For some reason, people often get confused about the necessity for continuity when recording onto videotape. The past legacy of videotape being thought of solely in terms of a multi-camera studio-based facility remains.
But videotape has, over the past fifteen years, changed enormously. The advent of videotape in cassette form has made a far more mobile and flexible resource than the studio or outside broadcast operation to which it was previously confined. Cameras have become smaller and lighter and receptive to far lower levels of lighting than film with little sacrifice of quality. Sony refer to their Digital Betacam camcorder as an instrument of Digital Cinematography. The greatest changes have taken place in the area of videotape editing which, from very primitive beginnings, has progressed to the stage where, for example, most TV commercials, shot on film, are immediately transferred to videotape or even to computer disc, and then edited digitally.
All this means that there is no hindrance to the flexibility of shooting on videotape using the film-style technique of single-camera, out of sequence shooting. However, once a film-style technique is adopted, the need for continuity is there, and the PA should be quite clear about her role.
Scripted
If the material is scripted then the role of continuity is just as important as if shooting on film. Sometimes a slate board will be used, not so much as a means of identification but rather as a discipline to alert the unit that recording is about to commence.
Timecode
The shot is identified by means of the ‘in’ point of timecode, and this must be noted either on a continuity sheet or a shot list. Timecode is a method of identifying each video by means of numbers broken down into hours, minutes, seconds and frames. Each frame always keeps its original identity, known as the timecode address. The timecode recorded onto the tape can either show the tape running time or the actual time of day.
Unscripted
If the material is unscripted then the role of continuity remains the same as for the same type of programmes shot on film. The shot list becomes additionally important, as tape is cheap in comparison to film and directors and camera operators will not stint themselves in the amount they shoot.
Timecode Logging
Timecode shown in hours, minutes and seconds.