Pre-Production: Shot List

Picture of the first page of our story board

One challenge I faced when I began to create the shot list was transforming my ideas from the storyboard into the shot list. The storyboard is a visual guide for the opening two minutes of the film, which helps give a rough idea of the direction for the aesthetic of the film. But, translating these shots into a detailed shot list with all the specific details was a bit difficult. A shot log is not just a list of shots—it includes camera angles, shot sizes, movements, environment (INT or EXT), time of day, and shot descriptions. Getting all these details together and ensuring they matched up with the storyboard was a challenge. 

How I Fixed It:

1. Breaking Down Each Shot:

The first step I did was to carefully go over each frame of the storyboard and break it down. For example, in shot 1 of the storyboard, I had the stalker watching Eva on his computer with no frontality. I needed to decide if I wanted to make this a medium shot or an over-the-shoulder shot (OTS). This made me specify in my shot list that the shot would be an OTS shot, using a tripod from an interior location, with no frontality for the stalker to add tension.

The camera shot list I created

2. Shot Composition:

The next part was thinking about the camera movement. The storyboard provided a rough draft, but now I had to decide on the exact camera angle, shot, and if there would be any movement. For example, scene 3, shot 1 (Eva waiting by the elevator for the stalker) is a medium shot, and I needed to include it would be taken using a tripod. I also had to think about how the shots would visually tell the story. 

3. Details:

The next step was filling out the technical parts of each shot. This included specifying whether a shot would be filmed interior or exterior  and if there would be any camera movements like tracking or hand held. For example, when Eva and the stalker walk away in scene 3 shot 4, I wanted to follow their movement, so in the shot log I specified it was a tracking shot. 

4. Ensuring Consistency

It was extremely important for me to make sure that the shot log and storyboard had the same flow and correct shot order. Since the first six shots set up important moments and tension, I made sure the entire shot log had detail that reflected the sense of unease. From Sofia looking at herself in the mirror to Eva unknowingly being followed by the stalker, every detail in the shot log had to reflect the suspense. 

Transferring the ideas from my storyboard into a detailed shot log was challenging but very important. By breaking down each shot, keeping camera movement in mind and maintaining consistency, I was able to create a clearer picture of how each scene would play out. The shot log helped me visualize the film more as well as making it easier to plan out exactly how we can execute each shot. While the storyboard gave me a good outline, the shot log helped ensure that everything was set up exactly how I envisioned it.