Transition types

There are 4 main types of joins when used in editing, these are listed below;

Cut
The cut is where there is no transition for a cut, you just add in the sequence. This is the simplest form of editing so it is quite simply just cutting out the parts that you want from the footage. A cut takes out the best bits. An example of this is shot, reverse shot.

Fade
The fade is usually at the end of one scene and the beginning of another. You would usually use fade to black because it is the ending of a scene, however when you fade to white it is the end of a character e.g death, the reason you use white is the idea that you go towards the light when you die.

Dissolve
A dissolve slows the pace of a film down you would find this predominately in a romantic film where they use a lot of sunsets etc. It gives the audience a sense of there is noting dramatic that is going to happen and it is just a wallpaper, however this idea can be used in a horror film, to make the audience jump, for example you would use the dissolve effect but the use a cut to something scary.

Wipe
Wipes are probably the least popular form of joins because they can look very artificial, however, star wars uses wipes very effectively and so does Kill Bill, the wipe is a very stylised type of join and this is why it is found predominately in comic films. A wipe is used usually to completely change the location of something.