How to Use Jump Cuts Without Making Videos Feel Unnatural

Jump cuts are among the most important techniques in today’s video editing process. With their help, one can eliminate unnecessary pauses, errors, repetition of words, and other distracting elements of a particular video segment. Jump cuts are commonly used in YouTube videos, tutorial videos, interviews, talking head videos, vlogs, etc.

But if there are too many jump cuts, a video can look very awkward to the viewer because of all the unexpected changes in the position of the speaker, his face, background, etc. Video editing involves more than just cutting away the unneeded footage. It also involves making these cuts natural.

This guide shows you how to make use of jump cuts, when to apply them, and how to cover them up without making your video overly complex.

What Is a Jump Cut?

A jump cut occurs when two sections from the same shot appear consecutively; there will be a visible jump in either time or positioning.

For instance, consider a case where an individual says:

> "Today I will demonstrate how to edit… no, actually let me say it like this..."

The mistake made will be removed together with the pause to create a much shorter sentence. Joining the two remaining sections will cause a jump in the position of the person. This jump will be what forms the jump cut.

Jump cuts should not always be considered negative aspects. They occur normally in different types of video content.

Situations Where to Apply Jump Cuts

Eliminating Long Pauses

One of the easiest situations to apply the jump cut is when eliminating unnecessary pauses.

For instance, if someone makes a pause of three to four seconds to think about something, the empty part can be removed. This eliminates any unnecessary information without losing the actual context.

It should be noted that one needs to maintain some natural breath during conversations. Removing all the pauses might make the conversation very robotic.

Remove Mistakes and Repeated Words

Jump cuts help when editing talking-head content.

In case they fumble their lines, repeat what they said, or begin afresh, simply fade out their voices. It is imperative to fade their voices enough for the sentence to be heard in context.

For example, instead of keeping:

"Today we are going to... Today we are going to learn how to colour grade..."

Or you have the ability to remove the word repeating part and make it a bit cleaner.

Speed Up Slow Sections

Jump cuts are effective for pacing. When you make a tutorial and someone takes a long to give an explanation that is not necessary for you to see in real time, you can cut pieces and get to the good stuff.

This is perfect for tutorials, how to, news, software, showcase and we love a video blog.

Making Jump Cuts Seamless

Cut at the Right Time

Your editing is not random, for you should not cut in the middle of a sentence. Generally, the speaker pauses at fixed points and it is also necessary to be attentive and observe the end of an item.

Cut when the sentence, phrase, or breath is finished, rather than cutting on the midway of the word.

Use B-Roll to Hide Hard Cuts

hide-occulted. B-roll is one of the simplest ways to conceal a blatant jump cut.

Imagine you are instructing how to end a video editing task. Why not let the jump cover your entire face rather than keep the facecam constantly?

The AUDIO can continue while the viewer sees something.

...and it's deliberate rather than unintentional.

3. Change the Framing Slightly

You can make small adjustments to the framing if you are shooting with only one camera.

For instance, one clip may cut in a medium shot while the following clip may cut in a slightly closer crop, thus visual difference is created.

Adjust the change without being too drastic. Small is often sufficient.

Use Cutaways and Supporting Shots

Anything what the speaker is talking about can be cutaway.

If you're filming a cooking video, it could be a close-up of the food. If you're filming a travel vlog, it could be a shot of the location. If you're filming a tutorial, it could be the software interface.

These takes provide convenient edit points that allow you to continue the cutaway without giving away the jump.

5. Keep Audio Consistent

Occasionally the audio gives away the edit even if the visual cut looks OK.

Notice if the volume suddenly increases, there is a background noise increase, room noise increase, or the microphone position shifts. Insert a short clip of crossfade or modify the clip levels when needed.

Playing with sound can often make a simple jump cut feel a lot smoother.

Jump Cut Workflow in Practice

A simple workflow can eliminate hours of editing.

First, watch the clip in its entirety and do not cut too much out. Come to know what the narrator or audio wants to convey.

Remove previously identified errors, filler words and repetitions.

Now, do the steps that you just saw again. What should you be looking for? Wherever there are cuts that make the person’s face or body jump.

Next, use B-roll shots, screengrabs, cutaways, or even just changing the framing to cover up the most obvious cuts.

Finally, watch the video all the way through without interruptions. When the cuts no longer draw your attention from the message, then you’ve done your editing right.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Cutting Too Frequently

Unless it is for comedy, cutting every few seconds can be exhausting for the viewer. Don't cut just because you can. Preserve breaths of time that carry personality, emotion, or may be useful to breathe a bit.

Removing Every Pause

Natural pauses exist in our speech. If we remove all pauses, then our speech will become very fast and unnatural.

Too Much Zoom Effects

Digital zooms can keep jump cuts from appearing, but using one at every edit gets monotonous fast. Use these only as visual support to the rhythm or focus you want to achieve.

Ignoring Continuity

Observe the speaker's hands, speaker’s head placement, objects, and background. Check if there is any abrupt jump between the two clips.

Cutting Without Listening

Image However, a visually smooth cut can sound bad. Make sure you always listen to the audio post-edit.

Final Thoughts

You might think "how to use jump cuts" would mean using a ton of cuts, but it really just refers to leaving only the important parts in. A good jump cut will cut something out and keep the conversation clear.

First, remove the glaring mistakes, the long pauses. Second, add B-roll, cutaway shots, insert or framing changes, clean audio to minimize the obvious nature of your cuts. Eventually, you will begin to discern when cuts are working for your video and when your video is feeling rushed because of the cuts.

The goal is clear. Cut the unnecessary pieces, keep the naively styled, informal, spoken tone of the speaker.