Using three different portrait shots in this tutorial, I’ll teach you the basics of using a match cut sequence in your video.
In this tutorial, I’ll be using these portrait shots to create a sequence I like to call a “Triple Face Match Cut.”
It’s All about Thinking Ahead!
The effectiveness of match cuts depends on the filming process. In the example in my video, I used the crosshairs on my screen to make sure each shot lined up accurately. The key to this method is to line up your subjects as close to each other as possible. For example, when I captured these three portrait shots, I made sure the nose of each person lined up with the center crosshairs on my monitor. That way, when the viewer is watching the match cut sequence, their eyes stay centered and don’t bounce back and forth through the frame. The more aligned your match cuts are, the less disorienting they will be to the viewer.
Cutting the Match Cuts
After you’ve captured your shot sequence, it’s time to take it into the editor!
For my Tripple Face Match Cut sequence, I layered the second shot on top of the first and third in my timeline. This is to tweak the framing and make the alignment more accurate. I lowered the opacity and aligned the eyes of the first and third portrait shot to the second, using that shot as my guide. Once the eyes matched up, I raised the opacity on the second clip and had a perfectly aligned match cut sequence.
You can use this method for all kinds of different cuts, in all types of edits. Try it with faces, buildings, objects, and even sounds!
Interested in the track we used to make this video?
- “Typewriter” by Wolves