Shots

Shots are the fundamental unit of capture in Lazer. Each shot represents a specific camera setup with defined angle, framing, and movement characteristics.

Shot Breakdown

Breaking down a scene into individual shots is a core part of pre-production. In Lazer, shots are organized within scenes and identified by standardized shot codes.

Shot Codes

Every shot receives a unique code for easy reference:

• Format: SH001, SH002, SH003, etc.
• Sequential - Numbers increment within each scene
• Persistent - Shot codes remain stable even if shots are reordered
• Scene-scoped - Each scene has its own shot numbering

Example: Scene 5 might have shots SH001 through SH008.

Shot codes provide a universal reference system for communicating about specific shots across your team and in external tools.

Shot Attributes

Each shot is defined by three primary attributes:

Camera Angle

The vertical position and orientation of the camera:

• Eye Level - Camera at subject's eye height
• High Angle - Camera positioned above subject, looking down
• Low Angle - Camera positioned below subject, looking up
• Bird's Eye - Extreme overhead view, looking straight down
• Dutch Angle - Camera tilted on the horizontal axis
• Over the Shoulder (OTS) - Camera behind one subject, facing another
• Point of View (POV) - Camera represents character's perspective

Framing

The composition and how much of the subject is visible:

• Extreme Wide Shot (EWS) - Very wide view, emphasizes environment
• Wide Shot (WS) - Full body and surroundings
• Full Shot (FS) - Full body, minimal surroundings
• Medium Wide Shot (MWS) - From knees up
• Medium Shot (MS) - From waist up
• Medium Close-Up (MCU) - From chest up
• Close-Up (CU) - Head and shoulders
• Extreme Close-Up (ECU) - Face or object detail
• Two-Shot - Two subjects in frame
• Group Shot - Multiple subjects in frame

Camera Movement

How the camera moves during the shot:

• Static - No camera movement
• Pan - Horizontal rotation on a fixed axis
• Tilt - Vertical rotation on a fixed axis
• Dolly/Track - Camera moves horizontally on a track
• Zoom - Lens focal length changes
• Crane - Camera moves vertically on a crane
• Handheld - Unsteady, naturalistic movement
• Steadicam - Smooth, fluid handheld-style movement
• Orbit - Camera circles around subject
• Push In - Camera moves toward subject
• Pull Out - Camera moves away from subject

Creating Shots Manually

Create a shot from the Shots tab in scene detail view:

1. Click "New Shot"
2. Shot code is assigned automatically
3. Select camera angle from dropdown
4. Select framing from dropdown
5. Select movement from dropdown
6. Add shot description (what happens in the shot)
7. Optionally specify duration
8. Save the shot

Shot Description

Write a clear, concise description of what happens in the shot:

• Focus on action and subject
• Mention key props or background elements
• Note emotional tone or atmosphere
• Include any special requirements

Example: "Jane enters the abandoned warehouse, her flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. She pauses, sensing danger."

AI-Assisted Shot Creation

Use AI to generate shot breakdowns automatically:

Automatic Scene Breakdown

1. Open a scene's Shots tab
2. Click "Generate Shot List"
3. Lazer analyzes the scene script
4. AI suggests appropriate shots with angles, framing, and movement
5. Review the suggested shots
6. Edit, accept, or reject individual shots
7. Confirm to add shots to the scene

AI-generated shot lists provide a professional starting point based on filmmaking conventions. Always review and adjust to match your creative vision.

Shot-by-Shot Generation

Generate shots one at a time with more control:

1. Click "Generate Next Shot"
2. Provide context: previous shot, desired coverage style
3. AI suggests a complementary shot
4. Edit and accept or regenerate

Shot List Management

Viewing Shots

The Shots tab displays all shots for a scene in a list or grid view:

• List View - Detailed table with all attributes visible
• Grid View - Compact cards with thumbnails

Toggle between views using the view selector.

Reordering Shots

Change shot order by dragging and dropping:

1. Click and hold a shot row or card
2. Drag to the desired position
3. Release to reorder

Shot codes remain stable; display order changes.

Filtering Shots

Filter shots by attributes:

• Angle - Show only specific angles
• Framing - Show only specific framing types
• Movement - Show only specific movements
• Status - Show shots with or without assets

Duplicating Shots

Create a copy of an existing shot:

1. Select a shot
2. Click "Duplicate"
3. New shot is created with the same attributes
4. Edit the duplicate as needed

Useful for similar shots with slight variations.

Shot Metadata

Additional metadata for each shot:

• Duration - Expected shot length in seconds
• Characters - Characters visible in the shot
• Props - Required props or objects
• VFX Notes - Special effects requirements
• Priority - High, medium, low importance
• Status - Draft, Ready, In Progress, Complete
• Notes - Production notes and comments

Linking Shots to Assets

When you generate assets on external platforms and capture them using the Chrome extension, you link them to specific shots:

1. In the extension, select the target shot
2. Capture the asset
3. Asset is automatically linked to the shot
4. View linked assets in the Assets tab

Multiple asset versions can be linked to a single shot for comparison.

Shot Coverage Patterns

Lazer recognizes common coverage patterns:

Standard Coverage

• Master shot (wide)
• Medium shots of main characters
• Close-ups for emotional moments
• Cutaways and inserts

Dialogue Coverage

• Over-the-shoulder shots
• Matching single shots
• Two-shots or group shots

Action Coverage

• Establishing wide shots
• Dynamic medium shots
• Close-ups for impact
• POV shots for immersion

Use coverage patterns as templates when generating shot lists.

Shot Export

Export shot lists for production or reference:

• Shot List PDF - Formatted shot list with descriptions
• Storyboard Template - Layout for adding storyboard sketches
• CSV Export - Import into spreadsheet or production software
• JSON Export - Machine-readable format for integrations

Share shot lists with your cinematographer, VFX team, or generation platform as a reference for creating assets.

Shot Status Workflow

Track shot progress through production:

1. Draft - Shot defined but no assets generated
2. Ready - Shot ready for asset generation
3. In Progress - Assets being generated
4. Review - Assets generated, awaiting selection
5. Complete - Winner selected and approved

Shot status updates automatically based on linked asset workflow.

Next Steps

After defining shots, proceed to Asset Management to generate, capture, and manage the actual media files for each shot.