Making a Silent Movie (Part 3) - Making it Match: Silent Film Continuity
About Continuity
In the video and film industry, "continuity" refers to errors or inconsistencies in props, hairstyles, clothing that can distract the viewer. Avoid continuity by:
- Check the details at the beginning and end of every scene to make sure they’re going to match up when you do your final edit
- Things to watch for:
- Clothing, makeup, hair
- Position of items such as cups, books, food, especially in the foreground
- Entrances and exits by your actors – are these consistent?
Here's an example...
Can you spot the error in this photograph from the movie, A Race for Ties? (The answer is found at the bottom of this page.)
 Photo courtesy
Library andArchives
Canada
In a radio interview, early filmmaker Dorothea Mitchell discussed some of the difficulties the Port Arthur Amateur Cinema Society faced regarding continuity during the filming of their 1929 movie, Race for Ties:
"…owing to the unavoidable lapse of time between the taking of in- and outdoor sequences, it was necessary to keep written tab of costume-detail – particularly of mens' hats and ties!"
Source: Dorothea Mitchell, "A Race for Ties (Its Inception)" (1963): 3. Personal Collection of Elinor Barr.
Dorothea herself points out a continuity error in A Race for Ties:
"[the character] the Goof apparently dropped from the skies – which is perfectly true. Aunt Sarah [another character, played by Dorothea Mitchell], in planning to make this trip…had told the young people she hoped the Goof would show her the shortcut. But – there is no sub-title stating this."
Source: Dorothea Mitchell, "A Race for Ties (Its Inception)" (1963): 5. Personal Collection of Elinor Barr.
ACTIVITY 1: CHECK THE CONTINUITY ON YOUR SILENT MOVIE
Assign one crew member to watch for errors in continuity.
ACTIVITY 2: FUN WITH CONTINUITY
Watch a film with your class; see who can identify errors in continuity!
ANSWER: Snowshoes are worn with the point at the heel of the foot, not the toe.
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