Getting From Here to There: Transitions for the "Cuts-only" Editor
When it's time for a video's plot to change location, many editors pull out their trusty switcher. A switcher performs the fades, wipes and dissolves that are used to suggest to your viewers that the location of the story has changed. Effects done in a switcher or a Digital Video Effects (DVE) device are known as "optical" effects. However, once you have a switcher, you can become dependant upon optical effects. Your videos may begin to get a cookie cutter look, with every transition relying on your equipment instead of on your imagination.
There is an old saying among editors, "If you can't resolve it, dissolve it." It means that if the director did not get proper coverage, the editor may find himself painted into a corner and have to resort to an optical effect to get out. Nevertheless, a non-optical indication to changes of time or place is a superior solution--or at least more clever.
Throughout this article I will be talking about the editor's approach to creating transitions. But you need to keep in mind that you can't do anything in the editing stage unless you have the proper material to work with. Plan your transitions before you begin shooting, or at least keep this information in mind while you're shooting so that the right kind of footage is ready when it's time to…
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