Planning a Shot List

What a shot list is for

A shot list is an ordered list of the individual shots you need to capture. Where a script says what will be told, a shot list says what the camera must record to tell it. It is a working tool for the shoot day, a checklist that helps you avoid returning home and discovering a key shot is missing.

For a small production, the benefit is mostly practical. Filming usually costs time, and time is limited by light, locations and people’s availability. A good list helps you spend that time on the footage you actually need, in an order that makes sense physically, not just narratively.

A shot list is related to, but different from, a storyboard. A storyboard sketches how shots look in sequence, while a shot list is a text-based inventory with technical notes. Many productions use both, and some use only one. Storyboards are covered separately, so this article focuses on the list.

Start from the script

The shot list grows out of the script or outline. Work through it section by section and ask, for each line or idea, “what will the viewer see while this is said?”

1. Break the script into beats. A beat is a single idea or action. Each one needs at least one shot.
2. Note what must be shown. A product, a process, a person, a place.
3. Add coverage. For interviews and demonstrations, think about a main view plus alternates, such as a wide shot and a close-up, so editing has options.
4. Include b-roll and cutaways. Footage that supports the narration or covers edits. The use of this material is explored under documentary techniques.
5. Do not forget the unglamorous items. Establishing shots, hands in action, screens, labels and reaction shots often get overlooked.

If you do not have a full script, an outline works. Just be prepared to add shots during filming as new ideas appear.

What to include in each row

A shot list is commonly a table or spreadsheet. Useful columns include:

You do not need every column. A short list might use only description, location and a checkbox. The more complex the shoot, the more detail helps.

Choosing shot sizes and angles

Shot size affects what the viewer notices. In general terms:

• Wide shots show the whole scene and set context.
• Medium shots show a person from about the waist up, suitable for conversation.
• Close-ups show detail or emotion.
• Insert shots are tight views of objects or actions, such as a hand turning a dial.

Mixing sizes keeps a sequence varied and helps explain spatial relationships. Decisions about arrangement within the frame fall under shot composition, and the effect of lens choice is addressed in focal length. For a shot list, it is usually enough to write the intended size and any angle that matters, such as “low angle” or “over the shoulder”.

If you are shooting for several formats, such as horizontal and vertical versions, note this in the list. Vertical framing often needs different composition, and some shots may need to be repeated or framed so both crops work. The relationship between formats is discussed under aspect ratios.

Group shots for efficiency

A shot list written in script order tells you what the video needs. A shoot day often works better in a different order. Reordering by practical grouping can save significant time.

Group by location. Film everything that happens in one place before moving, even if those scenes are far apart in the final video. Moving equipment and people takes time.

Group by setup. If the camera and lights are positioned for a certain angle, capture all shots from that setup together. Changing lighting or lens takes time and can introduce inconsistency.

Group by time of day. If natural light matters, plan outdoor or window-lit scenes for the hours when the light suits them. Interiors can be saved for later. Lighting for a video without a studio often depends on what the sun is doing.

Group by person. If a participant is available only briefly, film their parts first.

Group by difficulty. Do the essential and most complex shots early while energy is high, and leave optional extras for the end.

Keep both versions of the list: the script-order list for editing and the shoot-order list for the day. A spreadsheet can sort between them by adding a column for each order.

Add technical notes

Notes tied to each shot reduce mistakes:

• Audio. Which microphone type, whether to record room tone, and whether a shot is silent b-roll.
• Lighting. Whether a shot needs extra light or a change of exposure settings.
• Frame rate. Slow-motion shots need a higher setting on many cameras. The effect of frame rates on motion is covered in its own article.
• Props and wardrobe. Items that must be present or consistent across shots.
• Continuity. Where a person stands, what they hold, which hand they use, so shots will match when edited.

Do not overload the list. If a note is needed on every row, it is probably better placed in a general setup section at the top.

Build in flexibility

Real shoots rarely go exactly to plan. Light changes, a location becomes unavailable, a participant says something unexpected. A usable list allows for this.

• Mark priorities. Label shots as essential, desirable or optional. If time runs short, you know what to protect.
• Allow time estimates. A rough guess of minutes per setup helps you see whether the day is realistic. Estimates are often too optimistic, so leaving a margin is sensible.
• Plan alternates. Think of a backup for risky shots, such as a weather-dependent outdoor scene.
• Leave room for discovery. Add a few blank rows for shots you notice on the day.
• Capture extra length. Starting a few seconds before the action and holding a few seconds after gives the editor space.

Because costs add up, shooting time connects to money. If you are estimating how long a day will take and what that implies, production budgets are one place to see how these decisions connect.

Tools

A shot list can live in a spreadsheet, a note-taking app, a document or even handwritten on paper. Choose what you can read quickly on set and update easily. A printed copy can be convenient when batteries and signal are not guaranteed. Many creators also keep a copy on a phone.

After filming, keep the numbering consistent with your file names or notes. This helps with media management during editing, since you can match footage to planned shots and spot anything missing.

Common mistakes

• Writing a list that mirrors the script but ignores location and lighting logistics.
• Forgetting to shoot cutaways and b-roll, then struggling to cover edits.
• Listing too few angles for conversations, leaving the editor with one static view.
• Making the list so detailed that nobody uses it on set.
• Not checking off completed shots and doing duplicate work.

A simple process

1. Break the script into beats.
2. List the shots each beat needs, including b-roll.
3. Add size, movement and notes where they matter.
4. Reorder a copy by location, setup and light.
5. Mark priorities and estimate time.
6. Review the list with anyone involved before the day.
7. Tick shots off as you go and add extras as they arise.

The point of a shot list is not paperwork. It is to give you a clear path through the day so that the footage you bring back matches the video you set out to make.