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How to be a successful Continuity writer
in Nigeria
Continuity is the principle of making sure that all details in a
film or TV show are consistent from shot to shot and from scene
to scene. If a scene upholds the standards of continuity, each
shot feels as though it seamlessly flows from the previous shot,
reinforcing a sense of realism in the story. In reality,
however, each shot may have been taken at a different time and
in a completely different order. For instance, if at the
beginning of a scene an actor picks up a glass with their right
hand, continuity dictates that they should be holding that glass
with their right hand throughout the scene.
Learning how to maintain continuity in film is incredibly
important for filmmakers to understand. But the sheer amount of
attention to detail that is required in order to achieve
continuity can be incredibly difficult to follow. If you’re new
to filmmaking, you may not even know what it means. And you
might even be wondering, “What is continuity in film?” If this
sounds like you? Then you certainly won’t know how to point out
continuity errors. Or the potential mishaps that are likely to
take place as a film makes its way through production and
post-production editing.
Continuity in film represents a unique process. In which the
filmmaker, and the editor, work together. To ensure that when
the various components of a film are organized they tell a
cohesive story. Maintaining consistent continuity in film helps
the audience to stay connected to the reality of the video and
can be used to further establish the narrative. Continuity
represents the focus on making sure that each shot matches. So
that, when the editor goes to finalize the footage, everything
aligns.
During production, the continuity is monitored to ensure
details. Such as how an actor holds a cup, where they stand,
where they look. Or even what they’re wearing. And how their
makeup looks is identical. Even if multiple takes are required
or if a scene must be reshot later on.
Shooting for film and TV show can be chaotic. The sheer amount
of details—from camera settings to props—that go into filming
each individual scene can be difficult to keep track of, and
this can cause problems with an important aspect of storytelling
called continuity. Continuity errors are one of the most common
movie mistakes, and they can occur in everything from
small-budget indie TV shows to high-production Hollywood films.
Filmmakers use several methods of continuity to help avoid
errors. The simplest continuity errors, such as how full a glass
is or what a character is wearing can be avoided by simply
capturing a shot of the scene for recreation later on.
However, things like where the actor is looking, how they stand,
or their exact position on the set are more difficult to
recreate, and this is incredibly important from scene to scene.
So, while we’ve answered the question, “What is continuity in
film?” let’s take a look at the most common methods of avoiding
continuity errors in film which are:
4 Tips for Maintaining Continuity During Production
With so many days of filming and so many details in every shot,
it can become extremely difficult to maintain continuity on a
set. Here are a few tips:
1. Take photos. The best way to be sure of even the smallest
details of a shoot stay consistent is to take photos. Photos
help you track details you wouldn’t think to take note of
otherwise, and they make it significantly easier to set up props
the same way between takes. These shots don’t need to be taken
on a DSLR camera—filmmakers have used simple digital cameras or
even polaroids to keep track of continuity.
2. Maintain detailed continuity reports. Continuity reports are
detailed records of each day’s shoot, including camera settings,
screen direction, weather, props, and any possible deviations
from the script. Continuity reports are a great way to ensure
that everything—even the sound quality—is consistent from shot
to shot.
3. Keep your shooting days close together. The more time that
elapses between shoots, the more room there is for filmmakers to
forget the details of each scene—or worse, the higher the
possibility that shooting locations will undergo significant
changes, like transitioning from summer to fall. Where possible,
a short period of time between shots can help ensure that crew
members remember each scene’s details and can minimize the
possibility of weather changes or other location variations.
4. Hire a script supervisor. Continuity is a huge responsibility
on set, and with so much other work that needs to be done,
maintaining continuity can quickly get overwhelming for crew
members with other jobs. That’s why most film and TV crews
include a script supervisor, whose sole responsibility is
ensuring continuity between shots and scenes.
The micro budget or full budget film maker should have a really
good continuity person on their film set who watches continuity
like a hawk. They should observe actor continuity, prop
continuity and costume continuity. The continuity person should
take photographs of the whole set and the actors costumes. If
all of this is observed properly, you will have a film that you
can cut in the edit suite later. This also ensures that the
editor has maximum cutting choices in the edit.
If you are very keen to learn this in practice in a hands on
environment on a real film set, then get our practical training
guide on Continuity writing. Our team of Video Production
Professionals are available to provide high quality practical
training on Continuity writing
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