Pre-Production
Building Your Shot List
A shot list is the plan that turns a script into a shoot. Learn to break a scene into shots, choose sizes and angles, build a list that covers every moment, and use it to shoot faster and smarter — even with one camera and no time.
What you'll learn
✓Speak the language of shots fluently — sizes, angles, and camera movement
✓Break any scene into the coverage it actually needs to cut together
✓Build a shot list document that a whole crew can shoot from
✓Prioritize and schedule shots so you never lose the scene that matters
Pairs with this tool
Storyboard Generator
Turn your shot list into visuals — sketch each shot's framing so your crew sees the plan, not just reads it. The fastest way to walk a scene before you ever roll.
Open Storyboard Generator →Course chapters
Module 1 — Foundations
I8 min
What a shot list is, what goes on it, and why it's the plan that turns a script into a shoot
What Is a Shot List?
II8 min
Shot list vs. storyboard vs. floor plan — what each does and when you actually need which
Shot List vs. Storyboard
III10 min
The vocabulary of shot sizes — wide, medium, close-up and the rest — and what each one says
Shot Sizes & Types
IV9 min
Camera angles and movement — height, level, and moves — and the meaning each one adds
Angles & Camera Movement
Module 2 — Core Craft
V10 min
Reading a scene for coverage — the shots you need so a scene actually cuts together
Reading a Scene for Coverage
VI9 min
Building the document itself — columns, numbering, and a shot list a crew can shoot from
Building the Shot List
VII9 min
Blocking and the camera — how actor movement and lens choices decide your shots
Blocking & the Camera
VIII9 min
Shot-listing a dialogue scene — masters, singles, over-the-shoulders, and the 180° line
Shooting Dialogue Scenes
Module 3 — Putting It to Work
IX9 min
Prioritizing your shots — the must-haves vs. the nice-to-haves, and dodging the overshoot trap
Prioritizing Your Shots
X9 min
Turning a shot list into a shooting schedule — grouping by setup and estimating time
Shot Lists & Scheduling
XI9 min
Running your shot list on set — tracking shots, adapting when time runs short, staying on plan
Your Shot List on Set
XII9 min
The shot list mistakes that cost you the edit — and how to avoid every one
Shot List Mistakes to Avoid