Making A Shot List (Page 2 of 4) in pdf

swapped positions on the floor.

DID YOU NOTICE???

Because of the sides that each character is shot on you can gauge that Rob is in the back

of the store, Dick is in the front, and Barry is in the middle. This is important because

Barry also figuratively jumps in the middle of the scene and interrupts it with his huge

presence and obnoxious song. His physical placement in the scene reflects his emotional

placement.

The cuts become quicker towards the end when Rob is trying to stop the music and Barry

is trying to escape Rob’s wrath. This can give a sense of urgency and pacing of the

actions. While this is a move that you make in editing, it is only because of the wide

variety of shots gotten during the taping that can illustrate this scene.

Shots are kept at Medium or Wide because all three people are involved in the scene and

each persons’ reaction to what is being said is important to the building of their

characters’ personality. It also reflects their relationship with each other just like reading

body language. They are not that close of friends so it doesn’t really show CU shots.

The level of the shots are eye level so that you feel like you are maybe a customer in the

store watching them. If it were high shot looking down maybe you would feel more like

you were spying or seeing something you weren’t supposed to. If it was from below it

would feel more ominous or dark. If it were closer shots you would feel more intimate

with the character. You can treat distance the same as how you, yourself would interact

with a person.

What is important to notice is from what side each person is being shown. This is

important for continuity and establishing the setting. These are the notes that need to be

taken in your shot list as to not confuse the viewer in where everyone is positioned in the

scene. This may seem obvious but it’s good to keep in mind also that these things are not

shot in order so that it is edited in camera. Often they will keep the camera on each

individual and have them do their part right in a row with the response dialogue coming

from off stage so that then they can do different takes and angles all with one person and

then have that to pull from when fitting the scene together.

Also a quick editing note on audio… when the shots are of individual characters the

audio overlaps from when you see the person speaking to show little space in between

what is being said as if they are cutting each other off in arguments.

DOCUMENTARY SHOT LISTS

It is one thing to have a planned out script where you can imagine how your scene

will work and then make it happen, but when making a documentary your piece is left up

to more chance especially if it isn’t majorly based around interviews.

This is an example of a reflexive documentary about a butler in Brazil that is largely

driven by voice overs. Therefore the documentarian was able to choreograph his shots

and pre plan a little better

Making A Shot List Page 2