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How to Do the Swish Turn Camera Effect

In films or television, every now and then you will see what is called a swish-turn, or a whoosh effect, where the camera quickly pans around from Shot A and ends up in Shot B. Usually used in flashbacks, when done correctly it offers a tremendous transition into another scene. Best part is, it can be very easy to perform. Read on to learn how.

Instructions

    • 1

      Storyboard everything first to see the end result in action prior to filming.

    • 2

      Start with the characters in Location A, going through their lines.

    • 3

      At the appropriate cue, whip the camera around. On its own, the shot will whip and become very blurry.

    • 4

      In Location B, set the characters up at their appropriate marks. Place the camera where it needs to be based on the storyboards.

    • 5

      On Action! whip the camera INTO the shot this time, ending with the characters in frame. This is tougher than the initial whip, since you need to stop perfectly.

    • 6

      When editing, fade the whips into each other. Upon playing it back you should see a seamless whip from Location A to B, where the action is blurred in the second it takes to transition.

    • 7

      Add a whoosh-type sound effect to really create the sense of traveling.

Film Production

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