Continuity in film

Continuity: Is a system of rules set in place to make sure a series of shots look natural and go together. This stops films from having mistakes from shooting the scenes at different times. These mistakes could be as simple as holding an object in the other hand. Continuity is a system of editing that ensures that in the final cut the scenes run continuously this is to give the viewer the impression the action is unfolding consistently where in actual fact it has been edited to look that way but shot out of sequence. Continuity refers to the degree which it is cut to without error. A continuity error is known as a blooper.

Match on action- Is cutting when there's action. Match on action is where two different views of the same action are cut together e.g. a conversation filmed over the shoulder. This makes the viewer believe the action runs without being interrupted.

Jump cuts- Cutting out parts that are boring to make it more entertaining this is done by cutting out parts of the film this makes the film more interesting for the viewers. Jump cuts also help shorten the footage and show the passage of time in some cases.

180 degree rule- Is that two characters in a scene should always been on the same left/right of each other. You must stay on either the left or the right and not change as this can cause disorientation for the audience. The 180 degree rule is often used in conversations but cannot be broken however you can do shot reverse shot to switch from person to person during the conversation.

Shot-reverse-shot: In a conversation the camera flips from person to person from the same side of the line. When using shot-reverse-shot you shouldn't zoom as the eyes do not zoom so it can cause the audience to be uncomfortable. Shot-reverse-shot is often used to show reactions during a conversation.