When you’re trying to make home movies look compelling, one of the most important components has nothing to do with image motion. It’s the audio track that ties everything together creating a seamless experience, leading the viewer through the story while letting their imagination fill in the gaps. One slick trick for piecing together movie clips is the J-cut. You’ve seen this on television in almost every primetime show ever aired. Take CSI (any of the 50 variations) for example. The investigators leave the crime scene telling you they are headed back to the office as the camera cuts to the exterior of the building. You hear them talking, as if from inside, relaying information about the crime scene to other people on the case. You never see how the investigators get from crime scene to HQ, because you don’t see them drive, take the bus or anything else, but you know they left and you know they arrived. This background talking with the headquarters exterior on screen is the J-cut. When the visual scene changes again, the dialog will continue with an interior shot from the office. You may not be shooting a crime drama with your DV cam, but you can still add J-cut scene changes to your video projects for maximum continuity. Learn how to make a J-cut using Windows Movie Maker.