Music Video Shot List Template
A music video is cut to a fixed timeline, which means you need far more coverage than the runtime suggests. Every cut needs an option, and a three-minute track can carry over a hundred of them.
The rule that governs everything here: film every performance section in full, from every angle. Partial performance coverage is the reason music video edits fall apart.
The shot list
Performance — full track, every angle
Film the whole song at each setup, even if the section will not be used. Partial takes cannot be cut to the beat.
- 01Wide performance, full track
- 02Medium performance, full track
- 03Close on the vocalist, full track
- 04Extreme close — mouth, eyes, hands
- 05Profile angle
- 06Low angle looking up
- 07Handheld moving around the performer
- 08Each band member individually, full track
- 09Instrument detail — hands on strings, keys, sticks
Narrative
- 10Establishing shot of each location
- 11Character introduction
- 12Each story beat, wide and close
- 13Reaction shots
- 14The turning point, multiple angles
- 15Resolution or final image
Movement and style
- 16Tracking shot alongside a walking subject
- 17Slow motion of any physical action
- 18Whip pans between setups
- 19Camera on a gimbal circling the performer
- 20Rack focus between foreground and performer
- 21Reverse or ramped speed shot
Texture and inserts
- 22Practical lights, neon, reflections
- 23Smoke, water, dust, sparks
- 24Fabric and hair in motion
- 25Location detail that sets the tone
- 26Abstract or out-of-focus frames for transitions
Tips for this kind of shoot
- Every performance angle needs the whole song. This is the single rule that decides whether the edit works.
- Play the track loud on set. Lip sync drifts the moment performers cannot hear clearly.
- Shoot the wide first as your safety, then get progressively tighter.
Use this list on your next shoot
Storeyz keeps your shots in story order for planning and regroups them by location for the day — then you tick them off on your phone as you get them.
Questions
How many shots does a music video need?
A three-minute video typically needs 60–120 distinct setups once you count every performance angle filmed against the full track. Coverage matters more than variety.