shoot-outline-writer

Shoot Outline Writer

What This Skill Does

Generates a structured shooting outline — organised by scene or sequence — listing locations, interviewees, interview topic areas, and B-roll requirements, so the director and crew know exactly what needs to be captured on each shoot day.

When To Use This Skill

• After a story has been approved and you are planning the shoot, before writing a full scene-by-scene shooting script
• When you have a list of contributors and locations but need to turn them into a logical shooting order
• When briefing a crew who are joining mid-production and need a fast overview of what the film is trying to capture
• When preparing a pre-shoot document to share with a series producer, executive producer, or broadcaster for approval before committing to travel

What You Need To Provide

Required:

• Project title and a one-paragraph description of what the documentary or film is about
• List of locations to be filmed (names, brief description of each)
• List of interviewees or contributors (name, role/relevance — no identifying personal details needed)
• The key story beats or topics the film must cover

Optional:

• Preferred shoot order or logistical constraints (e.g., contributor only available on a specific day, location only accessible at certain times)
• Whether sequences are observational, interview-based, or reconstruction
• Intended final film length and format (e.g., 52-minute broadcast documentary, 3-part streaming series)
• Any known B-roll gaps that need to be filled

How the Assistant Approaches This

1. Reviews the story beats and maps each one to a location or contributor, grouping elements that can be captured together to minimise travel and crew time
2. Structures the outline scene by scene, assigning each scene a location, a primary purpose (interview / observational / B-roll), the relevant contributor(s) if any, and a list of B-roll shots needed to cover or illustrate that scene in the edit
3. Adds a brief notes column to each scene flagging logistical considerations — access requirements, time-of-day sensitivity, equipment needs, or editorial risks (e.g., "contributor may be reluctant to discuss this topic — prepare alternative question set")