Continuity Tracking Skill Skill

Continuity Tracking Skill

Invocation Triggers

Apply this skill when:

Setting up tracking systems
Checking consistency
Managing timeline
Tracking characters and props

Tracking Systems Overview

Core Tracking Databases

| Database | Tracks | |----------|--------| | Character Registry | Physical details, knowledge, relationships | | Timeline Registry | Story chronology, scene timing | | Location Registry | Settings, geography, descriptions | | Prop Registry | Important objects, ownership, status | | Wardrobe Registry | Costume tracking per scene |

Character Registry

Template

## Character Registry: [SCREENPLAY]

### [CHARACTER NAME]

#### Basic Info
- **Full Name:** [name]
- **First Appearance:** Scene [X], Page [Y]
- **Age:** [range]
- **Role:** [protagonist/antagonist/supporting]

#### Physical Description
- **Hair:** [description]
- **Build:** [description]
- **Distinguishing Features:** [list]
- **Notes:** [production-relevant details]

#### Wardrobe Log
| Scene | Page | Costume | Notes |
|-------|------|---------|-------|
| 1 | 1 | Black suit, white shirt | Intro |
| 5 | 12 | Same | Continuous |
| 6 | 15 | Casual jeans, t-shirt | Next day |

#### Knowledge State
Tracks what character knows at each point:
| By Scene | Knows | Doesn't Know |
|----------|-------|--------------|
| 1 | Normal life | The conspiracy |
| 10 | Father is alive | Where he is |
| 20 | Location revealed | True identity |

#### Relationship Map
| Character | Relationship | Evolution |
|-----------|--------------|-----------|
| SARAH | Ex-wife | Hostile → Allied (Sc. 25) |
| JOHN | Partner | Trusted → Betrayed (Sc. 40) |

#### Arc Tracking
| Act | Internal State | Evidence |
|-----|---------------|----------|
| 1 | Distrustful | Refuses help |
| 2 | Opening up | Accepts Sarah's aid |
| 3 | Transformed | Trusts completely |

Timeline Registry

Template

## Timeline Registry: [SCREENPLAY]

### Story Span
- **Begins:** [Day 1, Morning]
- **Ends:** [Day 7, Night]
- **Total Duration:** [7 days]

### Chronological Breakdown

#### Day 1 (Monday)
| Scene | Time | Location | Duration |
|-------|------|----------|----------|
| 1 | Morning | Apartment | 2 min |
| 2 | Morning | Street | 1 min |
| 3 | Midday | Office | 5 min |

#### Day 2 (Tuesday)
| Scene | Time | Location | Duration |
|-------|------|----------|----------|
| 10 | Dawn | Rooftop | 3 min |
| 11 | Morning | Hospital | 5 min |

### Non-Linear Elements

#### Flashbacks
| Scene | Present Day | Flashback To | Purpose |
|-------|------------|--------------|---------|
| 15 | Day 3 | 10 years ago | Reveal wound |
| 30 | Day 5 | Day 1 (new angle) | Revelation |

#### Flash-forwards
| Scene | From | To | Purpose |
|-------|------|-----|---------|
| 1 | Day 1 | Day 7 | Hook |

### Time Validation
- [ ] No impossible jumps
- [ ] Travel times realistic
- [ ] Continuous scenes consistent
- [ ] Day/night matches headings

Location Registry

Template

## Location Registry: [SCREENPLAY]

### [LOCATION NAME]

#### Details
- **First Appearance:** Scene [X], Page [Y]
- **Type:** INT / EXT / INT./EXT.
- **Real or Fictional:** [answer]
- **Time Zone:** [if relevant]

#### Description
[Key visual details established in script]

#### Geography
- **Relative to:** [other locations]
- **Travel time from [X]:** [duration]
- **Access:** [how characters arrive]

#### Scene Usage
| Scene | Time | Characters Present |
|-------|------|-------------------|
| 3 | DAY | Sarah, John |
| 15 | NIGHT | Sarah alone |
| 40 | DAY | Full cast |

#### Continuity Notes
- [Specific details to maintain]
- [Elements established that must persist]

Prop Registry

Template

## Prop Registry: [SCREENPLAY]

### [PROP NAME]

#### Details
- **First Appearance:** Scene [X], Page [Y]
- **Owner:** [CHARACTER]
- **Significance:** [plot/character/thematic]

#### Tracking
| Scene | Page | Status | Location | Notes |
|-------|------|--------|----------|-------|
| 5 | 12 | Introduced | Sarah's pocket | Gift from father |
| 20 | 45 | Used | Office | Opens safe |
| 35 | 78 | Destroyed | Warehouse | Fire |

#### Related Props
- [Other props connected to this one]

### Critical Props List
| Prop | Intro | Status | Significance |
|------|-------|--------|--------------|
| Locket | Sc. 5 | Active | Plot key |
| Gun | Sc. 10 | Fired Sc. 50 | Chekhov's gun |
| Letter | Sc. 1 | Destroyed Sc. 40 | Mcguffin |

Continuity Checklist

Per Scene

[ ] Time of day matches heading
[ ] Characters present have reason to be there
[ ] Props present were previously established
[ ] Wardrobe consistent with timeline
[ ] Character knowledge appropriate
[ ] Weather consistent (if established)

Per Sequence

[ ] CONTINUOUS scenes flow correctly
[ ] Time passage makes sense
[ ] Locations reachable in time
[ ] Character positions track

Per Act

[ ] Timeline progresses logically
[ ] Character arcs advance appropriately
[ ] No contradictions with earlier acts
[ ] Subplots maintain consistency

Full Script

[ ] Character registry complete
[ ] Timeline validated
[ ] All props tracked
[ ] Locations consistent
[ ] No orphaned setups (Chekhov's gun)

Common Continuity Errors

Timeline Errors

| Error | Example | Fix | |-------|---------|-----| | Impossible travel | NYC to LA in 2 hours | Add time passage | | Wrong time of day | NIGHT after DAY-CONTINUOUS | Correct heading | | Seasonal jump | Summer to snow, no time | Add time marker |

Character Errors

| Error | Example | Fix | |-------|---------|-----| | Wrong knowledge | Knows before told | Adjust scene order | | Wardrobe jump | Suit to casual, same time | Add scene for change | | Location error | Character in wrong place | Fix or explain |

Prop Errors

| Error | Example | Fix | |-------|---------|-----| | Orphaned setup | Gun shown, never used | Use or remove | | Magic appearance | Prop appears, no intro | Add introduction | | Wrong status | Destroyed prop reappears | Track status |

Quick Validation Commands

Character Check

For each major character:

List all scenes they appear in
Verify timeline possibility
Check knowledge at each point
Verify wardrobe changes have opportunity

Prop Check

For each significant prop:

Note introduction scene
Track every appearance
Verify final status
Check for unused setups

Timeline Check

Build linear timeline
Plot all scenes
Verify no impossibilities
Check flashback consistency

Story Bible Integration

The registries above are your working brain while writing. The Story Bible (story-bible/) is the durable, validated, version-controlled store of record — those registries crystallized into cards that cite the manuscript and are drift-checked against it.

Registry → card type

| This skill's registry | Story Bible card type | |-----------------------|-----------------------| | Character Registry | character (Overview / Traits / Relationships / Arc / Knowledge / Appears In) | | Timeline Registry | timeline-event | | Location Registry | location | | Prop Registry | prop | | Wardrobe Registry | folded into character (signature look → Traits) + prop (plot-relevant pieces); scene-by-scene wardrobe stays here as working tracking |

The character card's Knowledge section is the durable home for the "Knowledge State" tracked above — what each character knows and does not know, scene by scene.

The loop

Author / refresh a card with /bible — copy the matching template, cite the scenes under sources: / ## Appears In, and stamp verified_against with the current commit SHA.
Validate structure: npm run lint:bible (CI gates lint:bible:strict).
Detect drift: npm run bible:drift flags cards whose cited scenes changed after their verified_against SHA — re-verify the card and bump it.
Read as canon: /check-continuity treats status: canon cards as ground truth.

Keep cards lean (at most 50 lines): a card cites the manuscript, it never restates it. See story-bible/_meta/CONVENTIONS.md.

Agent Skills: Continuity Tracking Skill

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