Continuity in Film and Television and its Importance.

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Continuity in film as a really important factor when making the audience believe what they are watching is real. Or at least pulling them into the story. One noticeable mistake with continuity can completely disconnect your audience from your film and/or character. 

Makeup and hairstyling continuity is a key part of this. If in one scene your character injures himself in a fight scene and has a scar on his lower cheek and then in the next scene its nearer his forehead this will disrupt his audience and make the movie less believable. The makeup artist is responsible for his/her work. They need to document the changing make up with every scene to make sure they can re-create this at a later stage. Bring to the set a Digital camera so you can take photographs of these makeup changes and stick them to your mirror when working so you know what changes you have to make to the makeup application.

Filming scenes either in a movie or TV series can take place at different times that aren't in sequence so knowledge of the screenplay and locations are vital. For example if the movie takes place in both hot and cold countries but at different times to how the movie is edited at the end, you have to take in to account to sun exposure. If the actor has a tan from filming in a hot country but in the film this hasn't happened yet, you need to think about skin colour and correcting to create the right continuity in the film. Paying close attention to the monitors is another good way of keeping an eye on this. 

Document every product used and every product change. Note down tools also so you know what you can use the next time.Bring different foundation shades for these changes and note them down with all of the other changes so that you know what to use next time. Also it is important to note down skin changes, blemishes, scars so that you can solve this same issue is it comes up again. This also helps with knowing what product changes you had to make to adjust to these issues.

You can always make a timeline of the movies storyline and what make up you used for this as this will make it easier with regards to character development. Especially ageing. This can help make the makeup more believable.