Single

What this is about

When emotion peaks, editors cut to singles: no shoulder, no distraction, one face carrying the scene. Crews distinguish clean singles — no trace of the partner in frame — from dirty singles, where an out-of-focus shoulder edge keeps the connection. The choice is a directing decision made in the shot list, not an accident of framing. Singles are also scheduling currency: they are shot in runs per character, and the partner delivers off-camera lines from beside the lens.

A term only helps when everyone on set means the same thing by it — so what follows is how it is used, not a dictionary definition.

What runs differently here

Where this differs from the general case:

• Clean single: partner fully out of frame. Dirty single: a shoulder edge stays in.
• Matching singles need mirrored size, height and lens, or the intercut feels wrong.
• Off-camera dialogue quality matters: the on-screen face reacts to it in every take.

With TillyGen

TillyGen's dialogue coverage drafts paired singles per speaking role, sized to mirror each other in the shot list.

Change one constraint and the consequences travel through the whole plan: affected shots are flagged, the call sheet is regenerated, and nobody keeps working from yesterday's version.