Why Excel is Killing Your Pre-Production (And What to Use Instead)
Stop wrestling with spreadsheets. There's a better way to organize your shot lists.
Let me guess: you've tried creating shot lists in Excel or Google Sheets. Maybe you even have a "master template" that you copy for every project. You've formatted the cells just right, added drop-downs for shot types, and color-coded everything.
Then you get to set. You pull up the spreadsheet on your phone and... nothing makes sense. The columns are too narrow. Half the text is cut off. You're pinching and zooming like you're trying to defuse a bomb.
🚨 Sound Familiar?
"We spent 3 hours making a shot list in Excel. On shoot day, we abandoned it and just winged it." – Every filmmaker who's tried this, at least once
This isn't your fault. Excel wasn't built for filmmaking. It was built for accounting. And while you can technically use a hammer to paint a wall, there are better tools for the job.
Problem #1: The "Copy-Paste" Trap
Every Excel shot list starts the same way: you copy a template. Maybe it's from your last project, or you found it on a filmmaking forum.
Then you start customizing it. You add columns. Delete rows. Merge cells. Change the formatting. And suddenly, your "template" is broken.
The Copy-Paste Workflow:
- 1. Find your "master" template from 6 months ago
- 2. Copy it and rename it "ProjectName_ShotList_v1"
- 3. Delete all the old shots (but keep the formatting)
- 4. Add new shots... and accidentally break the formulas
- 5. Spend 20 minutes fixing the formatting
- 6. Repeat this process for every new scene
💡 The Real Cost
If you spend 30 minutes per project just fighting with Excel formatting, that's 6 hours per year for a filmmaker doing 12 projects. That's an entire shooting day wasted on spreadsheet maintenance.
Problem #2: The Mobile Readability Nightmare
Your shot list looks perfect on your laptop. You've got columns for shot number, type, lens, movement, actors, notes, estimated time...
Then you open it on your phone on set. And you can only see 2 columns at a time.
What Happens on Mobile:
- ✗ Text is microscopic unless you zoom in
- ✗ You have to scroll horizontally AND vertically
- ✗ Column headers disappear when you scroll down
- ✗ Merged cells render as overlapping text
- ✗ Trying to edit anything is basically impossible
This is why most crews print out the shot list. Which is fine until:
- The director wants to add a shot on the fly
- You realize there's a typo in shot 14
- The weather changes and you need to re-order everything
- You're shooting outdoors and the paper gets wet
⚠️ The Paper Paradox
You use digital tools to plan your shoot, but revert to paper to execute it. That means any changes on set don't make it back into your digital records. Your "final" shot list is never actually final.
Problem #3: The Visual Reference Gap
A shot list in Excel looks like this:
| # | Shot Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | CU | Sarah's hands trembling as she reaches for the door |
Now answer this: What does that shot actually look like?
Is it a straight-on CU? Side angle? Top-down? Are we seeing both hands or just one? What's the framing like?
You have no idea. And neither does your DP, your gaffer, or your camera operator.
What Happens on Set:
Director: "Let's do shot 12."
DP: "The close-up of the hands?"
Director: "Yeah, but from the side, with the door in soft focus behind."
DP: "Oh, I was thinking overhead."
Director: "No, that's shot 13."
*15 minutes wasted aligning everyone's mental images*
Professional productions solve this with storyboards. But then you're managing two separate documents: your Excel shot list and your storyboard PDF. They're never in sync. You update one and forget to update the other.
💡 Why Visuals Matter
A study by the American Film Institute found that productions using visual shot lists (with storyboards or reference images) completed their shooting days 18% faster than those using text-only lists.
Why? Because everyone knows what they're shooting before they even set up the camera.
Problem #4: Version Control Chaos
Quick: which of these is the most recent version?
- ShotList_Final.xlsx
- ShotList_Final_v2.xlsx
- ShotList_Final_FINAL.xlsx
- ShotList_Final_Dec12.xlsx
- ShotList_Final_USE_THIS_ONE.xlsx
Now imagine your DP has version 2, your AD has version 3, and you're working from version 4. Chaos.
Sure, Google Sheets solves this with real-time collaboration. But it introduces a new problem: anyone can accidentally delete anything. And they do. Frequently.
⚠️ Real Story
"We were shooting a commercial. The AD was updating the shot list on Google Sheets while we were setting up. He accidentally deleted an entire scene. We didn't realize until we were already moving to the next location. Had to add an entire day to the schedule."
What Professional Shot List Software Does Differently
Specialized shot list software isn't just "Excel with pictures." It's a completely different approach to production planning.
1. Mobile-First Design
Real shot list apps are designed for phones first. The mobile experience isn't an afterthought—it's the primary interface.
- ✓ Card-based layouts that work on any screen size
- ✓ Swipe gestures to mark shots as complete
- ✓ Offline mode for shooting in remote locations
- ✓ One-tap access to shot details without scrolling
2. Integrated Visual References
Professional tools put visuals and shot descriptions in the same place.
- ✓ Generate storyboards directly from your script
- ✓ Choose from multiple visual styles (sketch, photorealistic, etc.)
- ✓ Every shot has a visual thumbnail
- ✓ Share shot lists that actually show what you're planning
3. Smart Organization
No more manually reordering rows or copying formulas.
- ✓ Drag-and-drop reordering that actually works on mobile
- ✓ Automatic shot numbering that updates when you reorder
- ✓ Filter by scene, location, or actor instantly
- ✓ Automatic time calculations based on your shooting ratio
4. Real Collaboration
Not just "everyone can edit the same spreadsheet" chaos.
- ✓ Role-based permissions (director can edit, crew can view)
- ✓ Version history with the ability to roll back changes
- ✓ Comments and notes attached to specific shots
- ✓ Real-time sync without the risk of accidental deletion
Excel vs. Professional Shot List Software
| Feature | Excel/Sheets | ShotList.Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile Readability | ✗ | ✓ |
| Visual Storyboards | ✗ | ✓ |
| Auto-numbering | Manual | ✓ |
| Offline Access | Partial | ✓ |
| Version Control | File chaos | ✓ |
| Templates | Copy/paste | ✓ |
| Learning Curve | Familiar | Minutes |
| Export Options | PDF/Excel | PDF/PNG/Excel |
| Cost | Free-$10/mo | $49/mo |
When Excel Actually Works Fine
To be fair, Excel isn't always the wrong tool. It works great for:
- Student projects where you're learning and budget is zero
- Documentaries where you don't have a pre-planned shot list
- Very simple shoots (3-5 shots, single location, no complexity)
- Budget tracking (which is what it was actually designed for)
But if you're shooting:
- Narrative films with multiple scenes
- Commercials with complex setups
- Music videos with dozens of quick shots
- Anything with a crew larger than 3 people
You need a real shot list tool.
Ready to Ditch the Spreadsheet?
See why directors are switching from Excel to ShotList.Studio for faster pre-production and smoother shoot days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I import my existing Excel shot lists?
Yes! ShotList.Studio can import CSV and Excel files. We'll automatically map your columns and preserve all your shot data. The import process takes less than 2 minutes.
What if my crew is used to Excel?
Our interface is intentionally familiar. If your crew can read a spreadsheet, they can use ShotList.Studio. Plus, you can export to PDF or Excel at any time for crew members who prefer paper.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once you've loaded your shot list, you can access it without internet. Changes sync automatically when you're back online. Perfect for remote locations.
Is it really worth paying for software when Excel is free?
Consider this: If specialized software saves you just 1 hour per project, that's 12 hours per year. For a freelance DP charging $500/day, that's $750 in value. The software pays for itself in time saved—not to mention fewer mistakes and smoother shoots.