Avoid Being Sidetracked
Never be sidetracked into doing anything else when shooting is in progress. Your job is to be where the action is, literally. Continuity implicitly requires you to be there and give your constant attention all the time. This does not apply in the feature film industry where the job is clearly defined, but in television you must be clear about your role.
Never leave the set and always try to be in a position where you can clearly see all the action. This is usually possible even if it means crouching under the camera.
Continuity is your Responsibility
You will find during your first day that everyone knows about continuity. The camera operator says the glass was filled to the brim and positioned on the table. The standby props insists that the glass was only half full and positioned on the other side of the table. The third asserts that he left the glass empty on the sideboard and the first assistant swears that there was no glass at all. You know that the glass was actually full and in the actor’s hand at the relevant moment. (The actor, by the way, remains uncommitted.)
That kind of situation must be stopped before long and involved discussions take place. That is not to imply in any way that no one other than you can be correct about points of continuity. But you are in the unique position of having nothing to do other than watch the action, and if you cannot be more accurate than, say, the third, who might have spent the greater part of the shot stuck behind a bush waiting to give an artist his cue, then you really should not be doing the job.
So do not be perturbed when well-meaning members of the crew come up to you and say, ‘Didn’t you notice that Fanny’s wig was askew during that take?’ so long as you know that a close-up of Fanny’s left foot was being shot.
Continuity is your responsibility. Don’t ever be sidetracked when shooting is taking place.
Always try to be in a position where you can see all the action even if it means crouching under the camera.