Shot Listing Essentials – New Course Launched on MZed

by Mascha DeikovaMarch 27^th, 2026

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A shot list is one of the fundamental tools in filmmaking — and a powerful one. It organizes visual ideas and turns them into a format that the entire crew can follow. The newly launched masterclass on MZed, “Before You Roll – Shot Listing Essentials,” explores this process in depth, covering everything from shot terminology to practical workflows.

The masterclass is taught by Leland Krane, a New York-based director of photography with a wide portfolio of feature films, TV projects, and commercial work. He is also the CEO and co-founder of ShotKraft, an AI-powered shot listing tool. In this course, he combines filmmaking theory with practical examples from his professional experience and includes a brief introduction to the shot listing platform developed by him and his team.

Why is a shot list important?

Leland Krane begins the masterclass with the basic terms. For example, when filmmakers talk about shots within a scene, they often refer to everything beyond the establishing shot as “coverage”. The way a scene is covered influences the editing style, the emotional tone, and —often— how the story unfolds on screen. But what about long takes? There are entire films and episodes (such as “Adolescence”) that unfold in a single continuous shot. Even in those cases, the camera still moves through wides, close-ups, over-the-shoulders, and two-shots within that take. In that sense, shot planning remains essential. So yes, shot lists are still needed.

Shot lists translate the images in a director’s head into a shared plan for the crew, making them essential for communication. An assistant director relies on them to estimate setups and shooting time. Make-up and wardrobe departments need to know when close-ups will reveal fine details. Grip and lighting teams depend on them to understand camera movement, framing, and required equipment.

In many cases, it’s beneficial to prepare at least a rough shot list before the location scout. Knowing the intended shots in advance helps to identify staging possibilities as well as technical challenges when evaluating a space for a scene.

Shot Listing Essentials – what the course includes

Another key idea in “Before You Roll – Shot Listing Essentials” is the connection between shot design and effective storytelling. In case you are interested in more such content, check out the “How To” section of our site. Understanding the story and subtext of a scene often guides decisions about framing, camera placement, and shot progression. Throughout the course, Leland analyzes multiple film examples to illustrate these ideas.

Additional topics include:

• How to approach building a shot list – where to begin and how directors and cinematographers align on a visual plan
• Shot nomenclature – commonly used shot types and terminology explained with diagrams, film examples, and industry insights
• Scene progression – how shots evolve within a scene, whether connected through camera movement or not
• Modifiers – other elements that refine a shot description, such as camera movement, lens choice, focus, and framing
• The director’s line – what is it, and when to respect or intentionally cross it
• Modern shot listing tools, including a look at the AI-powered software ShotKraft

Even creators working outside traditional narrative filmmaking, such as in music videos, commercials, or social media, can benefit from drafting shot lists in advance. A structured shot list makes a production more efficient and intentional. It’s also worth noting how much it frees up time on set, allowing for much more creative and inspired decisions in the moment!

Price and availability

The “Before You Roll – Shot Listing Essentials” is available now on MZed.com as part of the MZed Pro subscription ($29 per month) alongside other educational courses for filmmakers.

MZed Pro subscribers can also enjoy a 20% off discount for using ShotKraft and the first month of the Pro plan for free. The discount code alongside further information is available in the “Member discounts” section.

What else do you get with MZed Pro?

With MZed Pro, you can stream hundreds of hours of filmmaking education. We continually add new courses (several are currently in production). Starting at just $29/month (billed at $349 in the first year, $199 from the second year, or billed monthly at $49), here’s what you’ll get:

• 60+ courses, over 800+ high-quality lessons.
• Highly produced courses from educators with decades of experience and awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award.
• Unlimited access to stream all content during the 12 months.
• Offline download and viewing with the MZed iOS app.
• Discounts to ARRI Academy online courses, exclusively on MZed.
• Most of our courses provide an industry-recognized certificate upon completion.
• Purchasing the courses outright would cost over $9,500.
• Course topics include cinematography, directing, lighting, cameras and lenses, producing, indie filmmaking, writing, editing, color grading, audio, time-lapse, pitch decks, and more.
• 7-day money-back guarantee if you decide it’s not for you (on annual billing only).

What about you? Do you make shot lists for your projects or always improvise on the fly? Are there any questions about shot listing that you’d like to get answers for? Please, share with us in the comments below.

Full disclosure: MZed is owned by CineD.
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