Continuity rules

Shot/reverse shot.

A shot reverse shot is generally used in a conversation with two people. This is where the camera is set off an angle from the 180 line and is reflected off at the same angle but showing the reserve. An example of this would be when the guardians meet each other for the first time within the town. Peter Quill and Gamora are talking to each other and the shot, reverse shot is used here to show their conversation.

Establishing

An establish shot shows the audience the space and objects within the space with the relation to each other.

This shows the environment around Bruce Wayne and Ra's ghul. We see them isolated in an area and then we zoom in showing the action sequence about to take place. We know that there isn’t anyone else around in relation to theme in this scene.

Eyeline match cut

An eyeline match cut is where the character within the frame looks out of the frame and then the camera will cut to what they are looking at.

Here we see Obi Wan Kenobi looking off the frame at something. It then cuts to what he is looking at.

We see that he is looking at a lightsabre and the audience can infer that he plans to use it to strike Darth Maul with. This is a good technique as it can help move the narrative along and show an important item within the scene that could determine the direction of the scene. This can also be used to show characters looking at each other.

180 degrees rule.

This is the line of action within a scene. This places characters in certain positions within the scene. Breaking this rule flips them around within the camera frame and breaks continuity.  

This is a scene from The Amazing Spiderman. It shows Peter and Flash Thompson within the sports hall. The line of action is here meaning that peter within this scene while be on the left and Flash while be on the right. The camera angels from different angled shooting while be on this side as that’s where the invisible line is. The 180 degrees rule doesn’t really apply for the cameras when shooting but it does apply when editing.   

Match on action

Match on action is where the camera shows a character doing a certain action and then the camera angle changes to show a different angle while still keeping the continuity of what the character was doing.  

This scene shows a fight scene in which the character is about to punch the other in the face with his fist. The camera then cuts to the next show from a different angle but still shows the fist going into the face and from the same angle. This keeps the continuity and continues the story telling of the scene. This keeps the action smooth as well.

In conclusion, the continuity system is the way of editing without the audience losing their immersion within the story. Editing doesn’t happen in real life so if the editing techniques are jumpy and don’t have the flow of continuous action then the story loses its audience as they are confused on what has happened within the narrative and come out of the film for a couple of seconds. Effective use of these techniques keeps the audience intrigued as to what will happen next.