The Cutaway
As the name implies, in the basic cutaway, the filmmaker is moving from the action to something else, and then coming back to the action. Cutaways are used to edit out boring shots (like people driving to their destination—why not see what the character is seeing or even thinking sometimes?) or add action to a sequence by changing the pace of the footage.
Used to cut from the action to something relevant. For example to show where the character is looking or to show something the character is talking about. It could also be something relevant to the scene. For example the shower scene in Psycho. The shot cuts from the victim to the a shot of the water going down the plughole. This symbolises her life draining away.
Used to cut from the action to something relevant. For example to show where the character is looking or to show something the character is talking about. It could also be something relevant to the scene. For example the shower scene in Psycho. The shot cuts from the victim to the a shot of the water going down the plughole. This symbolises her life draining away.