Real World Digital Video, Second Edition

Calling for Quiet Between Takes

Sometimes the material you get between takes can be very useful, particularly for reaction shots, which is why you'd be wise to keep the camera rolling after you say, “Cut.” After all, tape is cheap.

For example, you might get footage of an actor shifting his weight from one foot to the other, with an impatient expression on his face as he waits for the director to call the next take. But cut this footage into the scene of an argument with his wife, and the same offhand gesture becomes a powerful reaction, conveying disapproval and disgust. What's more, since the expression is natural and understated, it may work better than any of the actor's “acting.”

To maximize the possibility of using such between-the-shots ...