# Shot list

Source: https://storiara.com/glossary/shot-list
Last updated: 2026-09-14
Author: Nick Harty, Storiara

> 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](https://storiara.com/glossary/slate), the [camera report](https://storiara.com/glossary/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](https://storiara.com/roles/first-assistant-director) 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](https://storiara.com/glossary/setup) 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](https://storiara.com/glossary/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](https://storiara.com/glossary/script-breakdown) and feeds the [shooting schedule](https://storiara.com/glossary/shooting-schedule). Complex scenes get a [storyboard](https://storiara.com/glossary/storyboard) alongside it. Use the [shot list template](https://storiara.com/templates/shot-list) 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](https://storiara.com/docs/shotlist) 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.