Free template

A shot list template for photo and video on one day.

“You got the one with the whole team, right?”

A shot list is how you leave a shoot sure you have everything. This one is built for days that mix stills and film: each row says what the shot is, whether it’s a photo or a clip, how it’s framed and how the camera moves, with a column to tick as you go.

What’s in it, and why.

  • The shoot

    Project, date, location, call time, crew and the contact on site, at the top, so the list works as the day’s one page.

  • Scene or setup

    Group shots by where you are, not by when you thought of them. Moving lights twice costs more than reordering a list.

  • Shot

    What’s in the frame, in a few words a second shooter can follow without asking.

  • Photo or video

    On a hybrid day, which camera it’s for. Mark it Both when you need it as a still and a clip.

  • Framing and movement

    Wide, medium or close, the angle, and whether the camera moves. Enough to plan lenses and support, and to brief someone else.

  • Notes and Done

    Light, timing, props, who needs to be there. Tick each row as you get it, and anything unticked is what you check before you pack up.

  • Must-have shots

    The shots the client asked for by name, listed apart. These are the ones you’ll be asked about.

The template.

Everything in brackets is yours to fill in. The Word file has the same words, ready to change.

Shot List

One row per shot, grouped by scene. Tick Done as you get each one, and check the must-haves before you pack up.

1. The shoot

Project: [Project name]

Client: [Client name]

Date and call time: [Shoot date], [call time]

Location: [Location]. Backup if the weather turns: [backup location]

Crew: [names and roles]

Contact on site: [name and phone number]

2. Shots

#Scene or setupShotPhoto or videoFraming and movementNotesDone
1Exterior, arrivalThe building with its sign, people walking inBothWide, eye level, slow push inMorning light on the front
2Exterior, arrivalClose on the signPhotoClose, low angle
3WorkspaceThe team at work, natural momentsVideoMedium, handheld, slowAsk for ten minutes of normal work
4WorkspaceHands on the product as it’s madeBothClose, overhead and from the sideClean the bench first
5InterviewFounder interviewVideoMedium, locked off, second camera closeQuiet room, lav mic, release signed
6InterviewPortrait of the founderPhotoMedium, eye levelRight after the interview, same light
7TeamThe whole team togetherPhotoWide, slightly highEveryone there by [time]
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

3. Must-have shots

[The shots the client asked for by name]

[Logo or product shots needed for a specific use, and their shape: wide, vertical or square]

[People who must appear, and when they are available]

4. Before you pack up

Every row above is ticked, or the client knows why not.

Releases are signed for everyone featured on camera.

Cards are backed up in two places before any are formatted.

A minute of room tone is recorded at each location for the edit.

After the shoot, the list becomes the project.

The scenes on your shot list are the folders your client reviews in DropYourFiles, with stills and film side by side.

  1. A folder for each scene

    Make a folder per setup, like Arrival, Workspace and Interview, and drop each one’s photos and clips in. Your client sees the day the way you shot it.

  2. Photos and film on one link

    Your client reviews stills and film together, with no account, and leaves notes on the spot of a photo or the second of a clip.

  3. Approve, then deliver

    When they approve, the watermark comes off and the full-quality files are ready on the same link.

Free up to 5 GB. No card.

Questions.

What should a shot list include?

The shoot’s details at the top, then one row per shot: the scene, what’s in the frame, framing and movement, notes, and a box to tick. Keep the client’s must-have shots in a separate list so they don’t get lost.

Does a shot list work for photography as well as video?

Yes. This one has a column for whether each shot is a photo, a clip or both, so a hybrid day runs from one page.

How is a shot list different from a storyboard?

A storyboard draws each shot in order for a scripted film. A shot list is the working checklist for the day, grouped by location so you move lights and crew as little as possible.

Should my client see the shot list?

Yes, before the shoot. A client who has read the list has agreed to it, and the must-haves are theirs to add.

Keep reading.

Send your next shoot on one link.

Free up to 5 GB. No card. Your client never makes an account.