Film continuity

Film continuity

Film continuity is when scenes or shots from films are able to follow on from each other well. Continuity is a set of rules to make a shot go together naturally including framing, camera position, shot size and editing. This also include physical continuity which takes into consideration items such as watches, or different coloured hair whilst filming. If these are not the same during shots, shots can look poorer in quality and more obviously a film giving less emersion in the film.

For example do not shoot from an extreme longshot to a close up, or have a watch in one shot and not in the other unless the actor is shown taking it off.

Shot Reverse Shot
Shot reverse shot is where two shots are clearly edited together so that alternate characters ca be viewed typically during a conversation. In one shot characters will look left and the other look right as if they are facing each other. They may not be filmed directly after each other but are edited to look so.

180° line

Part of continuity is a thing called the 180° rule. This is a type of technical continuity in which the camera cannot pass what is called a line of action. This is typically used when filming a conversation with two people sat across from each other, this line of action allows for shots and reverse shots to allow the audience to see the perspectives and facial expressions of the actors. The camera cannot film the other side  of this 180° line because they look as if the actors have flipped sides thus leading to the audience missing important content or not having the full emersion or escapism of the film.

Match On action
Match on action is when a cut between shots places two frames directly next to each other, This is normally during a motion so the viewer focus's on the movement to make it less likely for the viewer to notice the scene has changed. This creates the sense of immersion through continutiy creating a visual que drawing viewers away form this edit.
Other types of technical continuity includes: Jump cuts, quick movements saving time by missing out and graphical edits in which images stay where they are and do not move unless needed to.