Match On Action

Match on Action is simple but an effective, essential technique when creating a piece of film work.
The perspective of the camera changes during an action but the action still continues to flow.

• Here the audience see a girl walk up to the book case and pick out the book she wishes to read. This is shot in medium and the action is picking up book.

• The shot is still at the same distance (medium shot), the audience see the same part of the girls body and her body movements as she opens the book and picks the pages she wishes to read.

 

• The camera has moved closer to the object (Close Up).
• The audience are now closer to the action (flicking through the pages in the book).
•  The switch between shot sizes and distances demonstrates the match on action, as there is a constant flow throughout the scene but there is a close up on the action that is being matched in the shot above.
• As well as demonstrating the strong continuity of action and linking the two shots metaphorically, this also highlights and emphasises what the girl is reading; this can influence what is going to happen in the rest of the scene and gives the audience an insight into what could happen.
• The match on action therefore is used for different purposes.