Due to the nature of guerilla filmmaking, often times as a filmmaker, you are director, cinematagrapher, sound operator, production assistant, caterer and producer, all at the same time....and carrying so many hats, one of them is going to fall, for sure, guaranteed...unless you plan ahead and have a check list for your filming. Now, while I am a strong advocate of knowing exactly what you want to shoot before you shoot it, there are things you are not going to consider until you are actually on the set under the actual conditions, and there are so many things that can change from one day to the next to throw you off your game....

Here is a checklist I use when I am on a shoot that either myself or my PA will tick off as we go for each scene. Do you need all of these? Possibly not, but by having all of these, you allow your editor greater flexibility when a particular shot does not work...and its better to have alternatives than be stuck wtih a bad looking shot. One big rule is never ask your actors to do a scene over unless you are going to change what they do, or how you shoot it...once you got it, trust your gut and move forward. Second big rule is demand your actors do the exact same thing in every scene once your start...you cannot edit if they are moving differently, saying different words, in a different position. Doing so kills the energy and makes you look as if you are not as confident or certain of your skills.
Yes, shooting all these will take more time for each scene, but if you are looking quality, you can have it cheap, fast or good, but not all three. This list allows you to have it cheap and good.
Remember the moving camera....remember to have movement in your scene, either the actors or the camera, someone has to move.
Get a blueprint of where you are filming, figure out your camera setups and what composition you want before hand to make it easier on the day, and faster to setup.

Print this, throw it in your camera bag, bring it out on a shoot and tick them off as you go...instant happiness.

1. Wide master shot of the scene from start to finish.
2. Second Wide master shot of the scene from start to finish from another angle.
3. MS of scene from third angle
4. CU of Actor with attention to dialogue on them (preferably with a wireless mic or tie clip mic, something that picks up their dialogue over anyone elses)
5. Repeat step 4 as many times as you have actors, you want everyone's closeup
6. Cut Aways of important objects being affected in the scene (writing, drinking, grabbing, setting, anything that is a used prop in the scene) (list these in your own script per scene and on your scene list, do not rely on memory)
7. Any shot with the character in it is a subject shot whereas any shot showing what the character is looking at is a reverse shots, much like in a grammar. Remember to list your reverse shots in your list.
8. A shot from the POV (point of view) of the object being looked at back to the character is a Direct Object Shot (ex. a guy looks at the microwave, the next shot is from BEHIND the microwave, looking over the top, at the guy in the background..nice moment to use the pull focus technique).
9. ECU of certain shots (dialing a phone, talking on the phone, getting the remote)
10. Wide establishing shot of location

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