Cut that deliberately breaks spatial or temporal continuity — jump in space, action, or logic. May be stylistic or a production error.
You cut two shots together and suddenly the actress is sitting on the left side of the sofa — a second later, she's on the right. Or the coffee in the glass was half full just a moment ago. This is Faux Raccord (False Cut Continuity), and it's one of the most persistent adversaries in the editing suite — both as an unwanted production error and as a deliberate stylistic weapon.
In classical narrative cinema, it's poison: the viewer shouldn't see the illusion of a seamless world interrupted. That's why attention is paid to axis of action jumps, eyelines, object positions, and costume details between shots. A cut across the imaginary line, a hand that's suddenly elsewhere, a drink that magically refills — and the narrative logic breaks. During the script process and filming, set photographs and continuity reports are responsible for documenting and avoiding such breaks. In editing, you have your last chance to recognize them and resolve them differently — or to accept them and cut anyway.
But here's where it gets interesting: filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard or the Nouvelle Vague intentionally used Faux Raccord to expose the artificiality of cinema, to create tension, or simply because they found the perfection of classical editing too sterile. A jump cut over an uncomfortable second can build psychological tension. A spatial jump without explanation can signal confusion or a dream. Modern series and commercials regularly play with this break — not to conceal errors, but to create rhythm.
In practice: If you realize you have a continuity error, first ask yourself if an additional cut (an insert, a cut-away) solves the problem. Often, half a second of different material is enough to make the jump invisible. Sometimes, however, you'll recognize during editing that the error has an atmospheric effect — then leave it to the director's cut and document it. Faux Raccord doesn't happen well by accident — it requires awareness, intention, and the right material.