Shot

Definition

A Shot is an indication, within a scene, that the focus shifts to a specific person or thing.

Description

Here are some sample shots:

CLOSE ON BOB'S NOSE

ANGLE ON THE RANSOM NOTE

MARK'S POV

INSERT - TIMER OF THE BOMB

BACK TO SCENE

First things first: when using Shots, stay acutely aware of the Show It Don't Tell It, But Don't Direct It, rule! It's very easy to use Shots when they really aren't necessary at all, or when you could achieve the same effect with some well written Action. Like Transitions, you only want to use Shots when you really need them to convey a particular effect. Here's an example that's familiar to you:

                    MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
          This tape will self-destruct in five 
          seconds.

CLOSE ON THE TAPE RECORDER

The tape begins to SIZZLE and slowly smolders until
it's engulfed in smoke.

You could make two arguments about that example. The first is that you need the Shot to emphasize the important event of the tape self-destructing. The contrary argument is that without the Shot, the Action makes it clear that the tape is self-destructing and you don't need to tell the director that he needs to be "close on the tape recorder" because she'll figure out how to shoot it on her own. Both of these arguments are valid. This is another case where you have to use your best judgment. Some studios, producers and shows that we know use shots extensively. Others, not at all. You find them more often in scripts that are in production, rather than those being submitted to be read.

Notice the Shot "BACK TO SCENE." This is one that you might use after you have focused on a particular part of the scene to indicate that you want to return the focus, well... back to the scene in general. In the example above, you could do:

CLOSE ON THE TAPE RECORDER

The tape begins to SIZZLE and slowly smolders until it's 
engulfed in smoke.

BACK TO SCENE

Jim tosses the recorder into the trash and walks into the 
museum.

Again, there's no specific list of Shots, use your imagination to create Shots that help tell your story in the most creative, simple and effective way you can. By the way, see Abbreviations if you don't know what POV means.

Formatting

Shots are uppercase and use the same margins as Scene Headings: 1.5" from the left (the right margin doesn't matter because you don't want a shot that takes more than one line). You normally want 1 blank line before a Shot, but some writers use 2, like a Scene Heading (sometimes they do this to lengthen a short script, sometimes it's for style).

With Scriptware

To create a Shot, instead of hitting <Enter> to create Action (or, if the cursor is already flashing on a blank Action line), just press <Alt-Enter>.

Scriptware will change the spacing, margins and case so you can type your Shot. Just press <Enter> when you're finished to go back to another Action element.