What is a shot list?

The optional shot list helps you plan the video recording session. It is a terse, step-by-step guide that you can print or have on screen while you are recording. Your first impulse when clicking on that big red Record button may be to freeze. This is normal and can be easily overcome. Having a written list to remind you where to start and where to go next is a big help. In a few words, a shot list reminds you of the sequence of events you are going to record. This illustration shows a shot list for a video that describes logging on to a system and setting profile preferences:

A shot list is especially important for video recordings. Whenever the video camera or screen recording software is turned on, you are going to want to know what comes up next. The shot list will put your mind at ease about this. It gives you the proper sequence to execute the list of tasks you are going to record.

This technique works well for a sequence of events that you need to keep in mind while recording. For other projects where the sequence of events is already defined or well understood, you might not need a shot list at all. For example, if your project is based on a deck of presentation slides, the sequence of events is already defined by the position of the individual slides. A shot list in this case would be redundant. The shot list is described in Chapter 4, Creating the Storyboard and a sample is included in Appendix.