Free shot list template for film and video
A clean, one page shot list you can print or edit. The same columns your shots carry in WeClickk: scene, type, movement, length, description, note, location and talent, with a glossary built in.
Free. No sign up. Works in Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers.
What goes on a shot list
A shot list answers one question per column: what are we shooting, how, where, with whom, and how long will it take. The template has a place for each.
Shot number and scene
Every shot gets a number and belongs to a scene, so the list stays readable when you reorder the day or carry shots over.
Shot type
One of the five types your shots carry in WeClickk: Wide, Medium, Close-up, Insert or B-roll. The glossary on the template explains each one.
Movement
Static, pan, track, handheld, gimbal or drone. The movement decides the gear and the setup time, so it belongs on the list.
Description
One line that says what the frame shows. If you cannot say it in a line, it is probably two shots.
Note
The reminder that saves the shot: the light that must be on, the prop in frame, the detail you will forget at 6pm.
Location
Where the shot happens. This is the column you sort by on the day, because you shoot by setup, not by story order.
Talent in frame
Who is needed in the shot. This feeds call times, so people are not waiting four hours for one close-up.
Length
How long the shot runs. The lengths add up to your total runtime, so you know what the edit gets before you shoot it.
How to make a shot list
- Start from the scriptBreak the script into scenes first. The shot list hangs off the scenes, not the other way round.
- Walk each sceneFor every scene, list the frames you need to cut it together: the wide that sets the space, the mediums, the close-ups that carry the emotion.
- Give every shot a type and movementA wide static is a different setup than a handheld close-up. Naming both tells the whole crew what is being built.
- Order by setup, not storyGroup shots by location and lighting setup. The edit does not care what order you shot in, but your schedule does.
- Add lengths and check the dayGive each shot a length and total them. If the day does not fit, cut or merge shots now, not at golden hour.
Build your shot list in WeClickk instead
In WeClickk you can create a shot list on its own, no full production setup needed. Build it scene by scene, share it with one view-only link, and export a PDF when someone wants paper. And when you plan a whole shoot, your script breaks into scenes that structure the shot list for you.
- Create a standalone shot list, no full shoot needed
- Scenes pull in from your script automatically
- Share one view-only link, or export a PDF
- On shoot day, check shots off live on your phone
Shot list questions
What is a shot list?
A shot list is the numbered list of every shot a production plans to capture: the scene it belongs to, the shot size, the camera movement, a one line description, the location and who is in frame. It is the bridge between the script and the shoot day.
What is the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?
A shot list is written, a storyboard is drawn. The shot list carries the logistics: sizes, movements, locations and timing. A storyboard shows what the frame looks like. Small shoots often run on a shot list alone.
Who makes the shot list?
Usually the director and the director of photography together, before the shoot. On small productions the person doing both jobs makes it, which is exactly when a clear template saves the most time.
How detailed should a shot list be?
Detailed enough that someone who was not in the planning meeting could set up the shot: scene, type, movement, one line of description and the location. More detail than that lives in the storyboard or the director’s notes.
Can I use this template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Download the Excel file and open it in Google Sheets with File, then Import, or upload it to Google Drive. You can also open it in Excel or Numbers.
Is the template really free?
Yes. Download it, change it and use it on as many shoots as you like. No sign up needed.
Get the free shot list template
Print the PDF, or edit the spreadsheet for your next shoot.