"Cut to" vs. "Dissolve to"

[Le Bete Noire]

How do you know when to use those two? Is it self-explanatory, like: CUT TO means it cuts directly to the next scene and DISSOLVE means it kinda fades into the next scene? Having a little trouble differentiating those. Thank you in advance for any help. Pretty cool board you have here.

[Done Deal]

Totally depends on the effect you want. In most cases I'd say stay away from doing this too much. You don't need to put cut to's in your script. We all know the next scene is being cut to -- it's a given.

As for dissolves, think about what they do for you while you are watching a movie. The effect they have on the viewer. Show time passage. Set a tone or mood or pace. Or possible link to images or subjects, etc. together for some reason.

[Strange Mind]

you know, this is a question i've had before, and i've been told several times to not just use less of these, but to stay away from them altogether. plus they save space.

however, i've heard two people say they like to use these so that they "space out" the text on their pages...in order to follow the "white space rule"

how do you feel about this, any thoughts or comments?

cheers

[Le Bete Noire]

That sucks. I thought it was an end all, be all, must be done thing, accourding to Lew Hunter's book (feel like a geek now). So I dont have to use that stuff? Cool. What about if its a next day thing, can you put in somthing that indicates its the next day, or is that another leave it out thing? You guys are totally helpful, thank you!

Brett

[Daughter of Lir]

Will, you said: "As for dissolves, think about what they do for you while you are watching a movie. The effect they have on the viewer. Show time passage. Set a tone or mood or pace. Or possible link to images or subjects, etc. together for some reason. "

Could you clarify? you lost me a little. ;) I was wondering about the cut/dissolve thang myself...

[steeves]

Let the slugline define the timeframes and time of day... as in 'a few minutes later' or 'next day' etc. Let the writing determine the mood... if I absolutely feel it is necessary to have a dissolve or a cut in a particular fashion then I will put one in... and in what I have done so far I have not found it to be necessary.

[Daughter of Lir]

I thought you weren't supposed to put those time qualifiers in, just NIGHT and DAY, and then describe the time in the scene (am I saying what I mean correctly? Prolly not. Too tired)... How do you put in that its the NEXT day?? I mean, I know how *I* have done it, but considering all the conflicting info I'm getting (supposedly from "good" sources), now I wonder if it's right. Also, no one explained the diff between CUT and DISSOLVE and what they mean/when to use them (I hadn't used them before, myself)... Gah... I wouldn't be stressing if I wasn't getting diff. info from diff. sources... <frown>

[lilybet]

Lir,

"Different opinions," it's only just begun. My advice would be read a lot, then you'll start to get a sense of what to pay attention to. A lot of sites have basic formatting info. Or take a look at David Trottier's Screenwriter's Bible. He lays it out quite simply and uses screenplay format.

Some problems arise because styles change and confusion between spec scripts and shooting scripts.

It is not currently popular to use cut tos and dissolves and we see and camera instructions of any kind. But if you feel something is the cleanest, clearest way, I don't think an occasional violation is going to get your script thrown across the room.

Read a lot of scripts, see how others do it. It can be quite startling to discover all the violations of the "rules" in pro's scripts.

The night - day thing is the advice, but hell, if it's simpler and cleaner to put dawn in the logline and save a line of description, seems silly not to. At this stage, what's important is keeping the reader with you.

Really the thing to be concerned about is not looking like an amateur and making blatant format errors. But the story is what is important.

EXT. DINER - DAY

SAME - A FEW MINUTES LATER

You should get the basics under your belt now, will save you a lot of "fix it" time.

This craft is not as simple and easy as it might first appear.

lil

[steeves]

The way I have heard it, specify sunrise or sunset if it is critical to the story: specific timeframes for shooting are both more expensive and more of a pain in the butt: dawn only lasts so long so if the shots are not completed they have to come back the next dawn and do it again.

But if it is needed, do it... just make sure. As for "A few minutes later" and "continuous" or even "concurrently", again my understanding and what I like to do is make it flow while giving the description that is best needed.

Confused? Don't be... just do what feels right and then look at it again later and decide if what felt right was right.

[Tom De]

What's been said about the DISSOLVE TO: and CUT TO: are correct. DISSOLVE TO: typically shows a passage of time. CUT TO: is not needed and is assumed to be the transition between sluglines unless a different transition is used.

That said, you can use CUT TO: as a pacing tool and/or as a clear statement to the reader of a change of location or time. As for pacing, keep in mind the one page equals one minute of film rule of thumb. Sometimes you will want to use the CUT TO: in order to stretch out an action or event. Personally, I like to use CUT TO: transitions for some montages. It makes the montage easier to see for a reader (in my humble opinion).

As for a clear change in time or location, (if you are fortunate) you will have to break the script down into a production script. Each different location or shot will be factored into the production cost and schedule. Sluglines are used by the production people(brain cramp and can't think of the proper term, help GIG, Crash, or Bill) to break down the script. Using transitions can signal the production people that a change in location or time has taken place.

Example of pacing:
MONTAGE:
Jack looks at a candlestick.

CUT TO:

Jill walks up the hill with a fire extinguisher. (A change in location and, possibly, time.)

CUT TO:

A SPRAY of foam puts out the candlestick.
(Again, a change in location and time. You could use sluglines to show the transition as well. Both are correct. I just prefer the look on the page of using CUT TO: This assumes that you don't want to write a quick montage.)

EXAMPLE OF A QUICK MONTAGE:
Jack looks at a candlestick.

Jill walks up the hill with a fire extinguisher.

A SPRAY of foam puts out the candlestick.

(A much faster series of images than using a transition or slugline.)

Still, the use of CUT TO: should be limited and sluglines are typically better to show a transition.

If you want to show a passage of time, you can use a DISSOLVE TO: or (rarely) a FADE TO:. A FADE TO: shows a longer passage of time than a DISSOLVE TO:.

And you may even see the use of SMASH CUT TO: in some recently produced scripts. There is no difference between CUT TO: and SMASH CUT TO:. You can't edit film faster than a cut. However, the use of SMASH CUT TO: (while not a real term) can convey your intent of a VERY dramatic cut.

Please correct me if I've misstated something. I hope I've answered your question.

Tom

[Done Deal]

I think most of the above or I hope is has cleared things up a little more, but what I meant was this...

A CUT is a little more jarring. Not horrificly so since we see them all the way through a movie, but CUTs aren't normal for us as peope living everyday life. But again we're used to them as part of the language, style and technique of a film.

What I meant for dissolves is simply... they are less jarring to the eye. They create a much different "feel." It's a smooth transition to another setting and or time. Think about it. How many action scenes have dissolves? Then think about films like "Places in the Heart" have dissolves?

If you see an image of an actors face and then the image dissolves into a picture of a small town, you then as a viewer are "cued" much more that this person is probably connected to that town in some fashion as it takes place. A memory? His home town? A place he is going? Who knows at that exact second but we SEE the connection. The images were MIXED together as one for a split second.

If you simply cut there then you see no real connection, or not as much. Maybe they are connected but much more doubtful. We've probably just changed locations for a totally different scene that's not connected really. Maybe not but again, as a filmmaker you can "help" and guide the audience along with visual cues.

That's all. Dissolves create a different pace to a film. A different mood in many cases. Not always but many times they help create a certain vibe. Again, and not that this is the best example but how many dissolves have you seen in "The Rock" versus "Out of Africa"? That doesn't mean that either don't have both but maybe that will help a little.

[Daughter of Lir]

RE: reading a lot of different things and scripts -- I have. And I know basic format. My problem was what I had stated earlier: various "pro's" keep giving different opinions/directions in certain cases such as the "CUT TO and DISSOLVE TO" one. Basic formatting, to be sure, is a universal thing, though, so I'm doing fine with everything else.

Thanks, guys, for clearing up the cut/dissolve thang. That was my only question. Everything else has been pretty easy & self-explanatory. I appreciate the feed back.

:)

DoL

[Fried Calamari]

KENNETH LONERGAN: YOU CAN COUNT ON ME

PAGE 5 he uses. . .

EXT. CHURCH - DAY

'on the children we are still holding hands. Sammmy is hanging on the minister's every word; Terry is shifting his eyes and his seat as if it will killhimn to sit still another minute.'

DISSOLVE TO

EXT. SCOTSVILLE CEMETERY - -14 YEARS LATER. DAY.

The same view we opened with, but now including the cemetery in the shot.

On the beautiful hill overlooking the brautiful windy green country. SAMMY, 26 years old now, puts flowers on her parents grave with quick, practiced movements.

Can't be anymore of a pro them him and that's how he used dissolve, and for a point of reference CUT TO'S are used.

It's all about mood and if you can't feel the mood in your writing, then you have a long way to go, some advice learn the PROMPTS, they help transition.

As steeves so beautifully expressed in my script, transition can befuddle a reader and once that happens there's big trouble.

F.C.

[lilybet]

DoL,

I will not presume to share or throw any further information, opinions or advice your way. As every time I attempt to help, I seem to step on your toes. I assure you that is not my intention.

Personally, I appreciate when others do that for me, whether I already know it or not.

No worries.

lil

[Daughter of Lir]

FC -- thank you for the advice, seriously. Nice example you gave.

Lil -- I have NO idea where you're getting the impression you stepped on my toes! Perhaps I shouldn't bother thanking folks for their input anymore if they aren't going to accept it. I apologize if in my hurry (I was heading out the door) I was terse, jeez. Whaaaaatever. <shrug>

THANK YOU LIL, and everyone else, for your contributions. I'll try not to ask dumb questions anymore and just be assured that I'm doing the right thing.

[Le Bete Noire]

Thanks for all the help everyone, and thanks to Daughter of Lir for asking more, don't stop asking when you're helping others too. I am a total beginner to this and am just looking around trying to get info so thanks to people for their advice and knowledge. I got some good info off the books section too and am planning on doing more research this weekend. Have to start somewhere, huh? Everyone that is here started out as a beginner once, and I think everyone should remember that and be kind to each other.

peace.

Brett

[lilybet]

Le Bete,

Check out the Read section on this site, esp. the Wordplay columns. Wade through some of the old threads on this message board and the archive section. A lot of extraneous stuff but some really good info is buried in those threads.

This board is kind to beginners and there are pros here who are willing to answer the same questions over and over again.

Unfortunately people are not always kind to one another and misunderstandings happen (sigh). But some stuff is just friendly bantering between people who've gotten to know each other. Probably some of it won't make any sense to a newcomer.

Ask away. Nothing is too "dumb" as long as you are willing to listen to a lot of points of view. But you have to sort through the stuff here just like in the books.

Join the party.

lil

[Daughter of Lir]

No worries, Brett. Glad to be of help. Take what's useful, discard the extraneous crap that isn't and keep plugging away at what you want to do. Nice to have you, keep the "be kind to each other" attitude, my friend. And be sure to use lots of smiley faces, it *might* help.

Glad to have another new face on board,

[Tom De]

DoL,
Don't stop asking questions. The only stupid question is the question not asked. I think most people on this board love to respond to people seriously wanting to learn. And if I helped, you're welcome.

Have a good day,
Tom

[GirlinGray]

Sluglines indicate a change in time and/or space, i.e. a scene transition. That is all you need to change scenes. A new slugline.

Dissolves, smash cuts, match cuts, those are editorial cues. They tell a director or editor how to specifically transit on film between scenes.

If you know what they do, you can use them. If you don't, misusing editorial cues is a fast way to look dumb so leave them alone.

If you want to find out how they work, the formatting book by Cole/Haag talks about different kinds of cuts and there is a good book by Michael Rabiger titled Directing (or something like) that talks about stuff like this also.

[Meltdown]

I don't use dissolves or cut to: - my agent sez they're for shooting scripts.

Goes in the same boat as POV and camera direction - Don't use them in a story script.

[Tom De]

I heard the same thing, Melt. However, there are just as many people that want to have a spec that is close to shootable. Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating going crazy with the transitions. Still, like GIG said, if you don't know how to use them, then don't.

Tom