A shot list is a pre-production document that breaks a video down shot by shot, specifying details like shot type, camera angle, movement, framing, location, and any audio or props for each one. It acts as a capture checklist that keeps the crew aligned and the shoot on schedule, so nothing important gets missed on the day.
Think of it as the to-do list your crew works through on shoot day. Each row is one shot you have to get in the can. This guide covers what goes in a shot list, how it differs from a storyboard, whether you need one for a simple marketing video, how to build one step by step, and a free template you can copy.
What is a shot list and what does it include?
A shot list is a structured list of every individual shot you plan to film, with one row per shot. Each row records the details a camera operator needs to set up and capture that shot: the shot type or size, the camera angle, any movement, framing or lens notes, the location, the talent in frame, and any audio, props, or equipment tied to it.
"A shot list is a document that maps out everything that will happen in a scene of a film, or video, by describing each shot within that film or video." — StudioBinder, film and video production management platform, StudioBinder
The point is coverage and order. When the list is complete, you can walk onto set, work top to bottom, and know that by the last row you have captured everything the edit will need. It also lets you batch shots by location or setup so you are not rebuilding a lighting rig twice for two shots you could have filmed back to back.
What is the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?
A shot list is a logistical text document that organizes what you need to capture and in what order. A storyboard is a visual document, sketches or frames, that shows what each shot will actually look like. They answer different questions: the shot list answers "what do we have to film, and in what sequence?" while the storyboard answers "what will this shot look like on screen?"
Text rows. Logistics: shot type, angle, movement, location, audio, duration. The crew's capture checklist for the day.
Visual frames. Composition: what is in frame, where it sits, how the shot is staged. The look, not the schedule.
They are complementary, not competing. Many productions write a shot list for every scene and add storyboards only for the most complex or visually important sequences. If you want to go deeper on the visual side, see how to make a storyboard.
Do you really need a shot list for a marketing video?
Yes, even for straightforward interviews, product demos, and social clips. A shot list is the minimum viable pre-production document: it is quick to create, easy to revise, and it stops you from wrapping a shoot only to realize in the edit that you never got the close-up you needed. Discipline in pre-production is exactly what separates footage that cuts together cleanly from footage you have to fight in post.
One habit pays off almost every time: capture key moments three ways, wide, medium, and close-up. That single rule gives you flexible options in the edit, including the vertical and square crops different platforms demand, instead of locking you into one framing you chose under pressure on the day.
How do you make a shot list step by step?
Start from your script or outline and work scene by scene, turning each beat into the shots needed to tell it. Here is the short version.
- Break the script into scenes. Group by location or setup so you can batch shots that share a setting.
- List the shots each scene needs. For every beat, ask what the viewer has to see. Add coverage: a wide to establish, a medium for the action, a close-up for the detail.
- Fill in the details per row. Shot type, angle, movement, framing, talent, audio, props. The more decisions you settle now, the fewer get improvised on set.
- Order for efficiency, not story order. You will reorder back to story order in the edit. On the day, shoot everything in one location before you move.
- Add an estimated duration per shot. It keeps you honest about runtime and flags when you are over before you film.
If you have not written the script yet, start there: how to write a video script walks through turning an idea into the beats your shot list will cover.
What should every shot list row contain (with a free template)?
A practical row includes shot number, scene, location, shot type or size (wide/medium/close-up), camera angle, camera movement, lens or framing notes, talent in frame, audio or dialogue, props or equipment, and an estimated duration. Trim columns for simpler shoots and add them for complex ones.
Copy this and fill in one row per shot. If a column does not apply to your shoot, delete it rather than leaving it blank.
How can PlanThatVideo build your shot list for you?
PlanThatVideo turns a one-paragraph idea into a full brief that includes a structured, editable shot list. Instead of formatting a blank spreadsheet, you start from a generated list of shots you can reorder, refine, and hand to your crew. Here is a real prompt and the shot list it produces.
And the shot list it generates, one row per shot, ready to take to set:
The list is a draft, not a verdict. Reorder rows to batch by location, add a lens column for a more technical crew, or duplicate a row to capture an alternate angle. You start from a structured shot list and refine it, instead of staring at a blank template.
FAQ
What is a shot list in simple terms?
It is a checklist of every individual shot you plan to film, with each row noting the shot type, camera angle and movement, framing, location, and any audio, props, or talent needed. Think of it as the to-do list your crew works through on shoot day so nothing gets forgotten.
What is the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?
A shot list is a logistical text document that organizes what you need to capture and in what order, while a storyboard is a visual document, sketches or frames, that shows what each shot will look like. They are complementary: many productions use a shot list for every scene and add storyboards only for the most complex or visually important sequences.
Do I need a shot list for a simple talking-head or product video?
Yes. Even straightforward interviews, demos, and social clips benefit, because a shot list is the minimum viable pre-production document. It is quick to create, easy to revise, and ensures you capture coverage like wide, medium, and close-up angles you will want in the edit.
What information goes in each row of a shot list?
A practical row includes shot number, scene, location, shot type or size (wide/medium/close-up), camera angle, camera movement, lens or framing notes, talent in frame, audio or dialogue, props or equipment, and an estimated duration. You can trim columns for simpler shoots and add them for complex ones.
Can AI create a shot list from a script or idea?
Yes. PlanThatVideo turns a one-paragraph idea into a full brief that includes a structured, editable shot list, so instead of formatting a blank spreadsheet, you start from a generated list of shots you can reorder, refine, and hand to your crew.
Skip the blank spreadsheet. Start from a shot list.
PlanThatVideo turns a one-paragraph idea into a structured, editable shot list: shot type, angle, movement, audio, and duration per row. Reorder, refine, export, send.
Try it free →