Motion media should present an event in a continuous, smooth, logical and coherent manner. When this goal is reached, the film has good continuity. Continuity plays a major role in the success or failure of a project. Without good continuity, a motion video would be nothing more than a jumbled mass of unrelated still-pictures. On the other hand, good continuity in a film encourages the audience to become absorbed in the film. Continuity then is the smooth flow of action or events from one shot or sequence to the next. Continuity is the correlation of details such as props, lighting, sound level, image placement, and direction of movement across the screen between successive shots of the same piece of action.

The shooting of all motion media should be based on a shooting plan. This plan may be as simple as a few scribbled notes, or it can be an elaborate script. The better the shooting plan, the better your chances of success in achieving good continuity. Another way you can learn to create good continuity is to watch and analyze Hollywood movies. The next time you see a Hollywood production, notice how the action flows smoothly from shot to shot and from scene to scene. Try to visualize the techniques and camera angles that were used. Then, on your next assignment, plan them first, then use some of these professional techniques to achieve good continuity.

The first step toward good continuity in your films is the planning beforehand. You should plan your continuity and put your ideas on paper. Do not get the idea that all your shots have to follow a written script. News events, and other uncontrolled action, are usually shot without a script; nevertheless, you should be able to anticipate action and prepare a mental script. The information you must know before starting to shoot is what scenes and actions are needed to satisfy the requestor.

SCREEN DIRECTION

In motion-media photography, the direction a person or object either looks or moves can cause continuity problems. The direction a person or object looks or moves is called screen direction. When a look or move in a particular direction is unaccountably changed from one shot or scene to another, the continuity of the film is disrupted. Any change in screen direction must be explained or the subject may suddenly change screen direction and appear to be going the wrong way.

How the camera sees the action-not how the action actually appears-is important. In other words, the audience judges the action by its screen appearance, not by the way it actually appeared during filming.

There are four types of screen direction. They are as follows: neutral, constant, contrasting, and static.

Neutral Screen Direction

Neutral screen direction movement shows subjects moving toward or away from the camera. Because neutral screen direction movement is nondirectional, it may be used or intercut with scenes that show movement in either right or left directions. The following are neutral screen direction movements.

Head-on and tail-away shots show the subject moving directly toward or away from the camera. For an absolutely neutral shot, only the front or back of the subject should be shown. When one side of the subject is shown, the shot will show some direction and not be absolutely neutral. Entrance and exit shots also show direction and therefore are not neutral.

Figure 13-11. Showing a change in screen direction.

A shot can start as a neutral shot and transition into a directional shot, or vice versa; for example, start with a head-on shot of a car and continue filming as the car turns to the right and exits the frame, or start with a direction showing a shot of the car entering the frame from the left, and continue filming as the car turns left to a tail-away neutral shot (fig. 13-11). These types of

Figure 13-12. Showing change of screen direction.

shots can be used to change screen direction by temporarily showing a neutral condition between two shots when the subject moves in opposite directions.

Tracking shots are accomplished by moving the camera directly ahead or behind the subject, either leading or following the subject, respectively.

As with head-on or tail-away shots, tracking shots are neutral only when the subject is not shown entering or leaving the frame and when only the front or back of the subject is shown.

High-or-low camera angle shots-The subject moves directly toward and under or over the camera so, the subject exits at either the bottom or the top of the frame. Examples: a train, shot from a high-camera angle, may move directly under the camera and exit at the bottom of the frame, or an aircraft may take off and move over a low-angled camera and exit at the top of the frame.

Subjects traveling abreast shots-Two or more subjects move directly toward the camera and split up to exit the frame on both sides of the camera, or enter the frame on both sides of the camera and join up, moving directly away from the camera.

A neutral shot inserted between two shots of a subject moving in opposite cross-screen directions distracts the audience momentarily to allow for the change in direction.

To open a sequence, you can use a head-on shot to bring a moving subject from a distant point toward the audience. To close a sequence, you can use a tail-away shot of a subject moving away from the camera. Shots, such as these, present moving images that increase or decrease in size and have more of an effect on apparent depth than do cross-screen movements.

Head-on and tail-away tracking shots add variety by offering a change from the usual three-quarter side shots. Head-on shots tend to produce greater audience impact because the audience is placed dead center with the action advancing toward them.