What Is a Shot List and How Do I Write One for a UGC Campaign?
Shot lists -- it’s one of many crucial elements to any production. if you’re running any kind of UGC campaign, you’ll need one. And a good one at that, though what’s considered “good” depends on the type of campaign you’re looking to run. But at the end of the day, the shot list is your key to success, because without it you’re relying on pure luck and the filming skills of a community that might have never shot a thing.
For traditional productions, with the whole crew, fancy lighting set-ups, etc., the shot list is the heart and soul of the entire operation. It means nothing is left to chance: all you have to do is make sure every shot is captured, and you’ve got all the material you need to form a compelling and cohesive edit -- guaranteed. The same theory applies to UGC campaigns.
Thankfully, it’s not difficult to write a good shot list that houses all the instructions and prompts your filmers needs. Get it nailed, and the chance of your UGC campaign proving a huge smash jumps significantly.
Understanding the Significance of a UGC Shot List
Most cloud-based UGC platforms house a shot list feature. But the quality of your shot list -- how you’ve considered and composed it -- is a make or break for your project’s final edit(s).
The key is to reduce ambiguity. If you want filmers to capture certain footage, you should provide the precise instructions they need.
To write a good shot list, you’ll need to consider three elements:
1. How long should my shot list be?
Try not to overface your filmers with a shot list that makes the project look daunting and time-consuming rather than fun and minimally invasive. You want to make participating in a project feel like an opportunity to share an experience, not a homework assignment that will completely disrupt that experience. Imagine joining a project for a concert or festival, then seeing a huge list of 20+ shot requests. It’s easy to envisage your user thinking ‘no chance I do all of this’ and backing out. That’s why we recommend one to five shots in any UGC shot list, capping out at a maximum of seven if it’s absolutely necessary. If you want to surpass that number, consider positioning certain shots as more optional.
Smaller shot lists have two advantages. They keep participants actively involved in the project and encourage them to spend more time on each clip they shoot, resulting in better-quality footage for your final edit.
2. What language should I use in my shot list?
It’s a ‘gimme’ that the description for every shot in your shot list is clear and concise so that there’s no confusion as to what participants should be filming. But clarity and concision should be balanced with a tone that is warm, friendly as it makes a participant feel welcome in stepping outside of the box or even making a mistake or two before getting that perfect take. You’re aiming to detail all the specifics you need while still providing encouragement and comfort to your filmers who, again, are doing you the favor of participating. If you can avoid overt rigidity, as suggested here, you’ll likely maximize the quality and volume of submissions you receive and, in some cases, wind up with unique footage that too much rigidity might have inadvertently discouraged. Remember, a lot of people tend to be timid about sharing their footage in a public campaign in the first place. Don’t further intimidate them with instructions that sound like there’s a penalty for not getting it perfect. Remember, the goal is to capture authentic, user-generated content with some guidance, not to intimidate them with perfectionism.
3. What’s the best layout for my shot list?
Remember one rule above everything: one shot = one ask. If you put more than one ask into a single shot, you’re almost guaranteeing that some filmers will miss the mark. Want clips of people answering five different questions? That’s five different shots -- not one long shot of all five questions.
If your platform allows you to arrange the order of your shot list, put the most crucial shots at the top of the list. That way, filmers who might only do one or two shots, rather than the whole list, are still likely to film the most important material for your project.
All that being said, your shot list is much more than a cool little feature for you to use or not use in a UGC campaign. It’s your primary means of creative direction that users, potentially around the world, will be using as their go-to resource for what to film. So do them the favor of giving them a good one, and they'll return the favor by filming stellar content for your campaign. Trust us.
Conclusion
Your shot list is not just a mere feature; it is the primary tool for creative direction that users worldwide will rely on to determine what to film. By providing a well-crafted shot list, you empower your contributors to capture stellar content for your UGC campaign. Remember, a good shot list significantly increases the chances of your UGC campaign becoming a tremendous success. So, invest the time and effort to write an exceptional shot list, and watch your project thrive with authentic and engaging user-generated content.
