A shot list is the least glamorous and most useful document in production. It is the bridge between "here is the script" and "here is what we actually capture" — a row per shot, each one a concrete instruction. In an AI workflow it becomes even more powerful, because each row is one generation away from a finished clip. This guide shows how to build one with AI and what makes an entry usable.
What a shot list is (and why you need one)
A shot list breaks each scene into the individual shots that will cover it. Skipping it is the most common reason AI video projects sprawl: without a list you generate pretty fragments that never cut together. With one, you know exactly what to make, in what order, and roughly how long the result runs before you spend a single credit.
Anatomy of a shot-list entry
A usable shot has these fields:
- Shot number — sequence and reference (e.g. 12B).
- Shot type — wide, medium, close-up, insert. The single most important field.
- Angle — eye level, low, high, over-the-shoulder, when it matters.
- Movement — static, pan, tilt, dolly, handheld.
- Subject & action — who and what happens in the shot.
- Duration — an estimate, so you can sum the scene's runtime.
For AI generation, add two more: the prompt (the compiled description that will be sent to the model) and the model you intend to render it on. With those, the shot list is the production plan.
Generating a shot list from a script with AI
- Feed AI one scene. Paste the scene and ask for a shot breakdown with type, angle, movement, and a one-line action per shot.
- Edit for coverage and pacing. Merge redundant shots, make sure you have an establishing shot and the close-ups the emotional beats need, and cut anything that does not earn its place.
- Add durations. Estimate each shot; sum them to sanity-check the scene length.
- Attach prompts and models. For each shot, write (or have AI compile) the generation prompt and pick the model that suits it.
A quick shot-type vocabulary
- Establishing / wide: sets the location and geography. Usually the scene's first shot.
- Medium: the workhorse — characters from roughly the waist up, good for dialogue and action.
- Close-up: the face, the emotion, the key object. Where the scene lands its punches.
- Insert: a tight detail — a phone screen, a hand, a clue.
- Over-the-shoulder: conversation coverage that keeps both characters in spatial relation.
From shot list to generated clips
In an AI pipeline the shot list is not the end — each row becomes a generated clip. The trick is that different shots want different models: a face-holding close-up is a different job from a sweeping wide. A multi-model platform lets you route per shot — Kling V3 Omni or Hailuo 2.3 for character close-ups, Seedance 2.0 for cinematic wides, Sora 2 for hero shots.
FlyAIgh's AI storyboard generator produces the shot breakdown and the per-shot prompts automatically from a locked script, recommends a model for each, and lets you override — turning the shot list directly into renders. For the upstream half, see how to turn a script into a storyboard.
FAQ
What is the difference between a shot list and a storyboard?
A shot list is the structured text breakdown — a table of shots with number, type, angle, movement, subject, and duration. A storyboard is the visual version — a frame per shot showing framing and action. They are two views of the same plan: the shot list is the spreadsheet, the storyboard is the sketch. AI tools increasingly produce both at once, attaching the shot-list metadata to each visual panel.
Can AI generate a shot list from a script?
Yes. Give an AI your scene and it can break it into shots with suggested types, angles, and camera moves, plus a rough duration for each. The output is a strong first draft you then edit — merge redundant shots, adjust coverage, and fix pacing. FlyAIgh’s Director generates this shot breakdown automatically as part of turning a locked script into a storyboard.
How detailed should a shot list be?
Detailed enough to act on, not so detailed it becomes busywork. Every entry needs shot number, shot type (wide / medium / close-up), and the action. Add camera angle and movement when they matter to the scene, and an estimated duration so you can gauge runtime. For AI generation specifically, add the prompt and the chosen model per shot — that turns the list directly into renders.
Do I need to know cinematography to make a shot list?
No. The basic vocabulary — establishing wide, medium, close-up, insert, and a few camera moves — covers most of what you need, and an AI tool will propose shot types for you. Knowing why you cut from a wide to a close-up helps you give better feedback, but you can build a perfectly usable shot list with the fundamentals.
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