Shot Log / Dailies Notes Tool

Knowledge Base

Why a Shot Log Saves Editing Time

Without a log, your editor has to scrub through every take of every scene to find the good ones: with a log, they can filter straight to your 4-5 star takes and start cutting immediately. A few seconds of note-taking per take on set routinely saves hours in the edit bay.

What to Note in Real Time

• Rating: A quick gut-reaction star rating right after the take, while it's fresh, don't wait until the end of the day to rate everything from memory.
• Technical issues: Focus miss, boom in frame, camera shake, anything that rules a take out regardless of performance.
• Performance notes: "Best line reading," "energy dropped at the end," "watch for the laugh at 0:14", context your editor can't get from the footage alone.

Using the CSV in Your Edit

Import the exported CSV into a spreadsheet alongside your bin, or reference it directly while scrubbing dailies, sorting by rating instantly surfaces your best material before you've watched a single frame.

FAQ

Q: Should the whole crew have access to the log, or just one person?
A: Designate one person (often a script supervisor or AC) to own the log during the shoot, split logging responsibility usually leads to gaps and inconsistent notes.

Q: Does this replace a full script supervisor's continuity notes?
A: No. This is a lightweight ratings/notes log for editing triage, not a replacement for detailed continuity tracking on larger productions.