Editing technique · used in 1 film

Cut Before Impact

Ending a scene or a whole film on the instant before the decisive moment, then cutting away. You never see the outcome, so you have to decide for yourself what happened.

Examples

Where you can see it

  1. The Grey (2011) poster

    The Grey

    Joe Carnahan · 2011

    Ottway tapes broken glass to his hand, and the alpha wolf walks toward him. The film cuts to black as they charge each other. You are left with the fight in your head, which is a different feeling from watching who wins.

    Where to see it: The den: Ottway arms himself with a knife and glass shards and faces the alpha wolf. The scene cuts to black as the two charge each other.

Questions

Quick answers

What is cut before impact in film?
Ending a scene or a whole film on the instant before the decisive moment, then cutting away. You never see the outcome, so you have to decide for yourself what happened.
Which films use cut before impact?
The Grey (2011).
What kind of technique is cut before impact?
It is a editing technique. Related editing techniques include Kinetic Set Piece Architecture, Animation as Emotional Amplifier, Callback Editing.

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