Pre-Production: Shot List

Introduction

Hello everyone! Welcome back to this lovely blog! Today, I will be continuing our conversation on our pre-production phase! Yesterday, I shared my team's work on the Save the Cat Beat Structure and the Exposition of our film. Today, I will be chatting about... our SHOT LIST! You might ask, "What do you mean by shot list?" The shot list is a document that plans out every single shot of a piece of media (like scenes or films) by describing each individual shot within the video. A lot of filmmakers create a shot list because it makes the film easier to plan. Here is an example of an actual shot list:

Now, I will show you the shot list my group and I created!

Shot List

Beat 1: Opening Image Opening image. A brief description of the very first moment or event people will see at the film's beginning. Strive for an exciting opening that will make your audience lean in to engage in your story and set the tone for the story you are telling.   Describe the Opening Image: Document how many shots and the camera work you will be using to define this section of your film opening. Add more rows or subtract rows based on your narrative structure.
Shot #	Description/Action Line	Camera Shot (Shot size and angle)	Composition of Shot and Camera Framing	Camera Movement	Sound (Music, Dialogue, sound effects.)
1	The scene first starts with a wall in a bedroom, filled with pictures of our main character, Mercedes. These pictures include a poem for Mercedes, love notes, and actual pictures of Mercedes taken at her school.	Shot Size: Medium Shot    Angle: Eye-Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: Insert-Shot	-Pan  -	Music- “Tonight You Belong to Me”  Dialogue- *no dialogue is present in this shot*  Sound Effects- *no sound effects are present*
2	The previous shot fades into the next shot which introduces the film opening’s antagonist, Christine. She is shown laying on her bed, holding a stuffed animal that has Christine’s photo taped on it. She sits up, smiling as she thinks about Mercedes.	Shot Size: Extreme Close Up to Close Up    Angle: Eye-level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: One-Shot	-Tilt  -Dolly Push Out/Pull Out	Music- “Tonight You Belong to Me”   Dialogue- *no dialogue is present in this shot*   Sound Effects- *no sound effects are present*
3	The next shot faded into, and we see Christine adoring the pictures of Mercedes around her. She is seen fantasizing about the life she could have with Mercedes. The audience also gets a view of her other bedroom wall, which also has other pictures of Mercedes.	Shot Size: Medium Shot  Angle: Low Angle	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: One-Shot	-Pan	Music- “Tonight You Belong to Me”  Dialogue- *no dialogue is present in this shot*  Sound Effects- *no sound effects are present*
Beat 2: Theme Stated Describe the thematic premise: Document how many shots and the camera work you will be using to define this section of your film opening. Add more rows or subtract rows based on your narrative structure.
Shot #	Description/Action Line	Camera Shot (Shot size and angle)	Composition of Shot and Camera Framing	Camera Movement	Sound
1	In the start of the next scene, Mercedes is drinking out of her sports water bottle at a table in her school classroom. She is sitting next to her best friend, Lizzy.	Shot Size: Master Shot     Angle: Eye-Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: Two-Shot	-Dolly Push Out-Pull Out  -	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean  Dialogue- *no dialogue is present yet*  Sound Effects- The sound of paper’s shuffling, the sound of Mercedes putting her water bottle down
2	In this shot, we can hear Mercedes & Lizzy having a conversation about Christine taking Mercedes’ bracelet. They talk about how she’s weird and insane.	Shot Size: Medium Close-Up Shot    Angle: Eye-Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: Two-Shot	-Pan  -180-Rule	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue-  Mercedes: “Guess what?”  Lizzy: “What?”  Mercedes: “Do you know Christine?”  Lizzy: Christine as in “Crazy Christine”? Like THE cray-cray Christine?”  Mercedes: “She’s got the bracelet that you gave me!”  Lizzy: “That I gave you?!”  Mercedes: “Yeah.”  Lizzy: “You mean the one I spent all my money on...?” Mercedes: “Yeah!”  Lizzy: “You mean like my hard-earned money that I used for that bracelet?”  Mercedes: “I don’t know how she got it!”  Lizzy: “I’m telling you, she’s crazy! She’s real crazy!”     Sound Effects: The sound of other students chatting, Lizzy clapping her hands together.
3	In the start of the following scene, Mercedes is shown peacefully walking down the school hallway to go to the bathroom. Her hands are in her pockets, and she has no issues or concerns.	Shot Size: Wide-Shot, Full Shot     Angle: Eye-Level	Composition: Deep Focus, Symmetrical balance, Leading Lines    Framing: One-Shot	-Static	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean fades into the actual song with lyrics.     Dialogue- *no dialogue is heard*    Sound Effects- The small sound of Mercedes’ footsteps.
4	In the next shot, Christine is shown closely watching Mercedes as she walks down the hallway. Christine’s foot is up against the wall, and her arms are crossed, which establishes dominance.	Shot Size: Full Shot    Angle: Dutch Angle, Low Angle	Composition: Deep Focus, Asymmetrical balance     Framing: One-Shot	-Static	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue is present*    Sound Effects- Mercedes' footsteps
5	The camera shows Mercedes noticing Christine’s gaze, prompting her to walk into the bathroom with feelings of worry.	Shot Size: Medium Shot    Angle: High Angle	Composition: Deep Focus     Framing: Two Shot	-Pan	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean  Dialogue-   Mercedes: “Um... Okay...”  Sound Effects-  The sound of the bathroom door opening.
6	The shot fades into the subsequent shot, which captures Mercedes washing her hands in the bathroom sink, and then exiting the bathroom.	Shot Size: Medium Close Up     Angle: Eye Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: One-Shot, Over the Shoulder	-Pan  -Static	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue is present*    Sound Effects- The sound of the bathroom sink running, the sound of Mercedes turning off the sink
7	The camera shows one of the bathroom stalls, and someone’s shoes at the bottom of the stall. A student wearing a hood on their head walks out the stall. It is suspected that the person who walks out the stall is Christine, because they have the same hoodie and hairstyle.	Shot Size: Medium Full Shot    Angle: Ground level to Eye Level Shot	Composition: Deep Focus     Framing: One-Shot	tilt	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue*    Sound Effects- The sound of the bathroom stall door opening.
Beat 3: Set up Describe the thematic premise: Document how many shots and the camera work you will be using to define this section of your film opening. Add more rows or subtract rows based on your narrative structure.
Shot #	Description/Action Line	Camera Shot (Shot size and angle)	Composition of Shot and Camera Framing	Camera Movement	Sound
1	The camera zooms in to a box full of crayons on a school classroom’s table. There are laptops and colored pencils surrounding the box.	Shot Size: Close Up    Angle: High Angle	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: Insert Shot	-Dolly Push-In	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue is present*     Sound Effects-  *No sound effects, just music*
2	The camera then zooms in to focus on what is on the surrounding laptops. There are pictures of Mercedes in a school hallway. On the pictures, there are words that read “Her walk is PERFECT. She’s a model.”	Shot Size: Close Up    Angle: Eye-Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: Insert Shot	-Dolly-Push In  -Pan	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue is present*     Sound Effects- The sound of Christine drawing.
3	The camera focuses on Christine drawing a beautiful picture of Mercedes.	Shot Size: Close-Up    Angle: High Angle	Composition: Deep Focus     Framing: Insert Shot, Over the Shoulder	-Dolly Push In	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue is present*     Sound Effects- The sound of Mercedes drawing a picture of Mercedes.
4	In this shot, the camera shows Christine’s facial expression as she draws Mercedes. She looks infatuated with her drawing creation.	Shot Size: Medium Close Up    Angle: Eye Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: One-Shot	-Tilt	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue is present*    Sound Effects- The sound of Christine humming and drawing.
5	A secret closet door in the classroom is slightly open, as we hear cries for help and knocking noises.	Shot Size: Close Up    Angle: Eye-Level	Composition: Deep Focus     Framing: Insert-Shot	-Random Movement	Music- “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- ???: “Help me!”     Sound Effects- The sound of banging coming from inside the closet.
6	Christine is shown drawing peacefully in her school’s classroom. Then, she gets annoyed by the banging noises coming from out the closet. She slams on the desk as she gets up, grabbing her weapon (the scissors), and walking towards the closet in hopes of stopping the noises.	Shot Size: Medium Shot    Angle: Dutch Angle	Composition: Deep Focus, Asymmetrical Balance     Framing: One-Shot	-Dolly Push In  -Random Movement   -Pan	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue*    Sound Effects- The sound of Christine banging on the desk. The sound of her footsteps.
7	The camera zooms into Christine looking in the closet with her weapon in hand with intent of killing the person (Lizzy) screaming inside of the closet.	Shot Size: Medium Close Up    Angle: Dutch Angle	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: One Shot, Over the Shoulder	-Dolly Push In	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- Lizzy: “I know this girl didn’t just lock me in this closet! HELLO?!!”    Sound Effects- The sound of Christine opening the closet door
8	Christine opens the door to reveal that she locked Lizzy in the closet with the intent to kill her.	Shot Size: Medium Shot    Angle: Eye Level	Composition: Deep Focus  Framing: Two-Shot	-Pan	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- *no dialogue*    Sound Effects-  The sound of the door opening
9	Lizzy is shown struggling inside of the closet, begging Christine to let her go.	Shot Size: Medium Shot    Angle: Eye Level	Composition: Shallow Focus, Symmetrical Balance     Framing: Two-Shot, Over the Shoulder	-pan	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- Lizzy: “Stop! This isn’t fair.”  Sound Effects- The sound of Lizzy struggling.
10	In response to Lizzy’s comment about this not being fair, Christine monologues about how Lizzy is so lucky to have Mercedes in her life. She implies that she is selfish for complaining about her life, and that she wants that life.	Shot Size: Extreme Close Up    Angle: Eye Level, Dutch angle	Composition: Shallow Focus    Framing: One-Shot	-Static	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- Christine: “You wanna know what’s not fair? Having the PERFECT life, PERFECT girl best friend, and still being like this!”   Sound Effects- Christine's monologue.
11	Mercedes has been looking for Lizzy, and she walks into the classroom in hopes of seeing her there. She sees the closet door opened, with Christine and Lizzy inside, so she rushes inside to see what’s going on. As she approaches them, she asks Christine about what she’s doing. Christine is startled that Mercedes found her, so she drops the scissors that were in her hand on the floor.	Shot Size: Medium Shot    Angle: Eye Level	Composition: Deep Focus    Framing: One-Shot to Three-Shot, Over-the Shoulder to Insert Shot	-Tracking  -Pan	Music- The instrumental of the song “She” by Tyler, The Creator ft. Frank Ocean    Dialogue- Mercedes: “What is going on?”  Lizzy: “Mercedes help me please!”  Christine: “Mercedes...”    Sound Effects- The sound of Mercedes walking, the sound of the scissors clanging on the floor as Christine drops it

Reflection

In conclusion, we made a shot list to document all of the shots we would be utilizing in each scene. With the help from research and by communicating with our teammates, we were able to complete this! It took a really long time because coming up with shots is super difficult, but it was super worth it, as it made the planning process and the filming process easier for us! Thank you!