How professional video editors approach every edit using nodal cuts

How do professional video editors approach every edit?

Professional video editors use nodal editing instead of match-on-action cuts. This technique gives editors complete control over timing by keeping each action contained within its own shot, allowing cuts based on emotion and rhythm rather than predetermined action points.

The problem with match-on-action cuts

When you think of making an edit, matching on action might be your first instinct. I've been a professional editor for over 20 years, and while match-on-action isn't wrong, it's rarely my first choice.

Let me show you what I mean using examples from a short film I edited called Treasure Imagination. In one sequence, we see a boy's reflection, he senses something in his satchel, pulls out a golden idol, and lifts it to his face. The second and third shots create a match-on-action cut — he pulls the idol from his bag in the wide shot, then finishes lifting it to his face in the close-up.

Walter Murch explains that matching on action originated with early filmmakers who weren't sure if cuts would work at all. They used it to hide cuts by drawing the viewer's eye through the action, disguising the edit.

My main issue with match-on-action cuts is they dictate the timing of the cut. Here's what I mean: in another scene, a mom takes away her son's iPad, and the boy crosses his arms in defiance. If I match on action, I wait for the boy to begin crossing his arms in the wide shot, then cut to finish the action in the single.

But when I stack these two versions together, you see the limitation. With match-on-action, my only editorial options are changing where I cut mid-action — earlier or later in the arm movement. That's it.

Practice thinking like a professional editor with these proven techniques that help you make instinctive editorial decisions.

A different way: nodal editing

With nodal editing, each shot contains its own distinct action. The mom grabs the iPad — that's one complete node. Then we cut to the boy, who crosses his arms — that's the second complete node.

This gives me incredible editorial flexibility. Once the mom grabs the iPad, I can cut to the single on any frame that feels right based on context, emotion, story, and rhythm. Even entering the single, I have tons of options. I chose to see the boy get mad right before he lifts his arms.

Walter Murch calls this nodal editing — nodal meaning parts or pieces. You're placing shots in sequence and controlling exactly when to cut to the next shot. You're not relying on the action to dictate your timing.

When the cut feels inevitable

Murch says you should cut when the next action feels inevitable. That's what I keep in mind when editing this way. In the match-on-action version, the cut to the boy happens too late. Given the emotion, story, and rhythm of the scene, it felt inevitable to cut earlier.

Let me show another example. The boy looks over, looks down, then looks at his mom wondering "Whose hat is this?" In the nodal version, the first node is the boy looking up and down. The second node is him looking over and picking up the hat.

Compare that to matching on action: the boy looks over, looks down, starts turning his head, and finishes in the wide shot. The nodal version gives me the editorial flexibility to choose exactly when that cut feels inevitable.

When to use match-on-action cuts

Don't throw out match-on-action completely — it's still an effective technique in specific scenarios.

Use it when you want to draw the viewer's eye to something important. In that opening sequence with the golden idol, I matched on action specifically to keep attention locked on this object that plays a major role in the story.

Match-on-action also works beautifully in chaotic scenes like fights. When there's a lot happening, connecting shots through action helps viewers understand what's going on quickly.

The issue is that since editors learn match-on-action as one of their first cuts, they go to it too often. Professional video editors think differently about timing and emotional impact in every decision they make.

How to practice nodal editing

The challenge with nodal editing is you're now responsible for where to cut out of the first shot and where to cut into the second. This takes practice to develop intuition, but Walter Murch taught me a great exercise.

Watch a shot play out in your program monitor with your thumb over the spacebar. Stop when your gut tells you to cut to the next shot. I tried this with the hat-picking shot and stopped at frame 1103. Then I tried again — 1104. I was only one frame different.

Keep doing this until you consistently land on the same frame. It's a powerful way to practice using gut instinct on where to cut.

This nodal approach gives you complete editorial control over timing, emotion, and rhythm. Instead of letting action dictate your cuts, you're making choices based on what the story needs. That's how professional video editors approach sound in every shot — thinking beyond technical execution to emotional impact.

Master this technique and you'll have the editorial flexibility that separates professional editors from those still learning the craft. Discover the complete professional editing system that transforms your approach to every cut, sound choice, and storytelling decision.