One task I need to complete as director, is the shot list. This needs to be done in great detail as this then leads onto my storyboarding. I have looked into how to create a detailed shot list, and have come across these 4 vital steps:
Step 1: Do Not Edit
The first thing to know when
making a shot list is that you do not want to be editing your movie as you are
shooting it. If you are new to this process, in all likelihood you are watching
your movie in its end form as you envision your scene. So, you would be seeing
a close up on Jill when she speaks, close up of Jack as he says his line, then
back to close up on Jill. Do not write this as 3 shots. This is 2 shots: a
close up of Jill and a close up of Jack. You are not going to shoot Jill's
lines one at a time. If you have trouble wrapping your head around this, you
can first write out your pre-edited version of things, then adjust it to a
shooting version.
Step 2: Frame Sizes
There are many things that
you will want to note in your shot list in order to keep it informative. One of
these things is frame size. Frame size is measured by how much of a person is
showing in the frame. A wide shot shows the full body of a person from head to
toe. A medium wide (abbreviate as MW) is commonly referred to as a cowboy shot
and goes from head to knees. A medium shot (write MED) goes down to the waist.
A medium close up (MCU) goes from the chest up. A close up (CU) is just the
face. An extreme close up (ECU) shows only details such as eyes or a hand. You
should also specify whether these shots are singles (only one person), 2-shots,
etc. Note that close up does not mean single. Keep these definitions in mind to
create the most accurate shot list.
Step 3: Angles
You will also need to specify
what kind of angle you have your camera shooting the subject from. Not all of
your shots will be straight on or frontal. Some will be profile shots meaning
from the side. You may also want to have a shot looking down on the character,
which you would note as high-angle. Predictably, low-angle shots come from below.
During coverage, you may want to see a piece of the character to which your
subject is speaking. This is a dirty shot or an over the shoulder (OTS).
Step 4: Movement
In some cases, you will have
a dolly or zoom planned. For this you should describe the frame at the
beginning and the shot and then the frame at the end. If there are any key
frames in between, then you can describe this as well. Make sure it is clear
that this is all one shot.
Shot lists will help you
schedule your movie and make sure that you get all the coverage that you want.
To keep communication at its best, write your shot list precisely.
Source: http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/pre-production-how-to-create-a-shot-list.html#b
These steps are very helpful for the content as it's shown me there are many aspects to a successful shot list. I also need to think about the layout of my shot list, as I won't be the only one reading/using it, therefore I need to make it organised and easy to read.
Here is one layout I found, it is set out like a table which is good for organisation, however the different colours make it seem very complicated in my opinion. The different colours help to separate the different scenes, however not only are they quite strong, but they also make the document harder to read meaning practicality is reduced which is never good for a shoot under strict time and pressure.
This style of shot list is a lot clearer to read, however I would say this is too brief for a big project with many different characters and locations. I like the simplicity of it, making the shot list very easy to read for everyone, however it needs more content and I believe the lack of a table format may be one of the reasons for this.
This format is near to perfect in my opinion as it clearly indicates the different scenes, as well as having detailed analysis of each shot. This kind of content will help Chris and I establish exactly what I want, and what each scene entails. It is also laid out in a very simple table making it easy to read and very organised. I believe this could be the style I go for when creating my own shot lists.
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