# Shot Designer

> App for creating camera diagrams, shot lists, and animations for film and video production. (iPhone/iPad app by Hollywood Camera Work SRL.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shot-designer/id556342711 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Hollywood Camera Work SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706097508)
- Category: Photo & Video, Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 3.80/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 175 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 82 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-10-10
- Data updated: 2026-08-18
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shot-designer/id556342711/reviews.md

## What is Shot Designer?

WHAT IS SHOT DESIGNER?

• CAMERA DIAGRAM - Shot Designer dramatically speeds up the Director's process of making camera diagrams. Create full-blown diagrams in seconds. The software does most of the work.
• ANIMATION - Animate your characters and cameras to move around your diagram in real-time. Previsualize the rhythm of a scene by seeing it play out.
• SHOT LIST - The integrated Shot List is tied into the diagram and writes itself while you work. Edit shots intuitively in the diagram, not in a confusing spreadsheet.
• DIRECTOR'S VIEWFINDER / STORYBOARDS - Bring in lens-accurate camera angles via the integrated Director's Viewfinder or Storyboard Import.
• MAC/PC DESKTOP VERSION - An identical Mac/PC Desktop Version is included with the Pro Version (in-app upgrade).
• SYNC & TEAM SHARING - Sync your scenes across all your devices. Share scene folders with teams. Control who owns which scene. (Pro Feature)

Watch the feature-demo at https://www.hollywoodcamerawork.com/shot-designer-videos.html

CAMERA-BLOCKING ON STEROIDS

Shot Designer was developed by Per Holmes, the creator of the renowned Hollywood Camera Work training, and has been developed in conjunction with major TV and Film productions.

Shot Designer is based on the realization that neither Camera Diagrams, Shot Lists, or Storyboards by themselves give you a satisfying understanding of camera-blocking -- you have to use them *together*.

Shot Designer is FAST. The app knows how Directing works and automatically does most of the work for you. Cameras rearrange themselves when you move characters. Animate characters and cameras with simple Walk To and Track To commands. Create sophisticated tracking shots with multiple marks. Shot Designer is fast enough that you can rearrange the diagram with actors waiting.

OTHER FEATURES

• Integrated Set Designer for building floor plans.
• Integrated Lighting Designer for DPs, with lighting symbols provided by Ari Golan of Atomic Imaging Studios Chicago.
• Import production drawings as backgrounds and block on top of them.
• Factory Templates of pre-made camera setups for any situation.
• Make your own templates as starting points for new scenes.
• Large and growing prop/furniture library. Email us requests, we'll build them.
• Scene Freeze: Experiment easily by taking snapshots you can return to (Pro).
• PDF/JPG/Excel export and emailing of Camera Diagrams and Shot Lists (Pro).
• Unlimited Folder Structure for organizing scenes (Pro).

The Free Version of Shot Designer is full-featured except for Save, Export and Sync/Team. Your current scene is always saved, and you can be fully productive working on one scene at a time. The Pro Version (in-app upgrade) adds File Management, identical Mac/PC Desktop Version, Sync and Team Sharing, PDF/JPG/Excel Export and more.

## Key features

- Real-time camera and character animation
- Integrated shot list generation
- Director's viewfinder and storyboard import
- Set and lighting design tools
- Team sharing and syncing
- Template creation and library

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Version Upgrade | $19.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of Shot Designer?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 🎬 Excellent tool for shot planning and blocking
- 📱 Seamless cross-device sync (iPad, iPhone, Mac, PC)
- 🎨 Useful for visualizing camera movements and lighting setups
- 📊 Ability to export to PDF and share with crew
- 💼 Professional-grade features for filmmakers and cinematographers
- 🎭 Director's viewfinder feature is valuable
- ⚡ Quick workflow for pre-production planning
- 🤝 Excellent customer support and responsiveness
- 🎪 Comprehensive set of built-in props and lighting elements

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and white screen issues
- 😞 App feels outdated and abandoned
- 🔐 Login and account synchronization problems
- 📱 Poor optimization for modern devices and screen sizes
- ⚠️ Limited props and lighting equipment library
- 💰 Pro version pricing feels high
- 🚫 Cannot save scenes without Pro version
- 🔄 Sync issues between devices
- ⏱️ App lags and performance issues on iOS
- 🎨 Outdated UI and graphics (iPhone 5S/7 era design)

**Commonly reported bugs**

- White screen of death on app launch
- App crashes when adding image props
- Login not working on iPhone devices
- Cannot register due to UI form scrolling errors
- Keyboard overlay blocking sign-in form
- Sync deletes user work unexpectedly
- Pro version purchase not recognized after updates
- Cannot save designs to phone
- App doesn't fill entire screen on modern devices
- Lag when renaming scenes
- Keyboard doesn't appear when naming files
- Difficulty selecting objects when grouped closely together
- App crashes on iPhone 6s and newer devices
- Incompatibility with iOS 10.2 and later
- Director's viewfinder doesn't save metadata to photo gallery
- Cross-device sync losing work
- Account login issues between iOS and desktop versions

**Most requested features**

- Apple Pencil integration for iPad
- Import custom designs and elements
- Drag-and-drop file import from Files app
- More lighting instruments and props
- PDF export functionality
- Ability to import background images from Files app (not just Photos)
- Copy and paste functionality
- Assignable character names for multiple scenes
- Moveable background images
- Scene metadata for automatic camera labeling
- Ability to reorder shots in Mac version
- Undo functionality
- iCloud sync support
- Google Drive integration
- Full-screen mode for modern iPhones
- French language support
- Spanish language support
- Scene duplication feature
- More than 5 pages available
- Storyboard animation export
- Audio/soundtrack integration
- Script import capability
- Hide individual objects instead of entire categories
- Retina Display support for Mac
- Real-time sync between devices

## Recent user reviews (10 of 175)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shot-designer/id556342711/reviews.md

### 2/5 — Can’t transfer between your iPad and PC

*2026-01-25*

I purchased in Apple Store and install the app on my iPad. I created an account but I can’t log in app, and therefore I wasn’t able to use it on my PC. There’s no any tutorials to troubleshoot.

### 3/5 — Importation d’éléments extérieurs.

*2025-07-23, version 1.80.8*

Excellent mais il manque une chose essentielle. L’importation depuis l’application fichier sur iPad en glisse dépose app côte à côte d’éléments externe. Ça ferai absolument la différence à l’utilisation

### 1/5 — Now unusable

*2025-04-27, version 1.80.8*

Updated and now can’t save. Paid for an app that is now unusable. Will contact Apple as I’m sure this breaks some T&C.

### 3/5 — Facing problem

*2025-04-14*

The app is really nice but i have been using from 2017 but now its lag in ios, i cant rename the scene and when i am going to save itin a folder and trying to name it, the keepad doesn't appear. Please fix the problem

### 2/5 — Bring in your own design

*2025-01-03*

If only there was a way to bring in your own designs as too many of the same things can be overwhelming and confusing at times so maybe a way to quickly be able to create your own elements will be a nice addition to it.

### 3/5 — Great App that Now Feels Outdated

*2024-11-12*

This app has been an essential to my workflow as a 2nd 2nd AD but it has been the same for years. It needs Apple Pencil integration that will turn it to a monster of shot designing BG Charting App for me and there should be more props and set tools. Exporting PDFs would be another key element. Hope it doesn’t get abandoned and I would be happy to rate it higher and pay for the premium!

### 4/5 — Couldn’t Buy Pro Version On App

*2024-06-13*

I like it but I couldnt buy the Pro Version. I had to go to the website, make an account and then log in.

### 4/5 — One of the best apps for a Film Director

*2024-04-24*

This app is great for designing character and camera movement, but it is definitely in need of an update. One ability I would like to have it the ability to import a background Image from the Files app not just the photo library.

### 5/5 — Pre-production king

*2023-12-20, version 1.70.2*

So helpful for visualizing shots and layouts for myself or the team I’m working with. I love the simple tools for quickly building out sets and props.

### 2/5 — Good but stagnant

*2023-10-23*

This is a very good tool especially when it released 10 years ago.
There isn’t another specialised tool for lighting plans that I know of, but it is incredibly limited.
It feels like it is a bata not a full priced finished tool.
It needs lots of work and expanded features.
The core of this is extremely strong, but in its current state it could easily be replaced by a competitor with just a few more features.
Don’t get it unless you’re working in film and don’t already have a method to making lighting plans. It’s for people who are new to lighting plans or need a simple quick basic way to make a basic plan

## Frequently asked questions about Shot Designer

### What does Shot Designer do?

Shot Designer is a powerful tool for filmmakers and video directors that dramatically speeds up the process of creating camera diagrams and shot lists. It allows for real-time animation of characters and cameras, helping to previsualize the rhythm and blocking of a scene. The app integrates various elements like set design, lighting design, and storyboard import to provide a comprehensive preproduction experience.

### What are the key features of Shot Designer?

Key features include the ability to create full-blown camera diagrams in seconds, animate characters and cameras in real-time, and an integrated shot list that writes itself as you work. It also offers a director's viewfinder, storyboard import, set and lighting design tools, and the option to import production drawings as backgrounds. Advanced features like team sharing and export options are available in the Pro version.

### How much does Shot Designer cost?

The app offers a free version that is full-featured for working on a single scene at a time, with limitations on saving, exporting, and team syncing. A Pro version is available as an in-app upgrade, which unlocks features such as file management, a desktop version for Mac/PC, sync and team sharing, and PDF/JPG/Excel export.

### What are common use cases for Shot Designer?

Common use cases include previsualizing complex camera movements and blocking for film and television scenes, quickly generating shot lists for production, and collaborating with teams on set designs and camera plans. It's also useful for directors who want to experiment with different scene layouts and camera angles before shooting.

### Is Shot Designer available on desktop?

Yes, an identical Mac/PC Desktop Version is included with the Pro Version, which can be purchased as an in-app upgrade. This allows users to seamlessly transition between mobile and desktop workflows for their projects.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.80.8 — 2024-10-01

Significant speed improvements in rendering and export. Increased resolution of Viewfinder/Storyboard images. New logging and stack trace infrastructure. Bug fixes.

### 1.70.2 — 2022-12-15

Version 1.70 features include Production Info on printed pages, lasso/multiple selection, improved sync algorithm and much more. See change log in app.

### 1.60.12 — 2021-05-12

Fixed crash on long-press in editor.

### 1.60 — 2021-05-03

Much newer frameworks internally.
Export shot list in shooting order.
Improved indexing.
Improved license transfer.
Improved sign in / registration dialogs.

### 1.52 — 2018-01-15

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

Fixed: Take Ownership works again, using account name. 
Fixed: Improved crash reporting. 
Fixed: Crash now properly cancels sync.

## Apps similar to Shot Designer

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Previs Pro - Storyboard Fast](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/previs-pro-storyboard-fast/id1468484655) | 4.8 (1,226) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Shot Lister](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shot-lister/id529436218) | 4.6 (198) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Magic ARRI ViewFinder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-arri-viewfinder/id1347132361) | 4.8 (173) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [Cadrage Director's Viewfinder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cadrage-directors-viewfinder/id793232740) | 4.7 (354) | $19.99 | Photo & Video |
| [HollyView](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hollyview/id1460631425) | 2.4 (72) | Free | Photo & Video |
| [RED_CONTROL](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-control/id1514864599) | 4.1 (53) | Free | Photo & Video |

## More apps by Hollywood Camera Work SRL

- [Green Screener](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/green-screener/id604935529)

All apps by Hollywood Camera Work SRL: https://appshunter.io/developer/1706097508

## Related topics

[shot lister](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/shot-lister) · [zoelog](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/zoelog) · [lee diffusion comparator](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/lee-diffusion-comparator) · [maschine scene selector](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/maschine-scene-selector) · [shot list](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/shot-list) · [filmmaking](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/filmmaking) · [farsight studios](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/farsight-studios)

---

*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-18.*