Camera

Coverage

What is coverage in film production?

Coverage is the set of different angles and sizes shot of the same scene so that it can be assembled in the edit. A conventionally covered dialogue scene includes a wide master, matching mid shots or singles of each performer, and often close-ups and cutaways.

Coverage buys options in post at the cost of time on the day. Shooting less of it is the fastest way to gain hours and the fastest way to arrive in the edit unable to cut around a performance problem, which is why the decision belongs to the director and editor together rather than to the clock.

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Shot list software

Reviewed 2026-08-27

Related terms

Shot list: A shot list is the ordered list of individual camera setups planned for a scene or a shooting day, each entry specifying the shot size, angle, movement, lens and what it covers. It is the director and cinematographer's plan for how a scene will be assembled.
Shot size: Shot size describes how much of the subject the frame contains, from extreme wide through wide, medium, close-up and extreme close-up. It is one of three properties that define a shot, alongside camera angle and camera movement, and it is the one that carries most of the emotional distance.
Take: A take is a single recorded attempt at a shot. Takes are numbered sequentially within a setup, logged with a circled marker when the director considers them usable, and identified by scene, slate and take number so the edit can find them.
Continuity: Continuity is the consistency of everything visible and audible across shots that will be cut together — wardrobe, props, hair, position, eyeline, screen direction and the state of the action. It is tracked on set by the script supervisor and matters because scenes are shot out of order.