In short: A shot list is a numbered list of every shot you need, in the order you will shoot it, with its location, framing, talent, props and purpose. A storyboard draws the frames for the shots where the action or the composition needs agreeing. Build the list from the brief, group shots by set-up, storyboard only the important moments, and get the client to approve both before the shoot day.
The shot list tells the crew what to capture and in what order. The storyboard shows what a shot should look like, so the director, the client and the camera operator all picture the same frame.
What the template is for
The template is a spreadsheet with one row per shot. Each row has a shot number, the scene, the set-up it belongs to, the shot size (wide, medium or close up), the camera movement, the talent, the props, the location, a one-line purpose and a status column for the day. The storyboard tab has room for a frame, a caption and the shot number it belongs to.
Get the template
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Who uses it
The brand or agency producer writes the first draft from the brief. The director and the camera operator use the list on the day and mark each shot as done. The client reads the storyboard to approve the look before the shoot. The editor uses the shot numbers to find footage afterwards.
How to fill it in, step by step
- Start from the brief and the approved script. If the script changes after the list is written, update the list the same day.
- Break the script into scenes. One scene is one place and one moment.
- Write one row for each shot the edit needs. Include the wide establishing shot, the cutaways and any insert, such as a hand on a product.
- Give each row a one-line purpose. "Shows the lid lifting" is a purpose. "Nice shot" is not.
- Group the rows by set-up. Shots that use the same light, the same position and the same talent belong in one block.
- Storyboard the shots that carry the story or the product. Leave the rest as text.
- Send both to the client and get written approval. Note which version was approved.
A worked example
A 30-second film for a kitchen brand has a scene where a hand lifts a lid, a close up of steam, and a wide shot of the cook at the bench. The script places them in three spots, but the list groups the lid and steam shots at the cove because they share a set-up. The wide shot stays on the bench. The list then reads as two set-ups, not three, and the crew lights the cove once.
Numbering matters too. Shots 6 to 9 form the cove block, and an insert added later becomes 7A, so the editor's notes still match the rushes.
Common mistakes
- Listing shots in script order. The crew then changes the set-up every few minutes.
- Leaving the purpose column empty, which makes the list hard to cut from.
- Storyboarding every shot. Frames take time, and only the important moments need them.
- Renumbering shots after the shoot. Keep the numbers stable and add letters for inserts.
- Forgetting talent and props. A missing prop is easy to miss on the day.
If you plan to shoot at the barn, the studio hire page explains how the rooms are booked. For a fuller brief, the how to brief a video shoot guide sets out what to send a production company, and the creative brief template gives the questions to answer first.
Related guides
The picture at the top of this page is an illustration, not a photograph of a client or a real job.
Questions we get asked
What is the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?
A shot list is a numbered list of every shot, written as text. A storyboard shows what the important shots look like as frames. Most shoots need the list. Only complex or action-led shots need frames.
How do I write a shot list for a brand video?
Start from the brief and the approved script. Split the script into scenes, then list each shot with its size, angle, movement, talent, props and location. Group shots that share a set-up so the crew lights and frames each set-up once.
Is there a free shot list template I can use?
Yes. The template on this page is a spreadsheet you can copy and adapt for your own shoot.
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