Shots vs. Setups

A shot is a series of frames that captures a unique camera angle or frame, whereas a setup is a configuration of lighting, props, set-dressing, and actors to get that certain shot. Changing setups takes time because you have to move your equipment, like adjusting the entire lighting unit to illuminate different parts of the set. Often times you won't have as many setups as shots, because shots that are similar can be composed from the same setup. This is incredibly important to remember when going to shoot a scene because you want to maximize your time, and making the most out of every set-up makes the process efficient, organized, and keeps everyone happy. With this said, some scenes will have to be shot out of order, but that just allows you to minimize the number of turn-a-rounds so you can get all the shots in a reasonable time.