Shot Diagram from Above: Cameras, Lights, and Blocking

A tool for preparing a shoot: the scene is drawn from above in meters — people, cameras, lights, furniture, and walls. Each camera shows the field of view of its lens, and the tool works out right away who is in frame, what the shot size is, and whether the camera has crossed the line between the characters. The diagram with its camera list is saved as a PDF for the crew.

How to draw a shot diagram

4 steps
1
Place the people and furniture

Add the characters, a table, walls — and drag them into place on the plan, which is measured in meters.

2
Position the cameras

Add a camera, choose a lens, and aim it at a character.

3
Check the shot sizes and the line

Below the diagram you can read what shot each camera gives and whether it has crossed the line.

4
Save the sheet for the crew

A PDF with the diagram and the camera list, or a PNG image.

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Place cameras and actors on a floor plan and see what the lens will see

The plan is empty. Place people and a camera — what the lens sees will appear below the plan: who is in frame and what the shot size is.

Drag items around the plan; the dot at the end of the line rotates a camera, a light, or furniture. Arrow keys move by 10 cm (50 with Shift), [ and ] rotate by 5°, Delete removes.

What the cameras see

A line for each camera will appear here: the lens, who it is aimed at and how many meters away, the shot size, and who is in frame.

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Features

Field of view from lens and sensor
The angle of view is calculated from the focal length and the frame on the sensor: full frame, Super 35, APS-C, Micro 4/3, a 1-inch sensor, and a phone, with aspect ratios from 16:9 to 2.39:1 and vertical 9:16. Next to it is the lens that would give the same view on full frame.
Shot size from this position
The distance to the person and the lens show how much of them fits in the frame: close-up, chest up, waist up, knees up, whole figure, or wide. An 85 mm from four meters and a 24 mm from one meter give the same shot size — the diagram shows it.
Who is in frame and on which side
For each camera, the people in frame are listed left to right. A camera can be aimed at a person — it then turns to follow them as they are moved around the plan.
Line check (the 180° rule)
A line is drawn between two characters. If a camera ends up on the other side of it, the camera is highlighted in red, and a note below the plan says which shots will not cut together.
The camera finds the spot for a shot size
Choose a shot size — the camera pulls back from the character or moves in to the distance at which this lens gives that shot. Camera dolly moves and actor walks are drawn as arrows with their length in meters.
A PDF sheet for the crew
The shot diagram with tables below it: cameras with lenses, distances, and shot sizes; lighting fixtures; actor moves. The diagram itself can be saved as a PNG image.

Questions about the shot diagram

How is the camera's angle of view calculated on the diagram?

From the width of the frame on the sensor and the focal length: the angle is twice the arctangent of half the frame width divided by the focal length. What matters is the width of the frame itself: vertical 9:16 video turns the sensor, so the same lens sees less horizontally. The calculation holds for ordinary lenses that are not focused at close range; a fisheye sees a wider angle than calculated.

What rule decides the shot size?

The height the frame holds at the spot where a person about 170 cm tall stands: up to 30 cm is an extreme close-up, up to 50 a close-up, up to 80 a medium close-up, up to 115 a medium shot, up to 150 a cowboy shot, up to 260 a full shot, and anything larger a wide shot. The boundaries are a convention and the names differ between schools, but the ladder is the same.

What does "the camera crosses the line" mean?

The line is an imaginary line between two characters. While every camera stays on one side of it, the character on the left stays on the left in every shot. A camera on the other side shows them the other way around, and across the cut the viewer loses their bearings. The diagram flags such a camera; if the crossing is intended, leave it as it is — the rule is broken on purpose.

Does the diagram account for walls and furniture that block the frame?

No. The field of view is drawn as an open angle, and everyone inside it counts as in frame, even if a wall stands between them and the camera. Check for obstructions by eye on the diagram.

Which sensor should I choose if I shoot on a phone?

The "Phone" option matches the main camera of current phones with a sensor of about 1/1.3 inch. Enter the real focal length, not the "equivalent" one: for the main camera it is usually 5–7 mm. Next to the angle, the diagram shows which lens this corresponds to on full frame — about 24 mm.

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Who is this tool for?
🎬 Video Creators
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