No matter if you’re an aspiring filmmaker or passionate about visual storytelling, having a plan to bring your story to life is crucial. Filmmaker Spike Lee said “I ain’t Martin Luther King. I don’t need a dream. I have a plan.” One of the most important planning a director can do is to create a shot list to translate their vision from their mind’s eye to the camera’s. So, what is a shot list? And more specifically, what is a shot list for film? We’re going to define the term, why it’s essential for filmmakers, and how to create one that…
StudioBinder’s shot list maker is designed to fit any scale of production
A wedding should be one of the most memorable days of a couple’s life. Capturing meaningful wedding photos from this most memorable day is the responsibility of a wedding photographer. To make sure no memory is missed, building a wedding photography shot list is essential. Let’s take a look at how to create a wedding photographer's shot list, from essential wedding party photos to once-in-a-lifetime ceremony moments. Continue reading Wedding Photography Shot List — A Complete How-To Guide
Photography shot lists are used not only to be more efficient while shooting, but to also capture better photos. In portraiture, a portrait shot list is a great way to prepare for a shoot and make sure that you capture the shots that you envision. In order to make sure you don't miss a shot, you have to be organized. That's where the shot list comes in. How you create your portrait shot list will depend entirely on your style, the photos you want to create, as well as the logistics of your shoot. Let’s take a look at how…
It is common practice to create a shot list when preparing to shoot a narrative film. What about documentaries? Documentaries are a whole different type of project than narrative film. This does not, however, mean that they would not benefit from shot lists. It just means that documentary shot lists must be created to best serve your documentary’s needs. Let’s take a look at how to create a documentary shot list and how it can benefit your project. Continue reading How to Create a Documentary Shot List — Step-by-Step Guide
Planning a shoot can be scary. There are countless moving parts and decisions you have to make– and the same goes for being on set. So any way you can make your life easier during the process can be vital. This is where shot lists come in. In this post, we’ll look at how to make a shot list and why it’s important to have. Continue reading How to Make a Shot List in 8 Steps — Process Explained
Eyelines in film help you tell a professional visual story better than most directing techniques and film gear ever will. The very basics of crafting an effective scene begins with the eyeline match. This is a filmmaking technique that, when done correctly, should go completely unnoticed. Nonetheless, it is an incredibly important technique that all filmmakers should know and understand. A lack of attention to eyeline match can result in visible errors in an entire scene. In this article, we’ll answer, "What is eyeline match" and why it's so important. Continue reading What is an Eyeline Match? Definition & Examples…
There are many ways to film the same scene. The director's decisions depend on what experience they want the audience to have. Knowing what shot composition is and how to use it is vital to visual storytelling. Shot composition is more than arranging scene elements in a camera frame. It is an art that combines those elements to advance the story, reveal character and create emotion. Knowing the rules of shot composition and using them well can keep your audience engaged from beginning to end. Let's get started.Continue reading Rules of Shot Composition in Film: A Definitive Guide
You’ve thoroughly read and re-read the script, and you can perfectly visualize what your finished movie is going to look like. But how can you make sure that what audiences will see on the screen will be the same as what’s in your mind’s eye? Easy peasy! You just need a Shot List. Continue reading What’s in Your Shot List: How to Design and Communicate Your Vision
Filmmaking is a complex process that involves various stages and meticulous planning. Among the important aspects of filmmaking is the pre-production stage, where planning and organization are done before the actual filming. One of the critical tasks in pre-production is creating a plan for the shots that will be taken. Filmmakers use either shot lists, storyboards or both to plan the visuals of their film. In this blog, we will explore the differences between a shot list vs storyboard and help you determine which is better for your next film project.Continue reading Shot List vs Storyboard — How They Differ &…
