Ripple Dissolve

The outgoing shot is blurred out of focus and the next shot is pulled into focus, hinting at dreams or time passing.

This is for a motion graphics video. Join two shots in [scene] with a "Defocus Transition" (also called a defocus or blur transition): the outgoing shot drifts out of focus until it is a soft blur, and the next shot is pulled into focus out of that blur.
Swap the shots while the picture is at its softest so the change itself is never seen sharp — unlike a dissolve, the two pictures do not overlap in focus, and unlike a dip to black the screen never goes to a solid color.
Run the transition over [duration], blurring out and focusing in at the same gentle pace.

The picture wavers as if seen through hot air or water because pixels are pushed around by a moving noise map.

This is for a motion graphics video. Add a "Displacement Distortion" (also called heat haze, heat shimmer or turbulent displacement) to [scene]: make the picture waver as if seen through hot air, by pushing its pixels around with a noise map that keeps drifting.
Everything stays where it is and only bends and wobbles softly in place; the shot does not change, which is what separates it from a ripple dissolve.
Keep it shimmering for [duration], with the noise rising slowly so the wobble never repeats or freezes.

The incoming shot slides over the outgoing one while the old shot stays put.

This is for a motion graphics video. Join two shots in [scene] with a "Slide" (also called a band slide): the incoming shot slides in from one edge and covers the outgoing one.
Keep the outgoing shot where it is while it gets covered — unlike a push, it is not shoved out of the frame.
Run the transition over [duration], and ease it in and out so the new shot settles instead of stopping dead.

An abrupt cut from one scene to a sharply contrasting one with no lead-in, used for shock or a punchline.

This is for a motion graphics video. Join two shots in [scene] with a "Smash Cut" (also called a Gilligan cut or bicycle cut): cut abruptly from a quiet shot to a sharply contrasting one.
Give no lead-in — hold the calm shot, then land in the middle of loud, fast action with no fade or build-up; unlike a plain hard cut, the jolt is the point.
Fit both shots into [duration], and let the quiet shot run a little longer than feels comfortable before the cut.

A growing or shrinking star-shaped mask carries the next shot in.

This is for a motion graphics video. Join two shots in [scene] with a "Star Wipe" (also called a shape wipe, or a heart wipe when the shape is a heart): a star-shaped opening grows from the middle of the frame and brings the next shot in through it.
Keep the edge of the star crisp and both shots still, and let the shape grow until it clears every corner — unlike an iris wipe, the opening is a recognizable shape rather than a circle.
Run the transition over [duration], starting slowly so the shape reads before it fills the frame.