Definition
What is a cutaway in video editing?
A cutaway is a shot inserted away from the main action and usually followed by a return to it. It may show an object, a person listening, a detail in the setting, or another relevant action that gives the audience useful context.
Cutaways can carry story information that a master shot cannot. In a tense conversation, a close-up of a character concealing a key may reveal motive; in a documentary interview, a clock, hands at work, or an audience reaction can make the topic more concrete. A reaction shot is often used as a cutaway because it shows how an event lands with someone other than the speaker.
Editors also use cutaways to manage continuity and rhythm. A relevant insert can conceal a shortened pause, an altered line, or a change between takes while keeping the sequence visually motivated. It should still make sense in the scene’s time and space: a random attractive image may hide a cut technically but confuse the story.
Example in the edit
During a meeting scene, the camera leaves the manager delivering bad news for a close-up of an employee quietly turning off their phone, then returns to the manager.
Why editors use it
Well-chosen cutaways add meaning and editorial flexibility. They help editors vary coverage, show reactions and details, and solve continuity problems without making the solution feel like a patch.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Cutaway
Is a cutaway the same as B-roll?
They overlap, but they are not identical. B-roll is broad supplementary footage; a cutaway is specifically an inserted shot away from the main action, often within a continuing scene.
Can a reaction shot be a cutaway?
Yes. Cutting from the speaker to a listener’s response is one of the most common kinds of cutaway in dialogue editing.
Why do editors use cutaways to hide edits?
A cutaway lets the editor remove time or join separate takes while the audience is looking at relevant visual information rather than at a visible discontinuity in the main shot.