Match on Action

Match on Action

Match on action is a continuity technique that allows the viewer to see the same movement/action in two different angles, in a way that flows and is uninterrupted, to stop the viewer from losing any time. This usually includes an action starting in one shot, and finishing in the next. Common examples include somebody reaching for a door knob, and then a cut to the hand clutching the door knob, and then a last shot of the man walking through the door.walking through it.

This creates an illusion of continuity and gives the viewer more information, as it would be ineffective if each action was one shot at one distance. It also stops the viewer from having to watch the same clip several times to get the necessary information from the scene, as this interrupts the flow of action and the story. It creates a visual bridge that connects the scene seemlessly.

It also is a way to mask the cut that are made when editing, as the cuts also follow the flow of the movement, so the viewer doesn't notice it changing the distance/angle of the camera, which makes the whole scene flow smoother. You wouldn't get a match on action with a wipe, dissolve or fade.

This shouldn't be confused with the 'Graphic Match', which is when a shape or an image is a transition into the next scene to signify a motif.It also associated with the eyeline match, as it can finish the action of a character looking at an object, with a shot of a character turning their head, followed by a shot of what the character is looking at.