Establishing Continuity When Shooting

There should be a significant difference in angle or distance for each shot. Does it show us something new?

Give the audience a different view of the action or characters, and they won't think about your cut.
This is the single most important thing you can do to create a scene which can be edited in continuity. If a different shot isn't needed, there is probably no reason to cut.

Find the dramatic axis of the scene, and use it to maintain screen direction of eyeline and movement. Avoid cutting directly to the other side of the axis. To change screen direction, try a tracking shot that moves across the axis, or allow a character to move so the axis moves.

Choosing the right height for the camera will also help to match the eyeline between shots.

In shooting a moving character, a Head-On shot can be used to change screen direction while maintaining continuity:

Shot 1) Left to Right screen direction. Shot 2) Head On, then Right to Left as character leaves the frame. The axis changes within the shot. Shot 3) Right to Left screen direction.

Traditional shot order moves from Long Shot to Medium Shot to Closeup. A scene may return to a wider shot as a Re-Establishing Shot .

A scene could also start with a closer shot for impact, and be followed by an establishing shot.

Avoid jump cuts by "matching the action" between shots. Overlapping the action at the beginning and end of shots can help the editor get a good match.

If characters are moving, letting them enter or exit the frame at the beginning and end of shots can help avoid jump cuts, and allow the editor to compress time.

Closeups are important for telling the story visually. They can be used for action (inserts), reaction, or cutaways to bridge jumps in time.

A close-up can also serve to establish a Point of View for the next shot, of what the character sees.

Frame enlargements from Inglourious Basterds.