The more things move, the more important it is to match the cut. This is true for both dramatic and non-fiction editing. Aligning the edit of moving things is called “cutting on the action.”

For example, to the right we have a wide and a close-up shot of a lab technician setting down a sample. Both shots cover the entire action. Watch them both. At what point should you make the cut? By now you know that you must cut at the same point in the movement (matched action) but should you make the cut 1) before 2) during, or 3) after she sets the sample down?

Look at both shots again. Then decide where you would place the edit. Go to the next page to see the best answer.