Pre-production for cinematographers

Getting Started · Workflow

How I’d Start My Prep, Now That Headroom Exists

Where to begin when the access email lands. The two doors into a prep, why the script comes first, and what each room in the tool is for.

Pre-Production · Shot List Software

The Best Shot List Software for Cinematographers in 2026

A working DP on the shot list tools filmmakers actually use, and why none of them solved the prep problem behind Headroom.

Pre-Production · Series

How a DP Preps a Netflix Series: The Full Pre-Production Workflow

Over 400 scenes, multiple cities, 3 months. The complete workflow for prepping a large-scale drama series, from master scene lists to location-specific blocking diagrams.

Pre-Production · Crew Briefing

How to Brief a Film Crew You’ve Never Worked With Before

A 440-page prep document isn’t a brief. The DP who shot Bambai Meri Jaan (Amazon Prime) on what it actually takes to transfer visual intent to a crew of strangers.

Pre-Production · Shot Lists

Why Shot List Generation Solves the Wrong Problem

Administrative noise is creative theft. A working DP on why the race to automate prep is solving the wrong problem, and what connected prep actually looks like.

Pre-Production · Tool Comparison

Milanote vs. Headroom: Which Pre-Production Tool Actually Fits a Working DP’s Workflow?

A working cinematographer breaks down the difference between visual ideation in Milanote and connected production logistics in Headroom.

Pre-Production · Workflow

The Cinematographer’s Pre-Production Checklist: From First Read to Day One

Immersion, breakdown, scout, refine, deliver. A working DP’s phase-by-phase structure for prep, and why protecting your attention is the whole point.