Terms for transitions between shots/frames in video:

Terms for transitions between shots/frames in video:

Common Video Transition Terms

Cut (Hard Cut): Instant switch from one frame to the next.

Jump Cut: Abrupt, jarring cut that shows a jump in time within the same scene.

Dissolve (Cross Dissolve): Gradual transition blending one shot into the next, often indicating time passage.

Fade (In/Out): A transition to or from a solid color, usually black or white.

Wipe: A new shot replaces the previous one by moving across the frame in a specific pattern.

Match Cut: A cut that links two scenes together by matching action, composition, or subject.

J-Cut: The audio from the next scene starts before the video changes.

L-Cut: The video changes to the next scene, but the audio from the previous scene continues.

Whip Pan: A fast camera movement that pans so quickly it creates a blurred transition.

Zoom/Push: A quick zooming movement that transitions between scenes.

Iris: A circular, old-fashioned, or stylized, "spotlight" transition.

Morph: A special effect transition that smoothly distorts one image into another.

Slide/Push: One frame pushes the previous one off-screen.

Blur/Zoom Transition: A transition using motion blur or rapid zooming to connect shots.

Creative/Advanced Transition Terms

Invisible Cut: A technique hiding the cut within a dark scene or behind an object panning across the frame.

Smash Cut: An abrupt, jarring transition from intense action to quiet, or vice versa.

Film Burn: A simulated, bright flash of light used to transition scenes.

Page Peel/Roll: A transition mimicking a page turning.

Masking/Shape Wipe: Using specific shapes to transition scenes (e.g., heart, clock, matrix).

Speed Ramp: Altering the speed of the footage (fast to slow) to create a transition.

Split Screen: Transitioning by having multiple scenes on screen at once.

Parallax Effect: Creating a sense of depth during a transition.