Fast Cutting (Technique)

Fast cutting is a editing technique which refers to several shots being shown consecutively for a brief duration (for example around 3 seconds or less). This can be used to convey information quickly or imply energy or chaos. Fast cutting is commonly used while two characters are conversing, the shot will change to either show the character speaking, or the other characters reaction to the topic being spoke about. 




The video above is the famous shower scene from the film Psycho (1960). In which it shows a woman getting into the shower, after a moment, she is killed. However the fast cutting in this scene build up the suspense and when the serial killer opens the shower curtain, it becomes more suspenseful and intense as the fast cutting shows the chaotic nature of the scene.



This video is a short clip from the film Requiem For A Dream (2000). The start of the clip shows the characters preparing and abusing various drugs, it also shows the effect the drugs have on the characters pupils and bloodstream. This allows viewers to gain an understanding that they are actually doing drugs and it is effecting them. Throughout the film, every time a character abuses drugs, it becomes a series of shots with the fast cutting technique implemented, this gives off the impression that the characters enjoy those drugs so much they get straight into it. This also portrays a different side of drugs to the viewers as when they are preparing and actually doing the drugs, it is in a series of fast shots, when they're intoxicated, it shows the characters enjoying themselves. This shows that the characters don't care about how they prepare and do the drugs as long as they become intoxicated, which is why the shots after the series of fast cut shots are usually long shots, to show that they are enjoying themselves. The fact that the film makers used this technique while the characters are abusing drugs is quite clever as drugs in reality sometimes may take a while to kick in, therefore they have sped up the process through a montage of fast cut shots.

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