Cutting On Action

Cutting on action is when a cut is made during motion to transition to another shot with action, which altogether makes it appear continuous, despite different camera angles. It is able to seamlessly blend two shots together because the motion takes the scene from one shot to another, without being noticed. There are multiple ways to use a cut on action, including to carry the reader through time or to simply connect shots that are in completely different locations. Regardless of the intent, it's important to remember that while using a cut on action, the action in both scenes must be matched, so continuity isn't disrupted and it doesn't confuse the viewer. Also, it's a good habit to cut during the first third of the action, as it can always continue within the next shots, altogether adding more tempo and variety to the string of action.