BLK Homework: The Key Points of Continuity

In groups we made videos of accidents but we were not allowed to edit them and they needed to be six shots long. It was quite a difficult task as we had to create a narrative flow but also use a range of different shots to add interest and keep the audience interested. It was hard to make the shots flow and my groups was quite jumpy. The main things I learnt from this task are:

1. The 180 degree Rule

This is a rule that is pretty essential when making films. It states that you only shoot a scene from one side of the actors. If you break the 180 degree rule it can confuse the audience as to the view point and break the flow of the scene. It confuses the viewer as to which way people are looking or going. It would be wise for us to stick to this rule when making our own films.

2) Shot-reverse Shot

This is a shot which cuts between two people continuously throughtout a scene so you keep seeing one face then another (and they are often facing each other)This is a great way to get the audience in the position of the characters as they see everything from the characters point of view. They can only see what the character can see. It tells us what the character is looking at, and their reaction to it which gives the audience a lot of details. This would be useful for us to use in our films (if we want to reveal some information) as it lets the audience know what's going on.


3) 30 Degree Rule


If the camera angles moves less than 30 degrees it will confuse the audience (if it has the same framing) as viewers may notice a 'jump' in the scene, also known as a jump cut.
My group accidentally managed to break this rule in our accident scene so we will be sure not to use it when making our own sequences in the future.

Eyeline Match:

This is a rule which means that characters are always looking in the same direction, e.g if one of the characters is shorter than the other, he needs to be looking up and the taller person looking down. If this wasn't done it would make the characters seem as if they weren't looking at each other and confuse the audience.

Here are the basics of editing:

1. Establishing the shot (what location)

2. Close Up (shows the character performing an action)

3. Match on Action (cutting during an action to a different camera angle at the same point in time)

4. Reaction (we see character 2 and then we can see they are in the same location)

5. Long Shot (shows both characters in the location and we can see where they are in relation to each other)

The Match on Action can also be used for a conversation scene so that the camera can cut from character to character without big pauses in dialogue.

Main 3 Types of Transitions Used in Film Making:

• Cuts - create the effect of pace and rhythm
• Dissolves - slow relaxed way of linking shots, also used for jumps in time
• Fading - used to signify a period of time has elapsed between two scenes

From the reading and accident filming I have done, it has shown the sound, transitions, lighting, framing and movement all need to be taken into consideration for continuity to work in a film.