A Moment of Unbroken Time
In a screenplay’s slugline, CONTINUOUS is a special time-of-day designator used in a very specific context: when a character moves from one location to another in a single, uninterrupted moment of action. It tells the reader and the production team that the new scene begins at the exact instant the previous one ended. There is no jump forward in time.
The most common use of CONTINUOUS is to follow a character as they move from an exterior location to an interior one, or vice versa. This creates a fluid and seamless sense of movement for the audience. While the two scenes are technically in different locations and may be filmed hours, days, or even weeks apart, the CONTINUOUS tag ensures that the director, actors, and editors treat them as a single, unbroken piece of action. The actor’s performance, the lighting, and the sound must all match perfectly across the cut to maintain this illusion of continuity.
The Classic Example
The structure for using CONTINUOUS is straightforward and almost always follows this pattern:
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
MARIA rushes to the front door, fumbling for her keys.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING LOBBY - CONTINUOUS
She bursts inside, slamming the door behind her. She leans against it, catching her breath.
In this example, the action is unbroken. We follow Maria from outside to inside in a single moment. Using CONTINUOUS is more precise than simply writing NIGHT again, as it specifically instructs the filmmakers to create a seamless transition. It ensures that the emotional and physical momentum of the character is carried from one shot to the next.