<< Working out what makes great shots great >>

We write pithy posts on shot design. We share them daily on Instagram, Twitter and even Facebook. We go into more depth in a free tri-weekly Substack newsletter. And we upload occasional video “essays” to our YouTube. None of our content is behind a paywall. So consider following us!

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Huh, Shot Design?

<< Shot Design isn’t just what it looks and feels like. Shot Design is how it works. >>

(with respect to Steve Jobs)

Shot Design is intrinsically connected to the idea of mise en scène: the arrangement of all elements — props, set decoration, lighting wardrobe, the actors — in front of the camera.

But (for us) it is more than that. It is about the relationship of those elements to the camera, to the edit and to the sound design. How all these elements work together to create meaning.

Our purpose at Shot Zero is to reverse engineer some of our favourite shots, scenes and moments into their individual elements so we can understand how they were executed in practice. The goal is to unearth practical tools for visual storytellers across mediums.

If you’d like to support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber to our Substack. None of our content is behind a paywall because we believe in the virtues of free education so all you’ll be getting in return is the warm and fuzzies of helping us.

— <3 Mel and Stu.