Shot List Template: Essential Tools for Film Production Planning

When you’re making a movie, whether it’s a three-minute short or a feature film, a shot list template, a structured plan that breaks down every camera setup needed for a scene. Also known as a shooting schedule, it’s the blueprint that keeps your crew from wasting hours guessing what to film next. Without one, you’re flying blind—repeating takes, missing key angles, or worse, running out of light before you capture the moment you planned.

A good shot list template, a structured plan that breaks down every camera setup needed for a scene. Also known as a shooting schedule, it’s the blueprint that keeps your crew from wasting hours guessing what to film next. isn’t just a checklist. It’s a communication tool. It tells your director of photography where to place the camera, your gaffer where to aim the lights, and your sound team when to mute the mic. It’s why teams like those behind The Blair Witch Project and Host could shoot entire films in a week with minimal gear. They knew exactly what each shot needed—no room for guesswork.

Most templates include columns for shot number, description, camera movement, lens type, lighting notes, and audio cues. But the best ones? They’re simple. They fit on one page. They’re handwritten on set or typed in a free app. They don’t need fancy software. What matters is clarity. If your assistant director can read it at 6 a.m. in the rain and know what to do next, you’ve got it right.

And it’s not just for big crews. A student filmmaker with a smartphone and a tripod uses the same logic. A single scene in a bedroom drama might need five shots: wide establishing shot, medium close-up of the character speaking, over-the-shoulder from the other side, a detail on their trembling hands, and a reaction shot. That’s five moments. Five chances to tell the story visually. A template helps you map those out before you turn the camera on.

You’ll find templates in the posts below that show exactly how indie filmmakers use them—some printed on paper taped to a clapboard, others built into Google Sheets shared with their entire team. You’ll see how one director used a shot list to shoot a 320-ton ship moving over a mountain in Fitzcarraldo without going insane (well, not more than usual). You’ll see how the cinematographers behind Verité Filmmaking used minimal shot lists to stay flexible but still capture the truth. And you’ll see how even low-budget horror films in Mexico and Indonesia rely on tight shot planning to make every frame count.

There’s no magic formula. But if you’re serious about making films that look intentional—not accidental—you need a shot list. It’s not about being rigid. It’s about being ready. And in a world where time is money and light is fleeting, that’s the only edge you’ve got.