Operation Manual

322 Pinnacle Studio 9
Cause and effect cuts
Shots are related by virtue of cause and effect: without
the first shot, the second would be incomprehensible.
Example: A man fights with his wife and, in the very
next shot, winds up sleeping under a bridge.
Formal cuts
Shots that vary in content can be strung together if they
have something in common – the same shapes, colors,
or motions, for example. Examples: A crystal ball and
the earth; a yellow raincoat and yellow flowers; a
falling skydiver and a falling feather.
Soundtrack production
Soundtrack production is an art, but it is an art one can
learn. Of course, it is no easy task to create a superb
narration, but short, informative comments are often
very helpful for the viewer. Whatever narration there is
should sound natural, expressive and spontaneous, not
wooden or stiff.
Keep comments brief
A general rule applicable to all commentary is that less
is more. Pictures should speak for themselves, and
things that are evident to viewers from the pictures
require no comment.
Preserve original sounds
Spoken commentary should be mixed with both the
original sounds and the music in such a way that the
original sounds can still be heard. Natural sound is part