DOP Reference

Director's Shot Guide

For Captured By Three — Confidential

Scene-by-scene breakdown of every shot required for this production. Each entry includes the shot type, directorial intent, recommended lens, lighting approach, and camera movement notes.

01

SCENEDAY 1

The Intimate Scene

Lens

50mm or 85mm — shallow depth of field

Lighting

Single warm practical source (lamp/candle) from one side. No fill — let the shadow work.

Movement

Subtle handheld drift. No locked-off shots in this scene.

1

Wide / Establishing

Two-shot on the sofa. Warm, close proximity. Establish the physical intimacy before cutting tight.

2

Medium Two-Shot

Shoulder-to-shoulder framing. One-sided warm key light creating shadow on the far side of each face.

3

Close-Up — DAYSH

Eyes and expression. Soft focus on the background. Slight handheld drift — nothing locked off.

4

Close-Up — Male Lead

Matching eyeline. Same warm treatment. Hold on the eye contact.

5

Insert / Detail

Hands. Fabric. Any tactile moment of connection.

02

SCENEDAY 1

The Disconnected Scene

Lens

35mm for the wides (to show distance), 85mm for close-ups

Lighting

Same warm setup as Scene 1 but cooler — reduce the warmth slightly to signal the emotional shift.

Movement

Slow push-in on DAYSH for the close. Otherwise locked off or very slow drift.

1

Wide — Same Frame, Different Ends

Both subjects in frame but at maximum distance. The gap between them is the composition.

2

Over-the-Shoulder — DAYSH

Looking past her at the Male Lead in the background — out of focus, distant.

3

Close-Up — DAYSH (Slow Push-In)

Start mid-shot, slow push to a tight close-up on her blank expression. This is the closing shot.

4

Close-Up — Male Lead

Frustration without words. Jaw, eyes, the stillness of someone who has given up.

5

POV / Eyeline

What DAYSH is staring at — nothing. Empty space, a wall, a window.

03

SCENEDAY 1

The Argument

Lens

24mm or 35mm — wider to create claustrophobia and distortion in tight space

Lighting

High contrast. Hard practical sources. Deep shadows. No soft fill.

Movement

Handheld throughout. Reactive. Let the camera feel the tension.

1

Wide — Establishing Interior

Show the space. Three people in the loft — the geography of the argument. DAYSH visible in the background.

2

Handheld — Reactive Two-Shot

Camera between Moe and Afiya, moving with the argument. No tripod. The camera is a participant.

3

Extreme Close-Up — Eyes / Mouth

Cut to ECUs as the argument peaks. Jaw. Eyes. Lips mid-word. Raw and fragmented.

4

Over-the-Shoulder — Both Directions

One OTS for each character. Match the intensity — neither is the victim in framing.

5

DAYSH — Background Isolation

DAYSH in the background, soft focus, watching. She is present but removed. Hold on her stillness.

6

Wide — Final Beat

Pull back to show the aftermath. Space between them. Silence.

04

SCENEDAY 2

Bed Rotting

Lens

24mm overhead (to capture the full bed), 85mm for close-ups

Lighting

Moody practical room lighting only. No added lights. The Crazy Bear room does the work.

Movement

Locked off overhead. Slow push-in for the close. No handheld in this scene.

1

Overhead — Full Bed

Camera directly above the bed looking straight down. DAYSH and the three extras in frame. The Crazy Bear room as backdrop.

2

Overhead — Tight on DAYSH

Move the rig closer. Just her face, looking up. Eyes barely open or staring at the ceiling.

3

Side Profile — Low Angle

Camera at mattress level. DAYSH's face in profile. The weight of the body in the sheets.

4

Detail Shots

Smudged mascara. Crumpled fabric. A shoe half-on. The visual language of the morning after.

05

SCENEDAY 2

Heartbreak Ritual

Lens

50mm or 85mm — the fire provides all the light needed

Lighting

Fire bin as primary (and only) light source. No added lights. The flicker is the aesthetic.

Movement

Mix of locked-off and slow handheld. Slow motion on the burning inserts.

1

Wide — DAYSH and Fire Bin

Night exterior. DAYSH silhouetted against the flames. The warehouse exterior as backdrop.

2

Medium — DAYSH at the Fire

Waist-up. The fire illuminating her face from below. Flickering, warm, dramatic.

3

Close-Up — Face in Firelight

Tight on DAYSH's expression. The fire reflected in her eyes. Hold this shot.

4

Insert — Hands Dropping Items

Tight on the hands. Rose petals, photos, letters falling into the fire. Slow motion if possible.

5

Wide — Night Sky

Pull back to show DAYSH small against the dark sky, the fire the only light source.

06

SCENEDAY 2

The Bath Scene

Lens

24mm overhead for full bath, 50mm for the tight face shot

Lighting

Candles around the bath. Practical room lighting. Warm, flickering, minimal.

Movement

Locked off overhead. The slow zoom out is the only camera movement in this scene.

1

Overhead — Full Bath

Camera rig directly above the copper bath. DAYSH looking straight up into lens. Rose petals in the water around her.

2

Overhead — Tight on Face

Move the rig lower. Fill the frame with her face, the water, the petals. Hold.

3

Slow Zoom Out

Start tight on DAYSH's face and slowly pull back to reveal the full Decadent Room. This is the final shot of the narrative.

4

Side Angle — Water Level

Camera at water level looking across the bath. The copper edge in foreground, DAYSH's face in the middle distance.

07

SCENEDAY 1

The Detachment

Lens

35mm or 50mm — shallow depth of field to separate DAYSH from the group

Lighting

Natural loft lighting. Warm and social. No dramatic setup — this should feel like a real moment.

Movement

Handheld, social-feeling. Reactive to the group energy.

1

Wide — Group Shot

All four in frame. The friends animated, DAYSH static. The contrast is immediate and visual.

2

Medium — DAYSH Isolated

DAYSH in the foreground, friends blurred in the background. She is physically present but visually separate.

3

Close-Up — DAYSH's Expression

Blank, glazed, elsewhere. Hold on this. The friends' laughter audible but DAYSH is not reacting.

4

Reel Format (9:16)

Frame for vertical throughout. This scene is built for social content — every shot should work cropped to portrait.

08

SCENEDAY 1

The Driving Scene

Lens

24mm or GoPro for interior wides, 50mm for the close-up face shots

Lighting

Natural light — golden hour strongly preferred. The sky is the backdrop and the light source.

Movement

The car is moving. All shots are dynamic by default.

1

Interior — Looking Up Through Sunroof

Camera inside the car, pointing up through the open sunroof at DAYSH. Sky behind her. Moving.

2

Exterior — Magic Arm Side Angle

Camera mounted on Magic Arm on the exterior of the car. DAYSH through the sunroof from outside.

3

Interior Wide — GoPro

Second camera (GoPro or wide lens) capturing the full interior. DAYSH from the waist up through the sunroof.

4

Close-Up — Face / Sunglasses

Tight on DAYSH's face against the sky. Wind movement. Direct to camera.

09

SCENEDAY 1

The Glasses Match Cut

Lens

85mm — compression against the brick wall

Lighting

Clean, even light on the white brick. No dramatic shadows — the glasses are the visual element.

Movement

Tripod locked off. The slow zoom is the only movement and it is very subtle.

1

Locked-Off — White Brick Wall

Tripod. Do not move the camera between glasses changes. The locked-off frame is the entire concept.

2

Slow Zoom In (Between Cuts)

Each glasses change is a cut. Between each cut, the camera has crept slightly closer. Barely perceptible but cumulative.

3

4 to 6 Setups

One setup per pair of glasses. Same position, same energy, different eyewear. Beat-synced in post.

10

SCENEDAY 1

Pouring the Drink

Lens

Macro or 85mm for the detail shots, 50mm for the wider pours

Lighting

Clean, directional light on the glassware. The liquid should catch the light. Minimal shadows.

Movement

Locked off throughout. Slow motion. No handheld.

1

Overhead — Kitchen Island

Camera directly above the glass and bottle. The pour from above. Clean and graphic.

2

Side-On — Eye Level

Camera at glass level looking across. The liquid filling the glass in the foreground.

3

Close-Up — Hands and Wrists

Tight on DAYSH's hands, nails, and any jewellery. The pour is deliberate and slow.

4

Slow Motion

All shots in this scene should be captured in slow motion. The liquid movement is the visual payoff.

DAYSH — "Rockstar Tints" — Director's Shot Guide — DOP: Captured By Three — CONFIDENTIAL