Perfect continuity?

[Guest Lukeo]

Hi,

 

I realize most of the info on this site is mostly related to achieving a desired visual look, but I was wondering how you guys ensure good continuity for your movies. I realize there is many different kinds of continuity. Light when clouds pass over the sun outside, or clothing changing, or a mis matched action. I'm wondering your methods for getting it near perfect. Do you guys take digital pics at the beginning and ends of shots and store it on a lap top and index them? I'm not sure how many people do that. Or what do you think about "the coverage method" where you shoot a scene front to back many times from different angles? I can't really tell how they do it on every movie. Tell me what you think.

 

Luke O

[Brad Grimmett]

Well, except for lighting, the script supervisor is responsible for continuity. The DP sometimes has to sacrifice continuity because of time (and other) constraints. But honestly, continuity is very rarely perfect. But hopefully the flaws are small enough as to not be noticed by a viewing audience.

[drew_town]

As far as wardrobe is concerned, most productions use Polaroids or digital stills to mark the actors' wardrobe and how they wear it. You just have to be aware of things on set. The easiest way to screw up continuity is to arrive on set unprepared. The continuity mistakes will slip right past everyone if the crew is not focused. You should have a script breakdown, which includes prop lists, wardrobe for the actors, and other useful notes to keep everything in mind and organized. Editors are wonderful (a good one at least) at working with continuity between shots and takes. I agree with grimmett that continuity is seldom perfect, but as long as it doesn't butt heads with the narrative or is obviously distracting, I'm not all that concerned about continuity. Some people get all bet out of shape if something doesn't match up just right. Most of the time I say, ?who cares, that lighting was absolutely beautiful!"

[sandy]

...which is exactly the way it should be!

 

the story isn't told by the way the necklace hangs on to the wrist! i think the 'perfection' of a movie (in the eyes of the makers) is not achieved by 100% continuity but by images and their content if you know what i mean. (god that sounds terribly meditative... <_< )

 

other than that i really think it omes down to good observation, concentration and memory. if everybody keeps an eye on details it'll help!

[David Rinck]

I'm more of an editor (and a student one at that) so please take this with a grain of salt.

 

I think the coverage method can be a good idea, although be careful not to overdo it. If you are working on smaller movies with actors who aren't really being paid sufficiently for their time try not to take the same scene 20 times because the actors performance will become mechanical.

 

Try to make each different angle work... I loved the movie 'The Shining' for this. The carpet, the tapestries on the walls and how they balance Jack Nicholson inside the frame... More than continuity I'd look be striving for purpose and balance.

 

Think about getting reaction shots. Closeups of faces, emotions, etc. These can be great transitional elements. Production value goes a long way, but in the end it's the story that makes or breaks a film of any budget.