Getting continuity shots right is at the core of shooting a seamless sequence which will edit together well. The three principles of geography, crossing the line and direction of movement are the cornerstones of what makes it all work.

This takes a lot of effort and co-ordination as well as preparation. The idea is to set the scene with cutaways and close-ups, and lots of extra footage. While shooting like this, keep consistent shot sizes, heights and looking room in order for them to be spliced and edited effectively. This collects a lot of usable footage for the geography element of continuity.

Overlap the action by asking any subjects to repeat movements or action while you film using different angles and shot sizes. Allow them to enter and exit the frame by filming an empty scene before and after they arrive and depart. Running the camera for a few seconds after each shot is also a good way of getting continuity material. Getting the direction of movement right is fairly straightforward when shooting something predictable, but what about changes of direction? Many subjects can be flipped during editing, meaning the film can be reverse, so if something was entering frame from the left, but then reverses direction and exits left and keeps going, you can bear in mind the footage isn’t useless, you can flip the shots to make them all seem sequential. Using an object or presenter to move in the newly changes direction is also a good way of illustrating to the audience that something has changed.

Crossing the line is a bit more difficult. Say you have an interview between two people and you want to preserve the setting in order to not confuse the audience. Get the two subjects to look at each other and imagine a line between the eyes. That’s “the line”. Not crossing that line ensures you can get an angle on one subject, and the reverse angle on the other without messing with the surroundings and confuse the audience. Watch an interview and see how the perspective between the two subjects change, but not the geography of the shot. It’s a subtle technique but important to get right in those kinds of situations.

You can cross the line in other situations as it can draw the audience in with you. It isn’t suitable for the head to head interview, but filming outside with animals for example is a time when it could work. Like in the example of changes of direction, you can use a subject or presenter to illustrate the change of surroundings by moving their head in the new direction or angle. They can also indicate, which warns the audience that things have changed. Crossing the line here won’t confuse either the shot or the viewer.

The audience never sees continuity. When done well, the feature seems like a seamless, sequential piece. A lot of work when filming and when editing enables you to produce that effect.

Movement in frame and in camera makes sequences much more interesting, but it comes with its own challenges. All movement shots should be motivated to either help the story along or follow action.

Shooting movement is where the cameraman’s mettle is really tested. It takes practice and experience to make the shot work and to accurately follow the sequence while staying in frame and in focus. Too much movement can make the audience feel sick, too little and the action or subject goes out of shot.

Keeping the subject in frame begins by starting the camera moving before the subject appears. This reduces the jarring that can occur with sudden movements of the camera. Minor adjustments can be made to keep the subject in frame, rather than having to race to get them there. Letting the action enter and leave the shot can add extra flavor to the sequence. Filming an empty space first and after can round off the shot. It isn’t always appropriate or necessary to do it, but know when and when not to can add a lot to the shoot.

If using a handheld to shoot movement, you have to be as careful as possible. Even thing like fatigue or hunger can make your hand shake and interfere with the shot. Using a wide angle lens when using a handheld can reduce a lot of the wobble when moving it. Most of the reality shows use this method when chasing after subjects or filming moving vehicles.

Stance is important in keeping any handheld steady. Stand with the feet apart at an angle gives you a good foundation. Holding the camera with both hands while locking the arms in near the body whenever you’re still will also reduce any wobble. When moving, hold the camera a little further away so the arms can absorb any impact made by walking or running. If you’re doing a static shot for a little while, find something to lean on. Not only will it make the shot more steady, it will also help stave off fatigue.

When following people, as in the reality TV example you need to keep them the same size in the frame. This means keeping up with them and maintaining a distance between you. Include some close ups of feet or other movement to help when editing. This can add a couple of frames to break up a sequence into bite size chunks.

As if you didn’t have enough to think about, you also need to keep one eye on the environment around you while filming. You don’t want to be in anyone’s way, trip over something or go down steps you didn’t see which would spoil the shot. It’s also a great habit to get into if you plan on doing any filming with animals in your career. Even the most domesticated can offer a surprise or two when you’re not paying attention.

Filming movement is a challenge, but when it’s done right it can add real drama to the sequence.