IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUITY

Things to consider;

• Location
• Actors
• Weather

It is very common for a film to have scenes filmed and then re-shot or added too months later so continuity is very important. People may be working on other productions during shooting one film/programme, so new people are often hired to pick up these shots. When the film is played back, it is essential to take notes on the continuity. Actors must be dressed the same, has the same skin tones, wear their hair at the same length, and have the same makeup. If this is not the case, the result will be sadly noticeable when the film is edited. 

Should a producer decide to do some pick up shots or close ups of actors shot four months before, for example, the make-up artist has a number of continuity problems to solve

1. Matching the clothes when many costumes may have been hired and returned to the hire company.
2. Matching hair. Various hair pieces may have to be tracked down from hire companies or wig makers - or recreated.
3. Matching makeup. foundation, lipstick, eyeshadow, and blusher may have been used or simply lost.

This may be stressful but it is apart of the job. In feature films there is a script supervisor who deals with the general continuity issues of filming. 

Taking photos and notes

It is still up to the individual departments to work out their own continuity, either by taking photos of all the main actors - front, back and profile views - as well as extensive notes. All the changes to hairstyles, costume and makeup should be logged with a scene number and day number of the film sequence. 

To make life easier, a makeup artist will keep a hairstyle the same shape. When the action of the filming calls for the hair to be wet or untidy, photos must be taken. The action may take place in a rain storm exterior which might gave to match up to the actor walking into an interior with wet hair. The interior scene might actually be shot in the studio months later and must match up to the exterior shot. 

Makeup and hair artists often have to apply beards and moustaches to match an actor's natural facial hair which he subsequently shaved away, or supply a wig because the actress has had her hair cut short.

Continuity is extremely important.

http://www.delamaracademy.co.uk/blog/2009/06/an-introduction-to-continuity-for-the-make-up-artist