Why Animators Should Cut on Movement

One of the key principles of cinematography is to cut on movement. What does that mean? It means that if you start an action in one shot, carry it over into the second.  

Let's say you are cutting from a wide shot to a close up, you start the motion in the wide shot, then carry it over to the next shot. This makes the cut feel less abrupt.

Always Cut on Movement

Understanding The 180 Degree Rule

Take a look at the acting shot above by Escapee Rich Jeffery.  Rich cuts from the mid shot of the janitor to a wide shot, starting the janitor's downward motion in the first shot, and picking it up in the second. This makes the transition from the mid shot to the wide shot much more fluid and smooth. 

Rules of Cinematography
We have many resources on camera and cinematography at Escape Studios:

• How to Animate a Camera Shake in Maya
• How to Create a Shot Camera in Maya
• Cinematography & The Rule of Thirds
• The Art of Cinematography
• Animating Cameras with Marc Stevenson
• Tutorials at Vimeo on Camera Previs & Layout
• Cinematography & Lighting with Clem Gharini
• Why Animators Should View Shots in Continuity
• How to Render Depth of Field in Maya and Arnold
• Why Animated Characters Shouldn't Look at the Camera
• Don't Cross The Line - Understanding The 180 Degree Rule

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