Continuous
Also known as CONT.
A time-of-day marker on a scene heading meaning the action picks up immediately from the prior scene, with no time jump. Often abbreviated CONT. in production drafts.
On the page
Continuous
EXT. STREET - CONTINUOUS
In practice
CONTINUOUS tells readers and the breakdown that we have not skipped ahead — the next slugline is the same unbroken stretch of story time, often just across a doorway or cut. It is a time cue, not a camera move. Use it when the prior scene's clock is still running and a fresh DAY or NIGHT would falsely imply a jump.
Common patterns put CONTINUOUS (or CONT.) in the time slot of the scene heading after INT./EXT. and location. Pairing it with a location change is normal: INT. to EXT. can still be continuous if the character walks straight out. Do not stack CONTINUOUS on every cut; save it for true immediate follow-through.
Production cares because continuous scenes may share a shooting unit, lighting plan, or costume continuity even when locations differ on the page. Specs can use the word sparingly for clarity. If time has quietly passed — a walk that took ten minutes offscreen — prefer a clearer time label over a misleading CONTINUOUS.
See it formatted
How to format continuous action, SAME, LATER, and time jumps
Use CONTINUOUS for unbroken movement into a new location, SAME for simultaneous time, and a plain action beat or new time label for an actual jump forward.
How to write a car scene in a screenplay (INT/EXT.)
Head a car scene with INT. and the vehicle, use INT/EXT. or I/E. when it plays inside and out, or split it into two headings when production needs them.
Common questions
Where does CONTINUOUS go in a scene heading?
In the time-of-day position, after the location — for example EXT. ALLEY - CONTINUOUS. It replaces DAY, NIGHT, or LATER when the action is unbroken.
Is CONT. the same as CONTINUOUS?
Yes. CONT. is the common production abbreviation. Either form signals immediate follow-through from the previous scene's clock.
Can CONTINUOUS apply when INT. becomes EXT.?
Yes. Location can change while time stays continuous — a character exits a building into the street without a time jump.
When should I use LATER instead?
When some time has passed offscreen. CONTINUOUS means no jump; LATER (or a specific time) is honest when the story skipped ahead.