Not for: Not a run-of-show, and not complete for every community. Customs vary by family and region; walk through the list with the couple before the first event.
Why a shot list
A wedding happens once, across several days and several houses, with relatives who will remember who was not in the film. A shot list turns the couple’s priorities into moments the team can find: the grandmother’s blessing, the cousin flying in from abroad, the couple’s own dance. It also makes the edit easier, because the moments that must be in the film were filmed on purpose, not hoped for.
Download it
The list below is also a spreadsheet you can download, with a column for the day, the event, the shot and notes. Add the names of the people who matter, each family’s customs and the times from the run-of-show, then give a copy to every operator with their camera’s job marked.
The days before the wedding
The haldi, the mehendi and the sangeet are often the most relaxed footage of the whole wedding, and the most fun to cut. Get the details before they are disturbed: the bowls of turmeric, the henna cones, the stage before anyone is on it. Then follow the people: the first touch of haldi from the elders, the henna going on, the family dances in the order they were billed.
The wedding day
The baraat and the welcome at the door, the jaimala, the rituals at the mandap in order, and the faces around them. Elders blessing the couple are the shots most often asked about later. Keep a wide that shows the whole mandap during the pheras, so the sequence reads, and a close camera on the couple’s hands and faces.
Vidaai and the reception
The vidaai is fast and emotional, and it does not happen twice. Be in position before it starts, on the parents and the bride rather than the car. At the reception, the couple’s entry, the speeches as faces and one line each, and a full floor. Portraits with each side of the family are worth a few quiet minutes before the floor fills.
From shot list to film
The same list is a checklist for the edit. In Vantacut, tell Auto-Edit who matters when it asks, and add the must-have moments to the brief before you press Create. The reel opens as a new timeline of ordinary clips, so walk it against the shot list and swap in any must-have the first cut missed.
Must-have shots by event
The core of the downloadable list. Add each family’s customs and names.
| Event | Must-have shots |
|---|---|
| Haldi | The bowls and marigolds before anyone is yellow; the elders’ first touch; everyone’s turn; water and petals; the couple washed and laughing |
| Mehendi | The artist’s first lines; the finished hands and feet; the name hidden in the design; the dholak and the family songs; the guests’ turn |
| Sangeet | The stage before it fills; each family dance in billed order; the couple’s performance; front-row faces; the last chorus on a full floor |
| Baraat | The groom getting ready; the procession and the dhol; the welcome at the door |
| Wedding | The bride’s entry; the jaimala; the mandap wide; the rituals in order; the elders’ blessings; hands and faces close |
| Vidaai | The parents and the bride; the last look back; relatives who travelled far |
| Reception | The couple’s entry; speeches as a face and one line; the cake; portraits with each family; a full floor |
Your footage stays on your computer
Editing, playback and export run on your computer, and your original footage and songs never leave it. To find moments, Auto-Edit shares low-quality copies of your clips, still frames and the speech, and the app asks once before anything is sent. The editor works worldwide, in English; credit packs are priced in Indian rupees.
Questions
Can I edit the shot list?
Yes. It is a plain CSV file that opens in any spreadsheet app. Add the family’s own customs and the names of the people who matter before the first event.
Which shots do families ask about most?
The elders’ blessings, the parents’ faces at the vidaai, and relatives who travelled far. Put names next to those shots so nobody is missed.
Should the shot list go to every operator?
Yes, with each camera’s job marked. A shot list only helps if the person holding the camera knows which moments are theirs.
Get the editor
Windows and Linux now; macOS is coming. The editor is free; create your account when it first opens.