Film Editing styles

Chronological editing

Editing that follows the logic of a chronological narrative, one event follows subsequently from another, and time and space are logically represented.

Cross-cutting or parallel editing 

The linking-up of two sets of action those run concurrently and are interdependent within the narrative.

Continuity Editing/ Continuity cuts

It is the predominant style of film editing and video editing in the post-production process of filmmaking of narrative films and television programs. The purpose of continuity editing is to smooth over the inherent discontinuity of the editing process and to establish a logical coherence between shots.

In most films, logical coherence is achieved by cutting to continuity, which emphasizes smooth transition of time and space. However, some films incorporate cutting to continuity into a more complex classical cutting technique, one which also tries to show psychological continuity of shots. The montage technique relies on symbolic association of ideas between shots rather than association of simple physical action for its continuity.

These are cuts take us seamlessly and logically from one sequence or scene to another. This is an unobtrusive cut that serves to move the narrative along.

Match Cut

A match cut, also called a graphic match, is a cut in film editing between either two different objects, two different spaces, or two different compositions in which an object in the two shots graphically match, often helping to establish a strong continuity of action and linking the two shots metaphorical.

Jump cut

Cut where there is no match between the two spliced shots. Within a sequence, or more particularly a scene, jump cuts give the effect of bad editing. The opposite of a match cut, the jump cut is an abrupt cut between two shots that calls attention to itself because it does not match the shots seamlessly. It marks a transition in time and space but is called jump cut because it jars the sensibilities; it makes the spectator jump and wonder where the narrative has got to. Jean Luc Godard is undoubtedly one of the best exponents of this use of the jump cut.