continuity-tracking

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:

1. List all scenes they appear in
2. Verify timeline possibility
3. Check knowledge at each point
4. Verify wardrobe changes have opportunity

Prop Check

For each significant prop:

1. Note introduction scene
2. Track every appearance
3. Verify final status
4. Check for unused setups

Timeline Check

1. Build linear timeline
2. Plot all scenes
3. Verify no impossibilities
4. 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

1. 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.
2. Validate structure: npm run lint:bible (CI gates lint:bible:strict).
3. Detect drift: npm run bible:drift flags cards whose cited scenes changed after their verified_against SHA — re-verify the card and bump it.
4. 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.