In this tutorial, I talk about two types of split edits, the J-cut and the L-cut, and how they are used to soften transitions between two different scenes. I show how to use these editing techniques in iMovie.
Category Archives: Science Video Tutorials
Cutaways Versus Insert Shots
Cutaways and insert shots are two film editing techniques that are used to connect scenes, provide context, and/or to add visual interest to a video. For example, an interview featuring a person talking for several minutes can be pretty boring. One or more cutaways, however, can be used to show what the interviewee is talking about, adding visual interest to the film. A cutaway might feature a plant, animal, landscape, map, animation, instrument or some other object or process being described during the interview.
Insert shots are also used to provide context in a video, often showing some additional detail in a scene. For example, a medium shot might show a scientist working in the laboratory and pipetting a liquid into vials. An insert shot showing a closeup of the scientist’s hands or the pipette tip would be filmed separately and inserted into the main footage. Such edits can enhance a video by providing a new perspective or additional detail not apparent in the main footage.
The scientist videographer must plan ahead for cutaways and insert shots by filming “b-roll” footage along with the main footage. Such preparation may take a bit more time during filming and some effort during editing but is well worth it in the end.
In the following tutorial, I describe these two techniques and show how to use them in iMovie to edit video footage.
How to Get More Views of Your Science Videos
Have you posted a video about your science on YouTube but are not getting many views? Do you wonder how other creators optimize their videos to get more views? I’ve noticed that many videos made by scientists are good, but they don’t garner many views on YouTube. That’s a problem because such videos are important in showing how science works and why scientific research is important to society. In a new tutorial, I explain what you can do to get more YouTube views of your science videos.
Using Transitions in ScreenFlow 9
During film editing, video transitions are used between clips to smooth the jump from one clip to the next. Transitions are particularly useful when you need to cut out a mistake made when filming a person speaking to the camera. In this video tutorial, I show how to use transitions in ScreenFlow 9 and go through a few examples such as:
- transitioning between mismatching segments of a speech.
- avoiding dropped audio during a transition.
- fading out a picture-in-picture window (showing your image) in a PowerPoint recording.
Here is the tutorial:
Teleprompter for Video App
If you want to record a video using a word-for-word script, you need to use a teleprompter or a teleprompter app. In a previous video, I showed how to use a script while recording yourself using your computer’s camera. In a new video tutorial, I show how to use a teleprompter app for iOS (Teleprompter for Video) to record a video on an iPhone. This app is nicely designed and easy to use. I briefly go through the settings to show the options available for tailoring the app to your use and also provide a few tips for using a teleprompter app.