Limbo Films (Group 16)

Continuity in Film

 

Continuity in film are rules set in place to make sure shots run smoother and go together but also to look natural.

The same scene and lines must be repeated in order to get the perfect shot .Continuity stops films from having mistakes from shooting the same scenes at different times. A film with a higher budget often has better continuity than a lower budget film.

Continuity is also a system of editing, this ensures that in the final cut the scenes flow through and run continually even if shot out of sequence.

Continuity refers to the degree which it is cut to without error and a continuity error is called a blooper.

 

There are three rules for continuity which are 180 degree rule, match on action and shot reverse shot.

 

Shot reverse shot

Shot reverse is when two shots are edited together that alternate characters, typically in a conversation situation. Usually characters in one frame look left, and in the following frame look right. Shot reverse shot may also not be filmed in the correct order but will be edited together afterwards. You must also ensure that the right amount of shots are filmed to make the shot reverse shot sequence work.

 

180 degree line

 The angle between any two consecutive shots should not exceed180 degree in order to maintain spatial relationships between people and objects in any given sequence of shots. This rule is the principle which underpins all TV and film production and is important to not cross the line of vision between two characters as it breaks continuity.

 

Match on action

A cut between two shots that places two different framings of the same action next to each other, making it seem to continue uninterrupted. This creates the impression of a sense of continuity  the action carries through a visual bridge which draws the viewers attention away from the slight cutting or continuity issues.