The person doing the job of continuity needs to make a lot of notes. These are of use:
- to yourself and the unit while shooting is taking place, in order to preserve continuity from shot to shot and scene to scene; and
- to the editor, by providing a written log of the shooting.
Scripted and Unscripted
If you are working with a script many of your continuity notes will be written on the script itself, as you will be able to pinpoint actions precisely in relation to the dialogue. You will, in addition, fill in continuity report sheets in order to provide shot-by-shot information. A fresh sheet should be used for every shot. There are various printed sheets available, which vary considerably in design and layout. These can be used when recording either on film or on videotape.
If you are working without a script you will need to provide a detailed shot list. I would use a notebook or larger sheets of ruled paper in order to compile the shot list on location.
How to Organise the Paperwork
When you are standing in a muddy field with the wind wreaking havoc with your notes and the director asks you whether, in Scene 64, the actor has his coat undone or done up, do you – after inwardly cursing – have to get down on your knees and wrestle with several large files in order to find the answer? How, in other words, do you organise the paperwork you carry with you on location in order to make the job as simple as possible?
Most people develop their own systems, after a certain amount of trial and error, and if you have one which works well for you, then don’t consider changing it.
The System I Use
I keep the script in a file in story order. I do not have another version of the script in shooting order as my interest is in the continuity between scenes when the material is finally edited together.
Each day I will extract from this file the pages of the scenes we are about to shoot. I put these on a clipboard, on top of blank continuity sheets which are held down by a rubber band. It becomes very easy, then, to work on the script and make notes on the continuity report sheet by flicking from one to the other.
At the end of the day I will replace the pages of script in the file in story order together with my rough continuity sheets and any relevant photographs. In this way, any query about Scene 64 only means looking in one place in one file.
