CONTINUITY FOR ACTORS by Neil Schell     07-27-07 A professional actor provides material for the editor and director to cut into the final product, which is an episode of television or a feature film. Part of an actor’s job is to give material to them that is usable. Beyond usable. Brilliant. The best moments an actor can create are those that are unplanned. You have probably heard that somewhere before but if you haven’t, you just did. It’s true that most directors want those unplanned moments in their films and it’s the actor’s job to deliver. Ah! But, you say, “How can I hit my mark to stay in focus or remember which hand I picked up that cup in, in the two-shot now that we are shooting the close-up without planning?” Well, the truth is, some things do have to be planned. And the better you are at connecting to your character and creating those unplanned moments while following the rules of continuity and focus, the more material you provide to the editor and director for the final product. I edited films for over 6 years in Los Angeles. Although they were industrial, they did have story lines. With that experience in hand, I can safely say an actor who keeps within the rules of continuity and connects to the character at the same time is cut to by the editor and director far more often than the actor who pays absolutely no attention to continuity and is all over the set. The actor who knows nothing about continuity or doesn’t care is not well liked by the editor. This type of actor creates problems that are unnecessary and it takes just a few minutes of editing (cutting) to spot one. So, guess w! hat? That actor is avoided when cutting. Why? Well, because editing is at the end of the production line. It’s the area that is usually under the most pressure to get done fast so that the ever-looming release date can be met. An editor has enough problems to solve so why take on the extras of an actor who is difficult to cut to? Better to cut to the actor who does know how to follow the rules. So, if you’ve ever wondered why you hardly got any screen time in that great feature you were cast in, the answer could be as simple as a lack of continuity. More screen time has many benefits to you as an actor and to those who hire you. I am sure you could think of a few! Now, that being said, remember that connecting to the character and being free in the moment is more important than continuity. So never reduce your work because of a continuity rule. It’s lower on the importance scale of acting but it still has importance and you can see that from the above dissertation. It’s kind of like this, you wouldn’t stop a scene when things were going really well just because you changed up a few words or added one or two would you? But you also wouldn’t just say anything you felt like saying and pay no attention to the script. Right? Well, the same goes for continuity. Create a bond with the continuity person on set. They will be more than willing to help you out. After all, continuity is their sole responsibility. It is a huge job though, so don’t let all that responsibility rest on their shoulders, give them a hand and be a top notch professional. You will start to see your face on screen longer than ever before! Until the next newsletter… Neil PS Feel 'free' to write to me at  anytime. I will answer. PROFESSIONALS HAVE COACHES, AMATEURS DON'T