What Is Parallel Editing in Film? — And Why Do Editors Use It?

There are countless ways to edit a film. Sometimes the most direct, most linear approach is best—one scene happens, then the next. But at other times, less common editing techniques can bring a sequence to life. Parallel editing is one such distinctive form that can elevate a film’s texture and use contrast to heighten suspense. So what exactly is parallel editing in movies? And how should it be used?

Definition of Parallel Editing in Film

If you’ve spent any time in post-production, you’ve probably heard the term “parallel editing.” It gets mentioned often, but people aren’t always precise about its definition.

So what does parallel editing actually refer to?

Parallel editing is an editing technique in which two or more different scenes are intercut to suggest that they are happening at the same time. It can also refer to intercutting two or more different lines of action occurring within a longer single scene.

Parallel Editing vs. Cross-Cutting

Does the definition of parallel editing sound familiar? That’s because it’s very similar to cross-cutting, and many people use the two terms interchangeably. In reality, though, there is a difference.

Cross-cutting refers to intercutting multiple scenes, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that these scenes are happening simultaneously. The relationship between cross-cutting and parallel editing is like that between rectangles and squares: all parallel editing is cross-cutting, but not all cross-cutting is parallel editing.

In Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Ethan Hunt and his team face an extremely complex mission. As they discuss how to infiltrate a heavily guarded facility, director Christopher McQuarrie and editor Eddie Hamilton use cross-cutting to show us their plan:

This is cross-cutting rather than parallel editing because the cross-cutting isn’t meant to imply that the two scenes are happening at the same time. In fact, the scene that depicts their plan never actually occurs.

Now let’s look at one of the most important scenes in film history: the Odessa Steps sequence from Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin.

Here, Eisenstein pioneered the use of parallel editing within a single scene. He intercuts the chaos of soldiers massacring the crowd with the intimate drama of a mother mourning her dead child. These two events are happening simultaneously, so this instance of cross-cutting is also an example of parallel editing.

The Odessa Steps sequence is a perfect demonstration of the power of parallel editing. Let’s break down some of its uses.

Why Use Parallel Editing?

First and foremost, parallel editing emphasizes simultaneity. If you simply place two scenes back to back, it’s hard to convey that they’re occurring at the same time.

But beyond this primary purpose, parallel editing has other uses as well.

Interweaving different scenes can build suspense, stretch out the progression of events, and heighten the audience’s sense of anticipation.

Take a scene from The Battle of Algiers, in which the film cuts between three different female rebels carrying bombs.

Here, the parallel narrative greatly amplifies the suspense. We see each woman looking at the clock, underlining the countdown to the explosions. Perhaps more importantly, we see them scanning their surroundings, allowing us to see the victims.

The intercutting of these three lines of action also deepens the film’s exploration of its themes: the tragedy of ordinary people caught in war, the level of commitment required for guerrilla warfare, and the socioeconomic divide between the French and the Algerians.

All the while, we’re holding our breath, waiting for the bombs to go off.

While parallel editing can be used to build suspense and slow the pace, it can also be used to speed things up. This is especially useful in action films, where cutting between multiple scenes can intensify the impact of the action.

Christopher Nolan is a master at using parallel editing to achieve this effect. He loves to fuse different scenes together to create a tight, energetic rhythm. Perhaps the pinnacle of this approach can be seen in Oppenheimer, a dialogue-heavy film that nonetheless feels like an action movie thanks to its almost constant use of cross-cutting and parallel editing.

Parallel editing is also excellent for juxtaposition and contrast. This approach forces the audience to compare and contrast the multiple scenes presented to them.

The baptism sequence in The Godfather is the most frequently cited example of this kind of parallel editing:

The juxtaposition here reveals Michael’s inner conflict and can also be read as a critique of the hypocrisy embedded in organized religion.

Now that we understand the purposes of parallel editing, let’s look at some more striking examples.

Examples of Parallel Editing

Once you start paying attention, you’ll notice parallel editing everywhere. Here are a few films that use parallel editing for exactly the reasons we’ve discussed.

Jonathan Demme uses parallel editing masterfully in the climactic finale of his groundbreaking thriller to create exceptional suspense. At the same time, it delivers a surprising twist—we think the heavily armed SWAT team is about to catch the serial killer, but it turns out to be Clarice.

Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper is full of nerve-racking scenes, but perhaps none is more gut-wrenching than the opening. Eastwood uses parallel editing to construct an impossible moral dilemma for Chris Kyle and to set the tone for the brutality of the rest of the film.

We’ve already mentioned Nolan’s fondness for this technique, but we have to single out this sequence from Inception. It perfectly captures the essence of Nolan’s parallel editing. The intercut scenes are directly tied by cause and effect. Every time the van moves, we feel a surge of tension because we know it makes the dream world more dangerous.