Camera angles and editing

Match on action


Match on action is a reference to film editing techniques where the editor of the film cuts from one shot to another shot while remaining in the same action as the first shot. Although there could be many hours between each of the shots, the way that they're edited and put together make it seem like one, continuous take. With the same action occurring over the two shots, the audience are less likely to notice editing mistakes or even a change in the scene at all.

Mistakes can be made, however. Sometimes, due to the long periods of time between each shot to make up one scene, there can be slight changes to the action in comparison to the first and second shot. Examples of this would be slight changes to positioning of props or the way actors are standing.

There's an example of this in the film, "The Matrix".



Shot reverse shot

A shot reverse shot (or shot/counter-shot) is a filming technique where one character is shown looking at another character, usually off screen, and then the other character is shown looking back in the opposite direction. Since the characters are shown facing in opposite directions, the viewer assumes that they are looking at each other.

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POV shot/Over the shoulder shot

A point of view shot, A.K.A POV shot or a subjective camera, is a scene that shows what a character is looking at (represented through the camera). It is usually established by being positioned between a shot of a character looking at something, and a shot showing the character's reaction. The technique of POV is one of the foundations of film editing.

A POV shot need not be the strict point-of-view of an actual single character in a film. Sometimes the point-of-view shot is taken over the shoulder of the character (third person), who remains visible on the screen. Sometimes a POV shot can be for more than one person.