Having a decent worksheet to report the character/model's face can help you rapidly go after the item you require without obliging you to consider what you have to do. It spares time knowing straight away the product you have to apply or use to accomplish a specific look. Pre-arranging is the way to making your work process simple and steady.
What should I include in my continuity worksheet?
Every artist may like to design their detailed worksheet of the day’s shoot in their own specific way however I think the following information should definitely be included:
- Production title
- Date
- Actor/models name
- Character name
- Scene number
- Episode number
- Face preparation – moisturiser, primer, eye primer, foundation
- Face products – eyeshadow, liner, mascara, eyebrows, cheeks, lip liner, lipstick/gloss
- Makeup notes
- Hair notes
- Camera settings
- Weather
- Crew list
- Audio and picture quality of each shot
- The action that occurs
- Printed pictures of costumes, hair and makeup, set dressings, actor positions and props to compare.
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| Example of continuity notes |
Buffy’ season 7 episodes - makeup continuity sheets & Polaroids - good quality photo - article #22033 (no date) Available at:
http://www.whedon.info/Buffy-Season-7-Episodes-Makeup.html (Accessed: 1 April 2016).
In the dominant part of film/TV industry, scenes are often shot out of sequence for a number of reasons such as access to areas, accessibility of specific on-screen characters/models or even climate conditions. This means you could be dealing with the last shot of the film with performing artists proceeding with a scene that was shot a year prior.
As I've mentioned above, it's very important to take notes on continuity characters/models. It's your job to deliver the same clothing, skin tone, hair style/length and makeup design. In the event that this isn't the situation, the outcome will be unfortunately perceptible when the film is altered. You will come across difficulties such as having to recreate a look from four months ago because the director said so. This means you'd have to remember exactly what you did and used. You may have ran out of a specific product, or lost a hair accessory meaning you'd have to make new purchases. Whilst such situations might be distressing, they are an acknowledged part of the employment.
It is regularly up to the individual to work out their own particular continuity, either by taking photographs of all the fundamental performers - front, back, and profile. Any changes to the appearance (even small) must be noted down with a scene number and date of shooting.
To make life less demanding, hairstylists will often keep a haircut the same throughout filming however this doesn't mean you shouldn't take continuity pictures as the styling of the hair may differ in specific scenes.
Artists may be required to apply synthetic beards and moustaches to coordinate a character/models regular facial hair which they may have shaved away. Also, if an actress has cut her hair into a bob you may have to supply a wig for her to coordinate previous scenes she's played.
Continuity gone wrong:
‘Maintaining continuity can sometimes go wrong such as in the classic, The Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy and the Scarecrow are fighting the trees, the Scarecrow taunts the trees and gets hit with a lot of apples. The very next shot, Dorothy is wearing black shoes instead of her Ruby slippers. This very quick but obvious continuity error is easily explained and prevented. When making the film, Judy Garland would have worn comfortable shoes except when her feet would be seen. Obviously, in this shot, the frame was a little larger than anticipated or, in the fury of the shoot schedule; someone forgot to look at her shoes. Always check your actors' costumes to make sure they are correct and in the same position. Watch for straps, buttons, zipper placement and other parts of the costume that may change.
Makeup and hair can also be a very big problem. In the original Batman, Jack Nicholson's Joker character rubs a bit of skin-toned makeup off his forehead revealing his dead white skin beneath. This small patch of white skin changes shape and location throughout the remaining series of shots.
In Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Frodo has a wound on his lower right cheek near his chin. Later in the film, it flips to his left cheek. When Sam cradles his head while sitting on the slopes of Mount Doom, the scar has obviously changed positions (or the film was flipped). When working with makeup and hair, make sure you take Polaroid or digital pictures, so that you can duplicate the look days later. Watch for pieces of hair getting into the actor's face or the style falling or slightly changing between takes. If the hair is wet, makes sure it is wet in all subsequent scenes until given a chance to dry. Don't let an actor go underwater without having his hair wet in the remaining close-ups.
Jewellery can also be a bit of a hassle. Sometimes it is so small or insignificant that it is easily forgotten. In Rocky Balboa, Marie's necklace disappears and reappears several times during her conversation with Rocky outside of her home. As with makeup, maintain a series of photos of the actor's jewellery to make sure it is consistent.
In Spiderman, the web-slinger comes to the rescue of Mary Jane, who is being mugged by four men. Spiderman throws two of the men through two windows behind Mary Jane. When we next see Mary Jane, the windows behind her are unbroken. This continuity problem can be eliminated by carefully maintaining a photographic record of the set. This will help you make sure that, when you shoot out of sequence or are doing singles of your main characters, the setting matches the look for that part in the sequence. Obviously the two shots of Mary Jane were shot at the same time. Someone forgot that Spiderman throws the guys through the window behind her.’
As I've mentioned above, it's very important to take notes on continuity characters/models. It's your job to deliver the same clothing, skin tone, hair style/length and makeup design. In the event that this isn't the situation, the outcome will be unfortunately perceptible when the film is altered. You will come across difficulties such as having to recreate a look from four months ago because the director said so. This means you'd have to remember exactly what you did and used. You may have ran out of a specific product, or lost a hair accessory meaning you'd have to make new purchases. Whilst such situations might be distressing, they are an acknowledged part of the employment.
It is regularly up to the individual to work out their own particular continuity, either by taking photographs of all the fundamental performers - front, back, and profile. Any changes to the appearance (even small) must be noted down with a scene number and date of shooting.
To make life less demanding, hairstylists will often keep a haircut the same throughout filming however this doesn't mean you shouldn't take continuity pictures as the styling of the hair may differ in specific scenes.
Artists may be required to apply synthetic beards and moustaches to coordinate a character/models regular facial hair which they may have shaved away. Also, if an actress has cut her hair into a bob you may have to supply a wig for her to coordinate previous scenes she's played.
Continuity gone wrong:
‘Maintaining continuity can sometimes go wrong such as in the classic, The Wizard of Oz. When Dorothy and the Scarecrow are fighting the trees, the Scarecrow taunts the trees and gets hit with a lot of apples. The very next shot, Dorothy is wearing black shoes instead of her Ruby slippers. This very quick but obvious continuity error is easily explained and prevented. When making the film, Judy Garland would have worn comfortable shoes except when her feet would be seen. Obviously, in this shot, the frame was a little larger than anticipated or, in the fury of the shoot schedule; someone forgot to look at her shoes. Always check your actors' costumes to make sure they are correct and in the same position. Watch for straps, buttons, zipper placement and other parts of the costume that may change.
Makeup and hair can also be a very big problem. In the original Batman, Jack Nicholson's Joker character rubs a bit of skin-toned makeup off his forehead revealing his dead white skin beneath. This small patch of white skin changes shape and location throughout the remaining series of shots.
In Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Frodo has a wound on his lower right cheek near his chin. Later in the film, it flips to his left cheek. When Sam cradles his head while sitting on the slopes of Mount Doom, the scar has obviously changed positions (or the film was flipped). When working with makeup and hair, make sure you take Polaroid or digital pictures, so that you can duplicate the look days later. Watch for pieces of hair getting into the actor's face or the style falling or slightly changing between takes. If the hair is wet, makes sure it is wet in all subsequent scenes until given a chance to dry. Don't let an actor go underwater without having his hair wet in the remaining close-ups.
Jewellery can also be a bit of a hassle. Sometimes it is so small or insignificant that it is easily forgotten. In Rocky Balboa, Marie's necklace disappears and reappears several times during her conversation with Rocky outside of her home. As with makeup, maintain a series of photos of the actor's jewellery to make sure it is consistent.
In Spiderman, the web-slinger comes to the rescue of Mary Jane, who is being mugged by four men. Spiderman throws two of the men through two windows behind Mary Jane. When we next see Mary Jane, the windows behind her are unbroken. This continuity problem can be eliminated by carefully maintaining a photographic record of the set. This will help you make sure that, when you shoot out of sequence or are doing singles of your main characters, the setting matches the look for that part in the sequence. Obviously the two shots of Mary Jane were shot at the same time. Someone forgot that Spiderman throws the guys through the window behind her.’
Contact Info (2007) Available at:
http://schoolvideonews.com/Pre-Production/Maintaining-Continuity (Accessed: 1 April 2016).
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| Harry Potter |
BuzzFeed (no date) Top 15 biggest Harry Potter film mistakes. Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/501307002246769600/ (Accessed: 1 April 2016).
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| Wizard of Oz - Dorothy's hair changes length |
From Tom Hiddleston’s quick-dry trousers to spectre's disappearing diners: The continuity bloopers that left us baffled (2016) Available at:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/fabulous/7034795/From-Tom-Hiddlestones-quick-dry-trousers-to-Spectres-disappearing-guests-The-film-and-TV-moments-that-have-left-us-baffled.html (Accessed: 1 April 2016).
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