What are cross-cuts and parallel sequences?
Hello Everyone,
It’s Josh here from Loveridge Digital, this week on “Getting into it with Loveridge Digital” we are going to cover cross-cutting and parallel sequences.
Sometimes when you are conceptualizing your next project you hit a bit of a roadblock, You would ideally like to tell multiple stories or timelines within one video as its strengthens the vision and goal of the piece and provides more context for the viewer, In this situation cross-cutting is used, By definition crossing cutting is when a scene jumps to a separate character to illustrate moments that take place simultaneously within the narrative structure of the piece mostly to show similarities & differences while building anticipation and tension. An example of cross-cutting would be an advertisement where it shows a thief & shopkeepers perspective together in the one sequence so starting out we would be in the thief’s perspective walking into the shop and browsing for their next target, We then would jump to the perspective of the shopkeeper who could be out the back of the shop doing some administrative work, This parallel sequence would continue for the rest of the piece allowing you as the storyteller to further provide context into the message you are trying to convey, Feature films such as inception or rocky are famous for their utilization of cross-cuts and parallel sequences as it builds scale and anticipation within the piece, it allows the viewer to become enthralled and excited waiting for the big payoff at the end building that positive tension that has enraptured us all at some point.
Cross-Cutting is used quite sparingly within marketing videos as it can be quite risky, When done correctly you will completely immerse your viewer and you will make them much more receptive to your brands message, where on the other hand if the parallel sequence doesn’t make sense or is confusing your viewer will completely disengage and come away from your video not only bewildered but confused.
This is the main reason why you should hire a professional production company if you are thinking of using a cross-cut within your video otherwise you risk doing more harm than good. A professional production company such as ours will guide you through the process not only ensuring that your video will flow and make sense from a narrative perspective but will also be visually enthralling for your customers.
Thank you very much for taking the time to watch the video, I hope you found it informative and engaging, until next time.
Thank you very much for taking the time to watch the video, I hope you found it informative and engaging, until next time.
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