When video and audio are cut at the same time, the edit is usually more noticeable. Split
edits help to “soften” edits by creating continuous audio beneath video edit points.

Learning About Split Edits

Final Cut Pro allows you to set separate video and audio In and Out points. These edits
are known as split edits. Split edits are useful for conversation scenes, where the video
and audio of two actors overlap. You can also use split edits to introduce the sound of a
new scene before cutting to the video.

For example: You are editing a sequence in which a man and a woman are talking to
each other. It’s common during a conversation scene to cut to the video of one person
listening while the audio from the other person continues. You use a split edit to achieve
this effect. This is how you would achieve the effect:

• Cut to the video and audio of the man talking.

• In the middle of the man talking, overwrite the video of the man talking with the video

of the woman listening, while the audio of the man talking continues.

• Once the man finishes talking, cut to the audio of the woman, now talking.

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Split Edits