A 12-shot list for a product Reel filmed on your phone
Twelve shots in three groups, how to film them without extra kit, and a last check before posting.
You don't need a camera crew for a product Reel. You need twelve short shots, filmed vertically, in daylight. Print this page or keep it open on a second phone.
Before you start
- Shape: vertical. Instagram's developer docs recommend 9:16 for Reels "to avoid cropping or blank space".
- Length per shot: hold each one for about 3 seconds. You will cut later.
- Light: face a window. Turn off the flash and the ceiling light if it's yellow.
- Sound: record your own room sound or none. Don't add a song you have no rights to.
Shots 1-4: the product
| # | Shot | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wide: the product where it lives (counter, shelf, rail) | Leave space around it |
| 2 | Close-up: texture, label or stitching | Tap the screen to lock focus |
| 3 | Hands picking it up | Your hands or a colleague's; no face needed |
| 4 | Turn it a quarter round | Slowly, on a plate or a lazy Susan |
Shots 5-8: the making
| # | Shot | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Raw material: flour, fabric, parts | The before |
| 6 | One step of the process you're proud of | The step customers never see |
| 7 | The tool you use most | Oven door, sewing machine, chair, laptop |
| 8 | The mess after | Real work leaves crumbs; one second is enough |
Shots 9-12: the place and the person
| # | Shot | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Door or sign from outside | Shows people where you are |
| 10 | A customer's hands with the product | Ask first; hands only, no face |
| 11 | Packing it or handing it over | The moment of the sale |
| 12 | The finished product, still, 3 seconds | This is a good cover frame |
Edit order (25-35 seconds)
1 → 2 → 5 → 6 → 3 → 4 → 9 → 11 → 12. Keep 7, 8 and 10 as spares for a second Reel next week.
Last check before you post
- Shot 1 or 2 shows the product in the first second.
- On-screen text sits in the middle of the frame, not at the very top or bottom.
- Your own sound, or none.
- The caption names the product and the price or where to get it.
Sources
- Reel aspect ratio: Instagram Graph API reference, IG User Media (Reels: "we recommend 9:16 to avoid cropping or blank space"), developers.facebook.com, checked 2026-10-10.
- The shot list is editorial practice, not data.
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