to start by shooting your subject and then turn the camera around a foreground object.
Afterward, cut to your next shot starting from turning around your foreground object, then back to the subject. You might use this effect when showcasing a product in different scenarios (i.e., a watch in different environments). Again, you can smoothen this out by using a simple fade or cross dissolve.
Alternatively, you could apply the effect to transition between two objects in different clips that use entirely different angles. Say, for example, you have some footage from a basketball game taken at different angles. If you want to transition from one player to the other, you could have your clip start out with player A dribbling. As the ball hits the ground and is about to bounce back up, cut to the next shot with player B. Again, this transition makes the movement blend with the cut.
Another transition you could use in your productions is by following the motion of your talents between two shots. Let’s assume, for instance, you have a video of someone tossing pizza in the air and another of someone dropping a shirt on a stack of clothes.
To make the cut seem more dynamic and sudden, cut your first shot to when the pizza is in the air and it’s about to fall. Right after that, place the footage of the shirt at the very moment when it falls on the stack of clothes. This will make the transition seamless between the two shots, allowing for a better flow in your editing.
The last transition technique showcased in the video is widely known as speed ramping. It can be achieved using the Time Remapping tool in Premiere or just by cutting portions of your clip and speeding them up in whatever editing software you have. A common practice is to speed up a clip towards the end of the cut and then reduce the velocity back to normal after the cut has been made.
As you can see, these transitions are effortless to pull off and require little to no level of expertise to be done. It’s important to remember that a combination of good editing and proper camera handling is key to spicing up your work and making transitions between clips as seamless as possible.
[source: Cinecom.net]
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