The most basic form of editing transition; the last frame of scene one is right before the first frame of scene two. Almost invisible to the viewer, it carries the least meaning in the symbolic language of editing. It's so basic, it's almost never spelled out in a script unless the writer wishes to ensure a director doesn't get fancy and ruin a scene's abrupt nature with a dissolve or wipe. The Hard Cut reflects the human eye's own scene-change mechanism; quick eye movements (saccades) are actually edited out by our brain, leaving the effect of a cut.
As with other types of video editing, timing is absolutely critical. See also Smash Cut for when a cut occurs in the middle of an action and is meant to be jarring.
Contrast Fade In and Fade Out.
