Digital Video Shooting Tips on Continuity and Number of Takes

This video provides tips for maintaining continuity and getting the right number of takes when shooting your own digital videos. What is continuity? Well, it's keeping things — big and small — the same from one shot to the next. Have you ever watched a television show or a movie and noticed that in the middle of a conversation one of the characters seems to have removed a tie? unbuttoned a blouse? messed up one side of their perfect hairdo? These are all examples of continuity mistakes. From one take to the next, the actor changed his or her appearance, and the director and film editor didn't catch it. As the director of your own digital videos, it's up to you to ensure that these continuity mistakes, such as the addition of the coat and glasses on the author in the video, don't make it into your finished video. These continuity issues often arise between takes. When an actor makes a mistake, you will go for another take (shoot the scene again). Depending on your actor(s), you might need a lot of takes to get one you think is good. The tip given here — go for one more take than you absolutely need. Who knows? It might be the best take yet.