Concepts
Continuity
Continuity is the coherence with which image, story and editing flow without illogical jumps that pull the viewer out of the film.
Continuity ensures the film’s world holds together: that an object stays where it was, that the light doesn’t change for no reason, that spatial and temporal logic is respected from shot to shot.
When continuity breaks — a matching error, an unmotivated jump — the viewer notices the trick and immersion shatters. That’s why assessing it is an essential part of technical analysis.
Example
If a glass is full in one shot and, after the cut, appears empty for no reason, continuity is broken.
How to spot it
Ask yourself: “did something pull me out of the story through an error or an illogical jump?”
Frequently asked questions
What is a continuity error?
A visible inconsistency between shots — an object that changes, light that jumps — that breaks the coherence of a scene.
What is matching (raccord)?
The technique of joining shots so that action, position and eyeline align and the cut feels invisible.