How To Write A Shot List That Will Transform Your Video

A perfect shot does not only depend upon the magic of the camera or the appearance of the subject. Placement of lights, camera angle, background, and many other similar factors need to be taken care of while shooting the perfect scene. If you are a budding filmmaker or have recently entered this domain, a shot list can help you organize these things and come up with a masterpiece. Before we explore the shot list further, let us quickly have a look into what is a shot list?

What is a shot list?

A shot list is a detailed blueprint of a shot, in a scene, of a film mentioning all the elements which are going to be used. It also consists of the location and placement of cast, actors, and all the other people involved. Generally, a shot list goes hand-in-hand with scriptwriting and pre-production process and is helpful for bigger productions where there are multiple scenes and shots involved. A shot list gives the crew the idea of things that will be needed during shots, as well as, provides direction to the director’s thought before shooting begins.

Components of A Shot List

A shot list consists of a variety of elements; however, every list consists of a few essential parts, which are:

  • Location
  • Shot Number
  • Actions/Dialogue
  • Actors Involved
  • Framing
  • Extra Notes
  • Shot Description
  • Props Needed
  • Scene Number

Here’s how a shot list looks like:

As you can see, every element we have mentioned is present in a shot list. While most of the things you may already know, here is a quick brief of a few things which you might not know as a beginner.

  • Scene Number + Shot Number is a break down of a scene into multiple shots based on camera location, subject, story, etc.
  • The shot Description defines what will the subject do in a particular shot. For example, Ana enters the room.
  • Framing is another name of the camera angle. Framing defines the vantage point from where you will be framing your subject. For example, Close Up (CU) on Ana.
  • The action here defines the camera movement based on the scene. For example, Move as Ana moves.
  • Dialogue is a snippet of what the subject would be talking during the shot.

Using this shot list, you can optimize your filming process. For example, you can club two shots together based on the location or background and thus won’t require a separate setup again.

Though you won’t be proceeding as per the storyboard, this process will be efficient and time-saving.

Decide Type of Shot

Once you are done with the shot list, the next step is to identify the type of shot, for example, a wide-angle shot or a close angle shot depending upon the script. While finalizing the kind of shot, you also need to decide the camera angles as well as camera moves.

Once you are done finalizing the type of shot, you need to decide on the audio and how you are going to capture it. You can either capture it through the mic or a voice-over, depending on your budget and choice.

Below are a few camera angles, moves, and audio types you can go for.

Capturing Your Subjects

Once you have finalized the shot list, decided on the camera angles, as well as, have an audio recording system in place, now is the time to decide on the subject or to establish camera focus.

The subject can be an actor, supporting artists, a surrounding focal to a shot.

Once you have established focus and decided on the subject, you are ready to roll!

 

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