When you see multiple cuts between two or more locations that implies a connection between the action taking place in each location, that is a demonstration of the cross-cutting technique.¹

If you want a masterclass in how to effectively use the cross-cutting technique, there’s no better example than the baptism sequence in The Godfather (1972).

Cross-cutting can be simple in nature, such as when you cut back and forth between two people on a phone call. But in many instances, it is used for heightened dramatic effect. One example of this might be showing a person running to a hospital as the story cuts back and forth between them and a loved one receiving life-saving treatment.

Cross-cutting is considered an editing technique because for it to be possible, the Film Editor on a film or television show must actually cut shots or scenes between two or more different locales of action.

That being said, cross-cutting is a technique that can be employed even as early as the development phase of filmmaking. Many Screenwriters script their films and television shows with sequences that include the cross-cutting technique to demonstrate clearly to the Director and other Filmmakers who may onboard a project on how they intend the storytelling to unfold.

Whether or not the Director and other individuals involved in the production and post-production process decide to retain what the Screenwriter has included in the way of cross-cutting is another matter. However, it can at the very least indicate how the story was originally meant to be told.

Would you believe that cross-cutting has been around nearly as long as cinema itself?

The Great Train Robbery (1903) by Edwin S. Porter shows a century-old example of cross-cutting when the train operator gets help as the robbery bandits attempt to escape on horse through the countryside.

The Great Train Robbery (1903) is one of the earliest preserved examples of cross-cutting in cinema.

In this instance, cross-cutting heightens the tension of the story by alerting the audience to a possible future chase and shootout – which does come to pass – between the bandits and locals.

Great question!

Often the terms cross-cutting and parallel editing are used interchangeably, but they denote slightly different cinematic techniques.²

As explained, cross-cutting is an editing technique used to show action taking place in two or more different locations for the sake of storytelling and often heightened drama. However, that action may not take place simultaneously.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

An example of this might be when a person sits at a gravestone while the film cuts back to a memory of that person with someone who has passed away. Obviously, the flashback does not occur at the same time as the cemetery scene; however, the two scenes are shown with cross-cutting to denote the connection between the living person and deceased loved one.

Parallel editing is a form of cross-cutting that specifically shows two or more different actions happening in two or more different locations at the same time. It’s not necessarily incorrect to refer to parallel editing as cross-cutting since the former is a type of the latter, but it’s nonetheless important to understand the difference between the two.

Cross-cutting that occurs in different timelines is not as common as parallel editing or cross-cutting that occurs with simultaneous action, but it does happen.

The sequence of events shown at the end of The Lake House (2006) does not happen in a simultaneous timeline. Rather, it cuts back and forth between a mourning Kate and Alex who decides to heed her instruction so that he can rewrite the future for their happy ending.

The Lake House (2006) is one such film that plays with cross-cutting among different timelines. Given the fact that the story itself is one that explores multiple timelines and the fracturing of linear time, it allows for this play with time and space.

Cross-cutting is not an uncommon editing technique, and many Filmmakers use it to great effect.³ However, in recent cinema, it has become a particularly popular tool used by Director Christopher Nolan and his frequent collaborator and Editor, Lee Smith.

Before diving into some Nolan examples of cross-cutting, it should be noted that this particular Filmmaker tends to have a – if not the sole – screenwriting credit on his movies as well. Why point this out?

Because it means that Nolan has extensive creative control over his projects and likely considers the use of cross-cutting even as early as the script writing phase of his work. And as you can see in the following examples, his use of cross-cutting makes for captivating cinematic sequences.

First up is The Dark Knight (2008), the second film in Nolan’s Batman trilogy.

In this particular scene, the Joker has set up a situation in which Batman has the ability to save only one of two people who are facing otherwise certain death. The first is his former romantic interest, Rachel, and the second is the city’s district attorney, Harvey Dent.

The Dark Knight (2008) begins with a captivating cross-cutting sequence and maintains its tension throughout the entire film with later scenes such as the example above.

Here Nolan raises the tension of the sequence through the use of cross-cutting while also subverting the audience’s expectations in terms of whom Batman ultimately rescues.

Another iconic example of Nolan’s use of cross-cutting occurs in his follow-up to The Dark Knight, Inception (2010). Nolan’s work often explores the boundaries of time and space, and this look into the world of dreams is no exception.

Inception (2010) is a two and a half-hour look at how time and space work, which makes it the perfect vehicle for the use of the cross-cutting technique.

In this scene, Nolan demonstrates what occurs in the dream world of Arthur as Yusuf attempts to escape danger in the actual world. To understand why cross-cutting is such a beneficial technique in this sequence, try to imagine how the same story could be told without it. It would be impossible to have the same impact of showing how one world affects the other without it.

The simple answer is that it all depends. What are you trying to communicate through your film or television show?

As with any cinematic technique, cross-cutting should only be used if it serves the story. As it happens, Nolan is a filmmaker who employs it to visually and thematically advance his projects, which is why the cross-cutting technique tends to elevate his material.

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), cross-cutting is used to demonstrate an intergalactic battle between the forces of good and evil, but it doesn’t always need to be employed for such high stakes.

If it’s not necessary for your type of storytelling, then you don’t need it. But remember, cross-cutting doesn’t have to be on the scale of a Nolan film. As mentioned, it can be used for simpler needs, such as conveying a conversation via telephone. Using cross-cutting for more basic storytelling needs is a valid choice in that kind of instance.

Cross-cutting can be a highly effective editing tool for visual storytellers to use in their work. Regardless of medium or genre, this editing technique can help creatives better convey their stories with heightened tension, connection between plotlines, and overall drama.

Determining if cross-cutting is a tool you should use in your work should always be decided by understanding how best to tell your story. Cross-cutting can certainly be a technique that helps to communicate your narrative better to audiences, and if you believe it will be in your project, a great addition to it.