Shot list: Meaning in Film Production

Shot list

Definition

A shot list is a document that breaks each scene into the individual shots the director and cinematographer plan to film. Each line gives a shot number, shot size, angle, camera movement, lens or equipment, a short description of the action covered, and notes, so the camera crew can prep and the 1st AD can estimate how long the scene will take.

A shot list for one scene

Scene 14, INT. DINER - DAY, 2 3/8 pages. Maya confronts Joe across the counter.

Shot	Size	Angle	Movement	Lens	Description	Cast	Est. time
14	Wide	Eye level	Static	32mm	Master: Maya enters, sits, full scene	1, 2	60 min
14A	MCU	Over Joe's R shoulder	Slow push on "You kept it?"	50mm	Maya, full scene	1, 2	30 min
14B	MCU	Over Maya's L shoulder	Static	50mm	Joe, full scene	1, 2	25 min
14C	CU	Low	Static	85mm	Joe's hands folding napkin	2	10 min
14D	Insert	High	Static	100mm macro	Photo in Joe's wallet		15 min

Shot numbers follow the scene number with letters. The same letters end up on the slate, the camera report, and the script supervisor's notes, so a shot list that uses the production's numbering convention from day one saves confusion.

What the 1st AD does with it

Add the estimated times: 60 plus 30, 25, 10, and 15 is 140 minutes, about 2 hours 20 minutes of shooting for the scene, before lighting turnarounds. If the reverse (14B) needs the lights flipped, the 1st AD might add 30 to 45 minutes for the turnaround. On a day scheduled for 3 pages, a 2 3/8 page scene that needs close to three hours tells the AD something has to give: combine 14C into 14B, or shoot 14D as a second unit insert.

The setups also tell each department what to bring: the 100mm macro, a dolly and track for the push, and a low-angle rig for 14C.

When the list and the day don't agree

Shot lists written as wish lists are the usual problem. A director lists 14 setups for a scene scheduled for two hours, and the first cuts happen on set under pressure. Missing coverage is the reverse: a shot list with a master and one single leaves the editor no way to cut around a flubbed line. Also watch for shot lists that follow story order when the lighting plan calls for shooting all of one direction first.

Where it connects

The shot list is built on top of the script breakdown and feeds the shooting schedule. Complex scenes get a storyboard alongside it. Use the shot list template for the columns above.

In Storiara, the shotlist module organizes shots by scene, and each shot has a name, a category, a description, and an optional reference image; the shotlist docs show the steps.

Frequently asked questions

Who makes the shot list?

The director, usually working with the director of photography. The 1st AD reviews it to schedule the day, and the camera, grip, and electric departments use it to prep equipment.

How many shots per scene should be on a shot list?

It depends on the scene and the time available. A two-person dialogue scene might be a master and two singles; a fight could be twenty setups. The 1st AD uses the shot count to check whether the day is realistic.

What's the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?

A shot list describes shots in words and technical columns. A storyboard draws them. Many productions use both for complex scenes and only a shot list for simple ones.