Screen Direction & Exit/Entrance

Screen direction & exit/entrance

Watch as an animation →

In plain words

A subject moving from left to right keeps moving the same way in the next cut, so the sense of space holds.

When to use it

When the movement of a plane, car or person continues across several cuts, or when an object leaves the frame.

Example videos

Not only the 180 degree rule is important in filmmaking... (SCREEN DIRECTION) — Explainer: See why a character must keep moving in the same direction even when the cut changes.
Screen direction — Explainer: See how to match the direction of movement from shot to shot.
6 Match Cut Transitions You NEED to Know! — Explainer: See a direction-matched match cut in just a few seconds.

In AI video, like this

In every moving cut, lock in "moves from left to right". An object that left the frame should enter from the opposite edge in the next cut (if it exits at the bottom, it enters from the top). If a cut has the wrong direction and has no text in it, use hflip.

One-click prompt

Three-shot sequence, a red delivery scooter always travels right to left across the frame: Shot 1, wide, the scooter exits at the left edge; Shot 2, medium, it enters from the right edge and keeps moving left; Shot 3, close-up of the scooter rolling toward the left. Same sunny city street and speed, 2 seconds each.

See it in real films and ads

Manuel Mandis — Not only the 180 degree rule is important (SCREEN DIRECTION)

AI-made examples

Not verified

Recommended for scenes like these

Techniques that pair well

← Zoom TransitionMotion Match →