cutting-rhythm
Installation
SKILL.md
Cutting rhythm — why an accurate edit still feels wrong
Frame-accurate cuts in the right places still watch badly if the timing is wrong. Three levers do almost all the work, and they map onto three concrete things you can set:
| Symptom | Lever | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Choppy, abrupt, "every cut is a slam" | split edits — move the sound edit off the picture edit | audio_lead per clip |
| Draggy, dead, lots of air | pause length — collapse gaps to a beat | tighten command |
| Monotone, mechanical, nothing lands | shot length — vary the holds, accelerate to the climax | clip durations |
Run edl --report on any cut list and it will tell you which of the three you're missing.
1. Split edits (J/L cuts) — the single biggest flow win
A cut where picture and sound change on the same frame is a butt cut. It announces itself. Real edits stagger the two so the viewer's ear carries them across the visual change and the cut disappears.