By name: continuity-tracking description: | Screenplay continuity tracking systems and templates. Covers character registry, timeline registry, location registry, prop registry, and wardrobe registry for maintaining story consistency.
Use when: setting up tracking systems, checking consistency, managing timelines, or tracking characters, props, and locations across scenes.
Continuity Tracking
Continuity Types
Timeline Continuity
- Day/night consistency
- Elapsed time accuracy
- Date references
- Seasonal details
- Age progression
Spatial Continuity
- Character locations
- Geography consistency
- Travel times
- Room layouts
- Building relationships
Character State
- Physical condition (injuries, fatigue)
- Emotional state progression
- Knowledge (what they know when)
- Relationships evolution
- Wardrobe consistency
Object Continuity
- Props (where are they?)
- Vehicles (damage, location)
- Documents/items (who has what)
- Technology (phones, weapons)
Tracking Methods
Scene-by-Scene Log
| Scene | Time | Location | Characters | Key States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Day 1, morning | Office | Sarah, Mike | Sarah: healthy, unaware |
| 2 | Day 1, noon | Cafe | Sarah, Amy | Sarah: suspicious |
| 3 | Day 1, evening | Apartment | Sarah | Sarah: injured, angry |
Character Timeline
SARAH:
- Scene 1: At work, normal day
- Scene 3: Learns about conspiracy
- Scene 7: Injured in car chase (left arm)
- Scene 12: Still has arm injury (verify!)
- Scene 18: Arm healed? (needs 2+ weeks)
Object Registry
THE ENVELOPE:
- Scene 5: Received by Mike
- Scene 8: Hidden in desk
- Scene 12: Discovered by Sarah
- Scene 15: Contents revealed
- Scene 20: Destroyed
Common Errors
Timeline Errors
- Healing too fast
- Travel time impossible
- Contradictory time references
- Missing overnight breaks
Spatial Errors
- Characters appearing without travel
- Impossible geography
- Inconsistent layouts
State Errors
- Forgotten injuries
- Impossible knowledge
- Costume changes without explanation
- Emotional jumps
Verification Checklist
Before finalizing:
- Timeline makes mathematical sense
- Character locations are trackable
- Injuries persist appropriately
- Knowledge reveals are consistent
- Props are accounted for
- Relationships progress logically
- Emotional arcs are smooth