Directing
How to build a shot list that survives set
7 min
Turn a director’s intent into a flexible plan the AD, DP, gaffer, and editor can actually use under pressure.
Start with the constraints
A lean production succeeds when the team knows what is fixed and what can move. Before departments start solving creatively, confirm the runtime, deliverables, schedule, location access, insurance requirements, and who has final approval.
Turn that into a one-page production brief. Include contact numbers, parking, meal windows, release needs, power limitations, weather backup, and the shots that cannot be missed.
The practical pass
Walk the plan from call time to wrap and ask what could block each step. Most production problems reveal themselves as missing keys, unclear ownership, or assumptions about time.