Lesson 9 | Identify the Structure
Follow the Transitions
Among classic film enthusiasts, the following clip form Lawrence of Arabia contains one of the greatest cuts from one scene to another in the history of filmmaking.
Here’s another enjoyable scene cut from National Treasure: Book of Secrets.
And this one is simply a well timed transition…
Film directors and editors use transitions like these and even shifts from one camera angle to another to direct your attention where they want it. The transitions themselves become significant components of the film, connecting the individual pieces into a unified whole. In short, transitions establish structure; and structure delivers the message. And as with movies, so it is with written texts.
This lesson focuses on discerning the structure of a passage by identifying the transitional markers—those elements an author will use to direct your attention as he conveys his message.
Lesson Objectives
To learn how to identify transitional markers
To see how those markers direct your attention to key details
To discover how to use the Markup module’s Transitions lens