New How to Use Rules of Thirds for 2024

How to Use Rules of Thirds

So you have your work flow sorted out and you’re well on your way with Filmora but you’re not quite happy with your results or something just seems off when you watch your videos back. You may be missing an important element of all visual media and that’s composition. This is where the building blocks of every frame come together to make a visually pleasing piece for the viewer and helps the eyes concentrate on the content rather than trying to figure out what they are looking at.

I’m sure you may have heard of the rule of thirds for art or photography and you may not know or understand what it is. You may even be wondering how the rule of thirds can help you with your video creation. Well, that is what I’m going to show and explain to you today.

What is the rule of thirds

At its core the rule of thirds is a guide to follow whenever you create something visual.

You break an image into thirds both horizontally and vertically, in doing this you are left with nine boxes and four gridlines, the rule states that by placing key elements in line with gridlines you will have an overall better composition.

To gain a better understanding of this here is a visual example of the gridlines and nine boxes.

This may seem simple but is often overlooked due to time restraints and eagerness to get that video out there. By following these guidelines your overall composition will gain interesting and pleasing results that can help with viewer engagement. This is only one piece of the puzzle but as any photography professional or artist will tell you, It’s the small things that add up.

How to use the rule of thirds

To show how to use the rule of thirds I will be showing an image with and without the use of the guidelines. In doing this you will be able to see how impactful this system is and how it can help with your own creations within Filmora .

This will be our scene example, you can see buildings, boats, water and skyline. This may be typical of a backdrop or an insert for a holiday picture amongst many other things.

I will now show this picture with no compositional thought and without the use of the thirds system.

Notice how all the elements are in the scene but it just looks interesting and something just seems off when you look at it. You may find yourself searching for understanding of the image rather than taking the image in and concentrating on what the creator intended. This is seen commonly due to the need to fit every element in the scene but sometimes it is best to sacrifice something you may see as important for the sake of the whole picture.

We will now look at the example image with the rule of thirds in place and see if overall this makes a more interesting scene.

We have aligned the skyline with the first horizontal grid line and aligned the boats with the vertical grid lines. We have sacrificed the crane in the scene but overall I’m sure you can agree that this is more pleasing and makes more sense when you’re viewing this. The whole middle section of the scene now has information within it and the contrast between the middle and the rest of the scene directs your eyes to what was intended to be viewed, This is called effect use of empty space. In doing this you save yourself time from adding more information to direct the viewer.

Placing key elements directly in the center of your scene can seem static and boring but by placing elements to one side or using the first and second horizontal grid lines you create something called Dynamism , where the viewer sees an element along the grid and takes a journey through the rest of the image.

Studies have shown that this is the humans natural way of viewing imagery, we first find something interesting to look at and then journey around that. So by using this rule you are creating a more natural process for your viewer.

Tips when starting using the rule of thirds

The first tip I would say is to view other videos, YouTube is a good starting point. Watch interviews and notice where the chairs are aligned. Watch reviewers and notice where they position themselves in the scene. Lastly watch movies and pause on an interesting scene and try to deconstruct where everything is placed and why they chose that composition.

The idea with the rule is to have it become something you do naturally, by always considering the form you save yourself time in the editing process. The key things you have in your mind whenever you make a scene should be.

1. What is the key element in my scene or what am I trying to make the viewer focus on.

2. where do I intend to place these in my scene?

3. Have I created a balanced scene with enough negative space to direct the eye.

If you consider this with every video you make then in time this will become as natural as drinking water on a hot day. As a practice you could open some old projects and apply this rule to your video to see the results and you may find yourself impressed with the change.

When is it best to not use the rule of thirds?

The rule is very useful when you’re aiming to grab the attention towards a certain element but that being said, when you have a symmetrical scene you can get away with not using the rule as your eyes can make sense of symmetry very well.

Even when working with a symmetrical scene you can incorporate the rule within for elements such as people or key figures but in this situation it is down to the creator to figure what they feel is best in any given shot.

How to Use Rule of Thirds in Filmora

The tools provided within Filmora are generous and one great feature is the crop and size tool.

When inserting an image or movie file you can right click on the timeline and select crop and size bringing up a handy screen with the gridlines already there for you. It’s just a matter of aligning your shot for the best composition.

For reference I will show you what this looks like.

First right click the timeline on the image you want to reposition. Alternatively you can select the desired insert and press Alt+C this will also bring up the same editing box.

Now click on the crop and zoom option and this editor will appear.

As you can see you are able to align the shot and change the aspect ratio to align with your project. For a better look at the built in grid lines see image below.

Conclusion

To conclude, the rule of thirds is very important within visual media and is tough within the fundamentals of art and photography from beginner level right up to the highest point of education, Practice thinking about your placement of key elements within your videos and how this affects your overall composition. The goal is to have this as an automatic thought when shooting your videos or still images. This is a small change you can make but has a big impact on how a viewer engages your content and in return leaves a positive opinion towards your creativity and eye for detail.

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The Best Jump Cut Editing Tricks [Make Your Videos Snappy!]

The jump cut is more common than ever, from YouTube to movie montages. A jump cut is a method for transitioning from one shot to another without including any interstitial video. A jump cut is a cinematic technique when the editor abruptly cuts from one shot to another without any discernible transition.

When filmmakers wish to display someone’s views or ideas without having to invest time and money in recording them, for example, this may be utilized for creative effects. Learn all there is to know about jump cuts in the next paragraphs, including their history, how to create one, how to edit one, and how to utilize one in your next social media video.

Part 1: What is Jump Cut in Films?

To produce a smooth viewing experience, the director, editor, and cinematographer collaborate. Certain cuts have the power to startle a viewer out of this experience and remind them that they are watching a movie. The term “jump cut” refers to one of these cuts. Jump cuts are often discouraged in cinema, yet there are efficient methods to use them to provide the greatest narrative possible.

In video editing, a jump cut is the transition between two images of the same topic taken from the same or comparable angles and at two distinct times. This gives the impression that the action is ‘jumping’ ahead in time.

Most of the time, you want your videos’ cuts to flow seamlessly. This offers continuity and a nice watching experience for your viewers. Although it’s one of the most fundamental editing procedures, doing it correctly requires a bit more experience and ability. Let’s thus try to make your jump cut technique even better.

Part 2: 10 Most Shocking Jump Cuts in Film History

1. City of God

With the combination of jump cuts, repetitive action, frantic montage, and a final bullet time graphic match wipe, the opening sequence of City of God drives the viewer into the pulse of the music and the violence in Rio. This seems like a prescription for catastrophe, yet it works in City of God. The screen is made electrified.

The chicken forces the characters to cross paths, which causes the two scenes to collide. Rezende now captures Rocket and Liz’s expressions in slow motion, resulting in a dramatic scene. After a circular pan-centering Rocket, which melts into a different moment of ten years ago, the shot comes to a close.

2. The Ring

In the pivotal scenes of “The Ring,” director Gore Verbinski used a jump cut to give the impression that Samara Morgan, the ghost, moves quickly around the room. By deleting or including anything in the frame, which is unsettling for both characters and viewers, this is a tried-and-true method of increasing the number of scares.

Jump cuts may also be distracting if done improperly or inappropriately, even though they are often intended to confuse or surprise the audience. There is a time and place for the method, even if a jump cut is far from the sole tool in the video editor’s toolbox.

3. Juno

In the movie Juno, director Jason Reitman portrays the tale of a young adolescent who becomes pregnant and ultimately gives her kid up. Each leap represents a new stage in the character’s development as a result of this life-changing experience. Jump cuts in Jason Reitman’s comedy-drama Juno depict the youthful heroine’s journey both physically and mentally.

Jump cuts are a technique used by Reitman to convey both the passage of time and the changes in Juno’s life. like visiting the adoptive parents or getting regular checks at the doctor. You might think of each jump cut as one of the five phases of grieving. In the last chapter, “summer,” Juno has a better understanding of what she is giving up and how it will impact both her life and everyone else’s.

4. Samara Kills Noah the Ring

It’s a tremendously imaginative and horrifying conclusion after a whole film’s worth of very subtle build-up that couldn’t be farther from the really low expectations U.S. horror remakes often attract. Gerbinski cleverly arranges for Samara to “jump cut” in front of Noah while still flashing with TV static, shocking him and causing him to trip and fall.

It’s fair to say that American horror films tend to rely on lazy jump scares, created by quick-cut images and loud sound effects, and that typically goes double for cynical state-side remakes of foreign language horror hits. However, Gore Verbinski’s surprisingly stylish and moody 2002 remake of The Ring makes clever use of jump cuts during a crucial climactic scene to fully hammer home the terror of the film’s spectral, black-haired antagonist Sam

5. Dan’s Corpse – The Birds

Instead of using a single cut or even zooming on Dan’s disfigured face, Hitch chooses to use two jump cuts that each bring us a little bit closer to Fawcett’s face.

When seen now, it is a straightforward yet shocking effect, but in 1963, it was unquestionably genuinely horrifying. It was just one more of his many deliberate choices to depart from established cinematic norms. Although the jump cut is a simple editing method by today’s standards, it was far less popular in earlier times, as seen by its skillful and startling use in Alfred Hitchcock’s great 1963 horror film The Birds.

6. Taking A Ride – Breathless

According to the Director Pierre Rissient, the jump cut technique was unplanned and developed out of a pressing necessity to trim Breathless from two and a half hours down to ninety minutes. The best example of this is when Patricia and Michel are driving about in their automobile, and Godard cuts between identical pictures of Patricia to show time passing while also heightening the urgency of the story of the couple on the run in the movie.

The significance of this sequence is that it dismantled rules for how a scene might be put together, despite the fact that it seemed absolutely primitive in retrospect. Not every movie that uses a jump cut in a dramatic or unexpected way must be in the horror category.

7. Charlie’s Head Hereditary

It’s one of the strangest and really unsettling jump cuts we’ve seen in recent memory, and it definitely deserves the surprisingly intricate gore display that it has. One of the most eerie and masterfully orchestrated horror movies of the decade, if not the whole 21st century, is Ari Aster’s Hereditary. Aster turns his attention to Peter, who is gazing out into the horizon, just as Annie can be heard screaming in agony, having found Charlie’s corpse in the garage.

While Annie’s screams can still be heard, the editor jump cuts from Peter’s face to Charlie’s severed, mangled head by the side of the road as it is being eaten by insects. After bringing his sister’s headless corpse-filled automobile home, a terrified Peter parks it and gets into bed.

8. Human Evolution in a Single Cut 2001: A Space Odyssey

This brief clip illustrates how man evolved from the monkey to the contemporary day, where we had been to space. In this brief sequence, which depicts the origins of modern man, new technology that has evolved over millions of years is dramatically upgraded.

The sequence includes a jump cut as the bone, a weapon of prehistoric man, travels through the air. Then, the picture jumps forward by nearly a million years, and the bone is replaced by a spacecraft with a like form.

9. Dr Erin Mears’s Death Contagion

In the masterpiece Contagion, the jump cut clustering that is seen experimentally is produced by the model. Afterward, leap intensities mean-revert until the next jump. But more crucially, Contagion vividly captures the danger of widespread fear, prejudice, and disinformation during a pandemic, particularly when it comes to social media and the internet.

In this shocking edit in film history, the editor made it all feasible by using a jump cut. Regardless of how realistic Contagion seems, it should still be seen as a work of fiction.

10. The Jump Cut as a Special Effect the Haunted Castle

Whether a visual effect is created by hand or with a computer, selling it needs a community. The same is true for editing as well. In some cases, the visual impression is really the cuts. The modest cut is the most basic and traditional visual effect in movie magic. The method really dates back to early filmmakers and cinematic illusionists.

Amazed by the unexpected outcome, using a cut that has been deftly snuck into a whip-pan, two shots may be combined with full-scale sets and miniatures. A progressive makeup effect, such as the notorious metamorphosis in The Haunted Castle, may likewise be covered up using cuts.

Part 3: How do We Use Jump Cuts Today?

The viewing experience is impacted differently by various editing methods. Jump cuts may be helpful for video editing in filmmaking since they highlight just the most important elements of a story while also indicating the passage of time. The jump cut is now often used in music videos, vlogs, and YouTuber material, making it a preferred option for creators of online content.

Today’s movies often use “jump cuts,” particularly as the number of horror movies produced has increased. The use of jump cuts makes the picture highly unsettling. One editing method, the jump cut, is still as effective now as it was back when pictures were stitched together and celluloid was cut with a razor blade. It is a well-liked method of video editing that is often used to indicate the passage of time, highlight an emotion, or heighten tension.

The shots did not quite run in a fluid session in the early phases of filming to provide the audience with a steady view of the screen. Instead, there were “jumps” in the movie, and the forward return was partially omitted. This “jump shot” idea may be compared to the expression. Today, however, despite all of the technological advancements we have at our disposal, movie makers and producers are attempting to recreate the look.

Part 4: Top 9 Editing Tools to Smooth Over Jump Cuts

Even more of a barrier than the difficulty of acquiring a new talent is often the expense of video editing software. Consider using free video editing software to get started if you are unsure of how to spend your money or even whether you want to.

On PC

1. Filmora Video Editor

Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac

Description: Both Windows and Mac are compatible with the app. Trimming, transitions, overlays, and other basic video editing features are available. It does not, however, include several cutting-edge capabilities, including as motion tracking and multicam. After launching the software to edit jump cuts, you may also choose the other options that best suits your requirements including the multi-layer effects and elements.

A freemium video editing program largely geared at novices is Wondershare Filmora. There are a ton of filters and over-effects included with it, and they can work true jump cut magic on your films. A considerable number of functions are available in the free edition, however; videos are exported with the Filmora watermark, which must be removed by upgrading to the pro version. A huge library of drag-and-drop transitions, effects, and titles are among the many creative tools and production elements included in the application. Another feature is an intro designer with hundreds of themes.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Key Features:

People who wish to learn jump cuts will find this extremely helpful.
Support for 4K editing and GIFs
Effects for camera shaking, noise reduction, and reversing the color
Free to use elements and transitions to make jump cuts look epic.

2. Windows Movie Maker

Supported Platforms: Windows

Description: For those who want to go back to the fundamentals, Windows Video Editor, a built-in editor from Microsoft, is a useful program. It’s fantastic for quickly editing brief video footage that you need available right away. While it includes the fundamental editing capabilities like cropping, cutting, and adding text or music, Windows Video Editor is more of a picture editor. The free Video Editor program, which comes with Windows 10 and later, is useful for simple video editing.

No editor simplifies the process more, whether trimming home movies or creating YouTube videos that go popular. You won’t have any trouble using this tool, even if you’re a newbie. The user interface is quite simple to use. All the capabilities and resources you need to edit your films are easily accessible.

Pros

Auto-movie features for cutting your video clips into bespoke lengths
Adding music, titles, and credits is simple using the animation tab.
portion of 3D effects with little modification

Cons

Certain playback choices eliminate special effects.
Jump Cuts & Picture in Picture may be challenging
a resource-intensive program

3. Adobe Premiere Pro

Supported Platforms: Windows and Mac

Description: A timeline-based video editor called Adobe Premiere Pro was created by the renowned Adobe Systems. It features a wide range of video editing tools, including the Ripple Edit, Rolling Edit, and Slip Tools. It’s a wonderful option for YouTubers because of features like Multiple Sequence Support, Multi-Camera Editing, Time Remapping, Color Correction Tools, and Audio Mixer Interface.

The program has a user-friendly interface and runs on both Windows and Mac. Its responsive user interface aids in achieving peak performance. Beginners may find working with it a bit confusing, but the good news is that there are many tutorials available. The timeline-based video editing program in the Creative Cloud is called Adobe Premiere Pro. Programs for web development and graphic design are among the other Adobe CC products. It has several fantastic capabilities, like the capacity to automatically color-correct your video, create multi-camera sequences, include audio effects, and more.

Pros

Excellent capabilities for editing videos
Capable of handling big tasks
Renowned color-matching and correcting tools

Cons

High system specifications
Demands a pricey subscription
If you are new to video editing, learning Premiere might be difficult.

4. VEGAS Pro

Supported Platforms: Windows

Description: Vegas Pro is a video editing program that is well-liked by seasoned video amateurs since it falls short of being professional software but isn’t the best choice for everyday users.

It provides a variety of tools and features that enable users to produce high-quality films. Vegas Pro may be difficult to learn, and it is not the most affordable video editing program. For it to function properly, a strong computer is also needed. So, Vegas Pro may not be your best choice if you don’t have a more recent PC.

Pros

Direct YouTube upload
Burning CD option available for films
Color Rectification for Jump cuts

Cons

Quite few cutting-edge features
Outmoded UI
Learning curve is there.

5. iMovie

Supported Platforms: Mac, iOS

Description: Apple-iOS based video editing software is available from iMovie, allowing you to begin editing on an iPhone or iPad and complete it on a Mac. iMovie is straightforward and offers a straightforward drag-and-drop interface to transfer files from your disk to your desktop, as many native Apple products do. It’s a simple approach to create effective films that can help your YouTube marketing efforts.

The basic capabilities of video editing software are included; however, the more complex functions are not very excellent. Any Mac user should check it out however since it is free. Apple makes the video editing program iMovie, which is compatible with iOS, macOS, and iPad OS devices. You may create 4K resolution videos using the program, which is free, straightforward, and simple to use.

Pros

Choose from a variety of styles to include gorgeously animated titles and credits.
Picture-in-picture and split-screen techniques may give your school report a broadcast vibe.
Pick from 10 inventive video filters to give your videos a more dramatic feel.

Cons

iMovie might be difficult to learn. Not “beginner user-friendly” is the layout.
Due to its simplicity, iMovie cannot be considered a professional video editing program.
Audio may sometimes spill into transitions.

6. Final Cut Pro X

Supported Platforms: Mac Only

Description: A popular editing program for GoPro footage, FINAL CUT PRO X’s desktop video editing software is offered in both a free and a paid version. Despite the free version’s fewer features, it still includes the full video editing suite, including a mask tool and chroma key functionality for green-screen video effects.

Final Cut Pro X is an effective option for small businesses and is best for clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, and rotation. It also provides credit scrolling, frame stepping, time mapping, audio editing, and real-time preview. If you have the money to splash out for the full version, the suite of tools expands to include video stabilization, robust post-production effects, slideshow/presentation capabilities, 3D diagram templates, and direct social media publishing.

Pros

picture filters that are simple to apply and resemble those on Instagram
Masking tools for obscuring, distorting, or emphasizing certain components
Tools for color correcting for a more professional appearance

Cons

accessible for only one platform
less settings for background animation

On iPhone

7. iMovie

With iMovie, you may work on your project interchangeably on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac thanks to the fact that data are maintained on Apple’s cloud. Additionally, iMovie is always being updated, so you can always anticipate new features and enhancements.

Key Characteristics:

Support for 4K resolution, enabling users to produce movies with a cinematic quality
Working on the same project from your iPad, iPhone, and Mac thanks to cloud storage
Numerous studio-quality title animations for credits that look professional

8. Jumpcut

Anyone who wants to make high-quality videos without spending any money should consider Jumpcut, which has a ton of straightforward and user-friendly features, including 3D video editing and a sound effects library, to experiment with various video compositions and styles.

You can quickly and easily export your finished video to YouTube, Facebook, Google Drive, and other mobile devices after finishing your video editing with special effects, overlays, texts, and transitions.

Key Characteristics:

Online publishing and sharing tools for social media that allow for instant video sharing
a sizable collection of visual effects and video transitions for customizing videos
Tools for optimizing videos, such stabilizing

9. VlogEasy

VlogEasy is a powerful HD video and photo editor with professional features that is one of the most well-known name brands among mobile video editing apps for creators. The free version grants access to many of the features and effects, but not all, in exchange for having to view in-app advertisements.

This free video editing program offers the simplest way to edit a video; you can cut, merge, and enhance videos on any device — even on your camera or smartphone — through its non-destructive processing, and you can quickly create a high-definition video. VlogEasy is a freemium video editor with all video editing features: cut video, trim video, crop video, merge video, edit video with music, edit video for YouTube, add stickers to video, add text to video,

Key Characteristics:

Rapid and simple video trimming and deletion
4K video assistance
A variety of video features

Jump from your lodge to the Subtropical Swimming Paradise to Archery to exploring the forest - the possibilities are endless - using the Jump Cut in social media videos, it’s a unique way to capture all those experiences for you and your family to look back on later.

Jump Cuts on TikTok

Jump cuts are quite simple to master and apply to almost all of the other transitions. After shooting your first clip, change the subject or the action in preparation for shooting your second clip. Try to keep the new action or subject in the same position. The magic will happen in the edit, when you combine the clips.

Jump Cuts on Instagram

You will need a smartphone to film your jump cut and a tool to “edit” your video to help you put it all together. Once all your video clips are in order, the next step is to cut down each video to just your jumps. You need to crop the video as you land in the location and as you jump out. You will need to use Instagram to film your separate clips on your smartphone first, then put them together in Instagram Reels.

Part 6: Creative Ways to Jump Cuts Like a Pro

Jump cuts can enhance your videos’ quality, making them worthwhile to learn for any content creator who wants to use editing as a tool rather than a barrier.

Way 1: Add shots and cutaways

When it comes to integrating jump cuts, think about immersing your audience in the story. Jump cuts are the opposite of continuity editing. instead of a seamless and immersive progression, we create something that feels less natural by chopping up a single clip. If you need even more convincing, keep in mind that boosting your content will also improve the experience of your viewers. And focusing on that will make them keep coming back to your videos for the foreseeable future.

Way 2: Intentionally Using Jump Cuts

While this editing method does serve that purpose, a good jump cut is more of a stylistic choice, and stylistic choices are what make a film stronger as long as they are planned and integrated, rather than thrown together during editing. Of course, the added benefit is that you’ll likely get some advice on other types of cuts you can use in your videos.

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Key Features:

People who wish to learn jump cuts will find this extremely helpful.
Support for 4K editing and GIFs
Effects for camera shaking, noise reduction, and reversing the color
Free to use elements and transitions to make jump cuts look epic.