J-Cuts & L-Cuts: What They Are and How to Use Them in Filmmaking

Continuing our breakdowns of editing practice and theory, we’re looking at the J-cut and L-cut today. These incredibly effective edits help smooth out abrupt scene transitions, enhance emotional engagement with your audience, and allow for natural-sounding dialogue.

What are J- and L-cuts?

These two cuts get their name specifically for how they visually appear on your editing timeline. For example, as seen in the still below, an L-cut is named as such because the audio from Sequence A continues into Sequence B. Even though we may be in a new location with new characters, we can still hear the audio from the previous scene. As outlined by the yellow “L,” the edit joint creates an ‘L’ shape.

As you might have guessed, a J-cut is the opposite. The audio from the following sequence begins before the visuals from Sequence B appear on screen, giving us an auditory preview of what is coming next.

So, what do these two edits achieve?

As an aspiring editor, we've got some bad news for you: The goal is to become invisible. If the audience doesn’t realize why you're continuously cutting between angles and cameras, you've done your job. In other words, the less people notice your work, the better job you've done.

But sometimes, staying invisible is difficult, given the contrast between scenes or the inherent juxtaposition in nature. The stark difference between the two scenes can be jarring and draw attention to itself. For example, cutting from an idyllic, green meadow in western New York to the stormy battlefronts of Normandy in 1944 could create an abrupt shift that breaks immersion.

We can see this concept play out thematically and visually in the 2007 trailer for “Halo 3.”

The trailer begins with a young boy and girl lying in a field at night, illuminated by starlight. Then, in an instant, it abruptly transitions to a war-torn battlefield in daylight, with explosions and laser weapons firing in the distance.

Visually, this jarring juxtaposition could snap the audience out of the experience.
But it doesn’t.

Why? Because of the J-cut. The subsequent audio comes in before the shot cuts to the daytime scene, making the transition seamless and natural. The audience is eased into the shift, and the auditory bridge of the J-cut helps maintain immersion, making the abrupt visual contrast feel intentional rather than disorienting.

J-cuts are particularly useful for this in montage sequences. They can seamlessly connect shots, helping maintain flow in a mismatch of jumbled sequences. This is why so many montage sequences usually feature music instead. A fantastic example is the training sequence from “Batman Begins."

Notice how the dialogue from Ra's Al Ghul helps promote the notion of constant flow throughout this sequence? That’s because his dialogue from the succeeding shot often comes in before the shot on screen has finished, and the sound effects follow through to the next shot through an L-cut.  

As L-cuts bring in audio from the preceding shot or scene, they function slightly differently. Instead, they often help introduce subtext and carry an element over from the previous scene, almost like leaving a distant echo.  This technique is often used in dramas, where the emotional impact of a scene extends beyond the cut.

For example, imagine a detective flipping through case files at his desk when the final piece of the puzzle snaps into place. He mutters the name of the suspect he’s never been able to catch and then yells their name, his wife’s name. We then cut to his wife, waiting for a train to escape the country, but throughout the station, we hear the echo of the detective’s yell. This overlap maintains narrative momentum, linking the two moments without a hard audio break.

However, as we noted in our guide to film cuts, an L-cut can also blend dialogue between shots within the same sequence. It doesn't always have to be used between separate scenes.

They are instrumental in standard dialogue sequences, helping the conversation sound natural and allowing the edit to flow organically.

When we speak, it’s rare for one person to talk without some level of interruption or overlap from the other. The same principle applies to editing. The conversation can feel robotic and unnatural if your dialogue starts and stops precisely with each cut between speakers.

Sometimes, focusing on a character’s reaction is more effective than just showing the person speaking. This is where J-cuts and L-cuts become essential, seamlessly tying the dialogue to the mirroring shot and enhancing the emotional connection between characters. As seen in this example from “Inception”, especially at the moment when Cobb is speaking to Ariadne at the café, the scene is filled with L-cuts and also a few J-cuts to keep the conversation feeling natural.

Applying J and L-cuts 

So, how do you set up your video and audio to execute J-cuts and L-cuts?

Even if you already plan to use these edits, which you should, since preparation in filmmaking equals success, you should first ensure that all of your sequences, especially dialogue sequences within the same scene, are correctly synced to their respective video tracks.  

From there, start by making a rough edit and placing the media clips where they belong. Even if the transitions feel abrupt at this stage, this step helps establish a solid foundation.

Once that’s in place, you can begin adjusting, extending Clip A’s audio, or bringing in Clip B’s audio earlier to create your J-cut or L-cut. By working this way, you streamline your workflow and ensure all the puzzle pieces are in place before fine-tuning the edit. This approach also helps you spot any potential gaps or inconsistencies early, allowing you to address them before they become more significant issues in the final cut.

If you’re looking to dive deeper into my editing theory and practice, our film school blog section has a host of different editing articles ready for you.