In short: Coverage is the set of shots that lets an editor cut a scene. A master shows the whole scene, singles show each person on their own, and inserts show the details. Plan the master first, then singles, then inserts, and check that each planned cut has a shot on each side before you wrap the scene.
Coverage is the set of shots an editor has to work with. A scene shot only one way can only be cut one way, so the job on the day is to give the edit choices without wasting the actors' time.
What each shot does
- Master: a wide shot that covers the whole scene, shows where everyone is and holds the timing of the scene together.
- Two-shot: both people in one frame, useful when they need to be seen together.
- Single: one person on their own, which carries their lines and their reactions.
- Insert: a close shot of a detail the story depends on, such as a hand, a screen or a clock.
How to plan coverage, step by step
- Read the scene and mark the moments that matter: a change of mind, a reveal and any line that has to land.
- Plan the master first, with the actors' positions and moves. Put it on the shot list.
- Add singles for each speaker, at the lens and height planned for the scene. Shoot the other actor's reactions too if the edit will need them.
- Add inserts for the details the story depends on, and mark where each one cuts in.
- Before you wrap the scene, check that every cut you planned has a shot on each side of it.
- Note the take you prefer for the performance on the shot list, so the edit starts from your choice.
A worked example
A two-hander at a kitchen table. The master shows both chairs and the door. Singles on each actor cover the argument. An insert of one character's hand turning a mug moves the story on.
Shot in that order, the editor can cut at the turn in the argument without a jump, and can use the insert to carry the time between two lines.
Common mistakes
- Shooting only singles, then finding the scene has no way to hold the two people together.
- Changing the lighting or an actor's position between the master and the singles, so the cut jumps.
- Leaving inserts until the end of the day, when the prop has been moved or reset.
- Shooting a master that is too tight to show the room or the distance between the actors.
- Forgetting eyelines, so the actors seem to look past each other on the cut.
The blocking diagrams page shows how to plan the same scene on paper before the crew arrives, and the 1st AD set etiquette page covers how the calls for each setup are made on the day.
Related guides
Questions we get asked
What is a master shot?
A wide shot that covers the whole scene from start to finish. Many crews shoot it first, so the timing and the performance are set before they go in close.
What is the difference between a single and an insert?
A single frames one person, usually from the waist or shoulders up. An insert is a close shot of an object or detail, such as a hand on a phone or a clock, cut in between the wider shots.
How much coverage does a short scene need?
Enough to cut it without a jump you cannot hide. Plan a master and a single for each speaker, then add inserts wherever the story depends on a detail.
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