Real World Digital Video, Second Edition

Drawing Shot Plans

All the elements we've discussed in this chapter culminate in a shot plan—a document that diagrams your camera setups, blocking of actors, and shots for every scene (Figure 5.19).

Figure 5.19. Here's a shot plan for Scene 3 of When Harried Met Sally. Do one shot plan for each short scene. For longer scenes, draw a plan for every two or three setups on the same set. Your plan won't include lighting at this point: Concern yourself with translating your shot designs into the physical reality of actors talking and moving in the physical space.

One important reason to draw up a shot plan for every scene is to make sure you will actually ...