The Continuity System Of Editing

The Continuity System is a set of rules which have evolved during film history to help audience not get confused from a shot to another shot when editing occurs. The Continuity System involves the: 180° Rule, Shot/Reverse Shot, Establishing Shot, Eye-line Match Cut and the Match Cut on Action.

180° Rule

the rule is a basic guideline within in a scene for spatial relations between two characters or a character and an object. Keeping the characters/objects on one side, it maintains the same left/right relationship to each other.

Shot/Reverse Shot

Within the scene, two characters are opposite each other and are looking at each other. This is shown through Shot/Reverse Shot, as it is a technique where there is a shot where one character is looking at the other and then the next shot is the other character looking back at the first character. From 0:50 to 1:00, there is a example of a Shot/Reverse Shot.

Establishing Shot

An Establishing Shot within a scene establishes the setting for a scene by showing spatial relationships between characters or objects. This is a example of an establishing shot from the Movie Creed.

Eye-line Match Cut

An Eye-line Match Cut within a scene is where a character on-screen is looking at someone or something off-screen, then it is followed by cut to a shot of what the character was looking at. From 1:35 to 1:45, there is a example of an Eye-line Match Cut.

Match Cut on Action
A match Cut within a scene is where a shot is cut to another shot, but the two shots are matched in the scene by the action. The action starts off in the first shot then cuts to the second shot where the action is concluded. These are some examples of Match Cut on Action from the TV Show Friends.