## Introduction: When the Action Stays the Same

We've explored transitions where all three elements change, where time stays continuous, and where place remains constant. Now we arrive at perhaps the most creative and sophisticated transition technique: **Unity of Action**.

**Unity of Action** means the action—what is happening, what the character is doing—remains essentially the same, even as time and place change around it.

This is the most fluid and abstract of the three unity techniques. While time and place are concrete (we can see a clock, we can see a location), action is more conceptual. It requires you to think about what's really happening beyond the surface details.

When executed well, unity of action creates transitions that are surprising, efficient, and often darkly humorous or deeply revealing about character.

---

## The Principle: Action as Constant

**Unity of Action Formula:**

- **Time:** Changes (jump forward or backward)

- **Place:** Changes (different location)

- **Action:** Constant (the same essential activity continues)

The key question: What defines "the same action"?

Action can be understood at different levels:

- **Physical action:** The literal thing being done (singing, sitting, pulling something)

- **Dramatic action:** The objective being pursued (escaping, deceiving, achieving a goal)

- **Thematic action:** The underlying pattern or meaning (falling, rising, searching)

Unity of action works when you recognize the **essential continuity** beneath surface changes.

---

## Example 1: *Citizen Kane* (The Opera Singer)

This is one of the most famous examples of unity of action in cinema history.

**Scene 1: Susan's First Voice Lesson**

- **Time:** Early in Susan's career

- **Place:** A modest voice studio

- **Action:** Susan is singing, struggling with a difficult aria

She's not very good. Her voice coach is frustrated but patient.

**[DISSOLVE]**

**Scene 2: Susan Performing at the Opera House**

- **Time:** Later (after extensive training and preparation)

- **Place:** A grand opera house, full audience

- **Action:** Susan is still singing the same aria

She's still not very good. But now she's performing publicly, and the stakes are much higher.

**Why it works:** The **action** (singing this particular aria) is continuous. The dissolve bridges time and space, but Susan's struggle with this piece remains constant.

**The meaning:** This isn't just an efficient transition—it's commentary. No matter how much time passes, no matter how grand the setting, Susan's fundamental limitation remains. The continuous action emphasizes that she hasn't improved, that this is a doomed endeavor.

**The emotional impact:** We feel the passage of time (the training, the preparation, the building of this opera house) compressed into this single continuous action. It's both elegant and brutal.

---

## Example 2: *Nightcrawler* (Observation to Action)

Dan Gilroy's *Nightcrawler* uses unity of action in a more subtle, character-revealing way.

**Scene 1: Lou Watching Television**

- **Time:** Night

- **Place:** Lou's apartment

- **Action:** Lou (Jake Gyllenhaal) sits motionless, observing, watching a news report about someone being rescued

A news anchor reports: "Flores was then transferred to Saint Joseph's Hospital in serious but stable condition after suffering smoke inhalation."

Lou watches intently, absorbing, learning.

**[TRANSITION]**

**Scene 2: Lou at a Scrapyard**

- **Time:** Different time (later that night or the next day)

- **Place:** A scrapyard/industrial area

- **Action:** Lou sits in essentially the same position, observing, watching workers

**Why it works:** The **action** is the same at a fundamental level—**observing**. Lou is a watcher, a student, someone who learns by observation. His physical position (seated, still, focused) is nearly identical.

**The deeper continuity:** But there's more. The scene continues:

We see Lou watching the workers, then we realize what he's planning—he's about to steal a bicycle from one of them.

**[QUICK TRANSITION]**

**Scene 3: Lou at a Pawn Shop**

- **Time:** Soon after

- **Place:** A pawn shop

- **Action:** Selling the stolen bicycle

Lou pitches the bike with absurd detail: "This is a custom racing bicycle, sir, designed for competitive road cycling. This bike has a lightweight, space-age carbon frame and handlebars positioned to put the rider in a more aerodynamic posture..."

**The unity of action:** At a deeper level, the action spanning all three scenes is **Lou pursuing his goal through observation and opportunism**. He watches TV to learn, watches workers to steal, and completes the theft-to-sale action. While it might not seem like one continuous action at first, it's part of his bigger pattern of behavior.

**What this reveals:** This transition shows us who Lou is—an observer who turns everything into opportunity, someone who sees the world as something to exploit. The continuous "action" is his predatory observation.

---

## Example 3: *Midsommar* (The Crying)

Ari Aster's *Midsommar* uses unity of action in an emotionally powerful way.

**Scene 1: Dani's Apartment**

- **Time:** Night, after receiving terrible news

- **Place:** Dani's bedroom

- **Action:** Dani (Florence Pugh) is crying, grieving, experiencing emotional devastation

She's collapsed on her bed, sobbing uncontrollably after learning her family has died.

**[MATCH CUT]**

**Scene 2: On an Airplane**

- **Time:** Days or weeks later

- **Place:** Inside a plane heading to Sweden

- **Action:** Dani is still crying (or crying again)

She's in the plane seat, tears streaming down her face, still processing her grief.

**Why it works:** The **action** (crying, grieving) is continuous. The match on her face—in nearly the same position—makes it feel like one continuous moment of pain, even though time and place have changed dramatically.

**The meaning:** This communicates something profound: No matter how much time passes, no matter where Dani goes, she cannot escape this grief. It travels with her. The continuity of the crying emphasizes that this trauma is now part of who she is.

**The structural purpose:** This gets her from the inciting incident (family tragedy) to the beginning of the main story (the trip to Sweden) efficiently while maintaining emotional continuity. We don't need to see her packing, getting to the airport, boarding—the continuous grief is what matters.

---

## Example 4: *North by Northwest* (Pulling Her Up)

Alfred Hitchcock, master of visual storytelling, gives us one of the most famous examples of unity of action.

**Scene 1: Mount Rushmore**

- **Time:** The climax of the film

- **Place:** Hanging from Mount Rushmore's cliff face

- **Action:** Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) pulls Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) up from danger

She's hanging from the cliff. He's above her, pulling her hand, trying to save her life. The tension is enormous—if he loses grip, she falls to her death.

He pulls. She rises.

**[MATCH CUT]**

**Scene 2: A Train Sleeper Car**

- **Time:** Later (after they've been rescued, after the resolution)

- **Place:** Inside a train compartment with bunk beds

- **Action:** Roger pulls Eve up into the bunk bed

The same action—pulling her up—but now it's romantic, playful, and safe. He pulls her from the lower bunk to the upper bunk as they embrace.

**Why it works brilliantly:** The **physical action** (pulling someone up) is identical. The hand position, the upward movement, the effort—it all matches. But the **context** has changed entirely.

**From danger to safety:** We go from life-or-death tension to romantic resolution in a single continuous action. It's efficient, elegant, and clever.

**The bonus thematic element:**

After the train bunk cut, Hitchcock adds one more shot: the train entering a tunnel. This is a famously cheeky sexual metaphor—the train (a phallic symbol) penetrating the tunnel. It's Hitchcock being Hitchcock, adding a "wink" to the audience about what's happening in that sleeper car.

**The transition achieves multiple goals:**

1. Efficient storytelling (skips all the boring aftermath)

2. Emotional continuity (from saving her to loving her)

3. Visual wit (the matched action is surprising and delightful)

4. Thematic resonance (he's been "saving" her throughout the film)

5. Audience satisfaction (we get the resolution without needing to see every step)

This is Hitchcock at his best—cutting out the boring bits (as he always advocated) while creating memorable cinematic moments.

---

## Example 5: *Monsters, Inc.* (Statement and Illustration - Variation)

While we touched on this in an earlier post, it's worth revisiting as a variation of unity of action.

**Scene 1: Company Meeting**

- **Time:** Morning

- **Place:** Monsters, Inc. facility

- **Action:** The CEO is talking about the kind of scarers they need

He declares: "I need scarers like... like... James P. Sullivan!"

**[CUT]**

**Scene 2: Sulley's Apartment**

- **Time:** Same morning (or the next morning)

- **Place:** Sulley's home

- **Action:** We see James P. Sullivan starting his day

**Why this relates to unity of action:** While time and place change, there's a continuity of **thematic action**—we go from talking about Sulley to showing Sulley. The "action" of introducing/presenting this character spans both scenes.

This is a looser interpretation of unity of action, but it demonstrates how the principle can work at an abstract level. The storytelling action (introducing the hero) remains constant even as the specific content changes.

---

## The Physical vs. Dramatic Action Distinction

Understanding unity of action requires distinguishing between levels of action:

### Physical Action (Surface Level)

What the character is literally, physically doing:

- Singing (*Citizen Kane*)

- Sitting and observing (*Nightcrawler*)

- Crying (*Midsommar*)

- Pulling someone up (*North by Northwest*)

### Dramatic Action (Story Level)

What the character is trying to achieve:

- Pursuing success despite limitations (*Citizen Kane*)

- Learning how to exploit opportunities (*Nightcrawler*)

- Processing grief (*Midsommar*)

- Saving/claiming his love (*North by Northwest*)

### Thematic Action (Meaning Level)

What the action represents in the larger story:

- The futility of ambition without talent (*Citizen Kane*)

- The predatory nature of success (*Nightcrawler*)

- The inescapability of trauma (*Midsommar*)

- The journey from danger to safety, from stranger to lover (*North by Northwest*)

**The best unity of action transitions work on multiple levels simultaneously.**

---

## When Action Isn't Obvious: *Nightcrawler* Revisited

Let's return to *Nightcrawler* because it's the most complex example and demonstrates why unity of action is the trickiest of the three unity techniques.

**Is it really one continuous action?**

At first glance:

- Scene 1: Watching TV

- Scene 2: Watching workers

- Scene 3: Selling a bike

These seem like three different actions.

**But look deeper:**

The **essential action** is: **Lou observing and exploiting**.

1. He watches TV to learn about opportunities (the news business)

2. He watches workers to identify an opportunity (theft)

3. He exploits the opportunity (sells the stolen bike)

This is all one continuous pattern of behavior—it's who Lou is. The transition shows us his entire method in compressed form.

**The lesson:** Unity of action often works at this deeper level. It's not just about matching physical movements; it's about recognizing the essential continuity of what a character is doing, even when the surface details change.

---

## Creating Unity of Action Transitions

How do you write these in your screenplay?

### Method 1: The Match Cut (Most Common)

**For physical action continuity:**

```

EXT. MOUNT RUSHMORE - DAY

Roger pulls Eve up from the cliff's edge. Her hand in his, he PULLS with all his strength.

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. TRAIN SLEEPER CAR - NIGHT

Roger pulls Eve up into the bunk bed. The same motion, the same hands, but now playful and romantic.

```

**Why specify "match cut"?** It tells the director you want visual continuity—the same framing, the same action, creating seamless flow.

### Method 2: The Dissolve (For Temporal Continuity)

**For action spanning time:**

```

INT. VOICE STUDIO - DAY

Susan struggles through the aria. Her voice cracks on the high note.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. OPERA HOUSE - NIGHT

Susan struggles through the same aria. Her voice still cracks on the same high note. Nothing has changed.

```

**Why the dissolve?** It signals time passage while maintaining the connection between the two moments.

### Method 3: The Description Bridge

**For thematic action continuity:**

```

INT. LOU'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Lou sits motionless, watching the news, absorbing every detail. A predator studying prey.

CUT TO:

EXT. SCRAPYARD - NIGHT

Lou sits in his car, the same watchful stillness, studying the workers. Same posture. Same intensity.

```

**The key:** The description ("predator studying prey," "same watchful stillness") helps the reader understand the continuity you're creating.

---

## Common Mistakes with Unity of Action

### Mistake 1: The Action Isn't Actually Continuous

**Problem:** You think two actions are the same, but they're not related enough.

**Example that DOESN'T work:**

- Scene 1: Character eating breakfast

- Scene 2: Character eating dinner (different day)

**Why it fails:** Just because both involve eating doesn't make it a meaningful unity of action. There's no thematic or dramatic continuity, just coincidental similarity.

**Example that DOES work:**

- Scene 1: Character angrily eating a stress meal alone

- Scene 2: Character still angrily eating, now at a restaurant, still alone, weeks later

**Why it works:** The action reveals character (coping with stress through eating, isolation). The continuity has meaning.

### Mistake 2: Forcing Physical Matches That Feel Artificial

**Problem:** You contort your story to create matching physical actions that don't serve the narrative.

**Solution:** Unity of action should emerge naturally from your story. Don't force it. If it doesn't serve character or theme, use a different transition technique.

### Mistake 3: Unclear Continuity

**Problem:** The connection between the actions isn't clear to the audience.

**Solution:**

- Make physical actions match more precisely

- Use visual cues (same costume element, same object, same position)

- Ensure the dramatic purpose is clear

- Don't be too subtle—the audience needs to "get" the connection

### Mistake 4: Overusing the Technique

**Problem:** Every transition becomes a clever match cut or action continuation.

**Solution:** Save unity of action for moments where it serves specific purposes:

- Revealing character patterns

- Showing passage of time efficiently

- Creating thematic resonance

- Surprising and delighting the audience

Most of your transitions should be simpler and more invisible.

---

## When to Use Unity of Action

**Perfect for:**

1. **Showing character patterns** - The same behavior across different contexts (*Nightcrawler*)

2. **Efficient time transitions** - Compress training, development, or repetitive activities (*Citizen Kane*)

3. **Emotional continuity** - When a feeling state persists across time/place (*Midsommar*)

4. **Creating surprise** - Matching actions in unexpected contexts (*North by Northwest*)

5. **Thematic statements** - When the repeated action has symbolic meaning

6. **Montage sequences** - Multiple instances of the same action showing progression or futility

7. **Character studies** - Revealing who someone is through repeated behavior

**Examples of films using unity of action effectively:**

- *Whiplash* (drumming across different contexts and times)

- *Rocky* (training montages showing the same exercises)

- *Groundhog Day* (repeated actions across repeated days)

- *Run Lola Run* (same actions with different outcomes)

---

## The Subtlety Spectrum

Unity of action exists on a spectrum from obvious to subtle:

### Obvious (Easy for Audience to See):

- *North by Northwest* - Literally the same physical pulling motion

- *Citizen Kane* - The same aria being sung

### Moderate (Clear Once You See It):

- *Midsommar* - Crying in different locations

- *Monsters, Inc.* - Statement to illustration

### Subtle (Requires Interpretation):

- *Nightcrawler* - Observational behavior pattern

- Character tics or habits across scenes

**For your screenplay:** Err on the side of clarity. If you're not sure the audience will catch the connection, make it more obvious or use a different technique.

---

## The Hitchcock Principle Revisited

Remember Hitchcock's famous quote: "Drama is life with the dull bits cut out."

Unity of action transitions are perfect examples of this principle. Look at *North by Northwest*:

**What we DON'T see:**

- Getting down from Mount Rushmore

- Police or government debrief

- Medical checks

- Paperwork

- Travel arrangements

- Going to the train station

- Boarding the train

- Finding their compartment

- Initial awkwardness or conversation

**What we DO see:**

- Pulling her up from danger → Pulling her up to romance

One continuous action bridges everything. All the boring bits are gone. We go straight from climax to resolution, from danger to safety, from saving to loving.

**This is the power of unity of action.**

---

## Practical Exercise: Finding Unity of Action in Your Script

Review your screenplay for opportunities to use unity of action.

### Exercise 1: Identify Repetitive Actions

List actions your characters do multiple times:

- Do they have habits or tics?

- Do they repeat certain behaviors?

- Are there activities they do in multiple scenes?

Could any of these repeated actions serve as bridges between scenes?

### Exercise 2: Find Thematic Actions

What are your characters **really** doing at a deeper level?

- Always running away from something?

- Constantly trying to control situations?

- Repeatedly reaching out for connection?

Could you show this pattern through continuous action across different times/places?

### Exercise 3: Look for Montage Opportunities

Are there sequences where you show progression or repetition?

- Training sequences

- Work routines

- Dating multiple people

- Failed attempts at something

These are natural opportunities for unity of action.

### Exercise 4: Test a Match Cut

Take two scenes in your script and try to connect them through continuous action:

**Before:**

```

INT. GYM - DAY

Sarah punches the bag, frustrated.

INT. OFFICE - DAY

Sarah argues with her boss.

```

**After (with unity of action):**

```

INT. GYM - DAY

Sarah punches the bag, each punch harder, fueled by rage.

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. OFFICE - DAY

Sarah's fist SLAMS on the desk. Same motion, same fury, now directed at her boss.

```

Does the continuous action add something? Does it reveal character or theme? If yes, keep it. If it feels forced, go back to a simpler transition.

---

## Conclusion: The Most Creative Unity

Unity of action is the most sophisticated, creative, and abstract of the three unity techniques. It requires you to think beyond surface details and recognize the essential continuity beneath changing circumstances.

When done well, it creates transitions that are:

- Surprising and memorable

- Efficient and elegant

- Revealing of character

- Thematically resonant

- Cinematically exciting

But it's also the easiest to misuse. Not every repeated action deserves this treatment. Save it for moments where the continuous action truly means something—where it reveals character, advances theme, or delights the audience with its cleverness.

The best unity of action transitions, like Hitchcock's pulling-her-up sequence, do all these things at once. They're efficient storytelling that also feel like magic.

---

**Coming up next:** *Transition Scenes and Establishing Shots* - where we'll explore the traditional techniques that movies have used for decades, including establishing shots, day-to-night transitions, and transition scenes that bridge major story movements.