> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/control-your-show/chapter-index-1/creating-shot-layouts.md).
# Create Shot Layouts
A **Shot Layout** combines multiple graphics into one playable composite. Trigger the shot from the Shot Launcher panel or the Project List and Captivate plays every graphic in the shot together as a single graphic.
* [Group graphics into a single shot](#group-graphics-into-a-single-shot)
* [Shot Properties](#shot-properties)
* [Shot Values](#shot-values)
* [Shot Audio](#shot-audio)
* [Shot transitions](#shot-transitions)
## Group graphics into a single shot
In the standard workspace layouts, the Shot Launcher is tabbed together with the Project List — click its tab, press **F9**, or click the **Shots** icon on the top bar to bring it forward.
1. Select two or more graphics in your Project List that you want in the Shot.
2. Click **Group into a shot** at the bottom of the Shot Launcher panel, or drag-and-drop the selected graphics into the Shot Launcher.
3. The new Shot is added to the Shot Launcher.
4. With the Shot selected, open the **Shot Properties** tab in the Properties panel and confirm that all graphics you want included are listed under **Contents**.
You can add as many graphics as you need.
{% hint style="info" %}
Graphics that should appear over other graphics in the Shot must be positioned above the background graphics in your Project List. Adjust the order in the Project List if needed.
{% endhint %}
## Shot Properties
Open the **Shot Properties** tab to control how the Shot behaves as a whole.
{% hint style="info" %}
*(In Captivate 2025 and earlier, this tab was called "Shot Layout".)*
{% endhint %}
### Contents
The list of graphics included in the Shot. Add or remove graphics here. For each graphic, you can also set its **zone** — which region of the project’s zone layout the graphic appears in — when the project uses a zone layout.
### Play other Shots off
When the Shot plays on-air, automatically take down any other Shot that’s currently live.
### Color label
Pick a color tint for the Shot’s tile in the Shot Launcher and Project List, for at-a-glance recognition during broadcast.
### When done, return to previous Shot
Acts as a fallback. When this Shot finishes its play-out and **Play other Shots off** is in effect, automatically restore whichever Shot was on-air before this one took over. Useful for quick interruptions — score updates, lower-thirds — that should hand control back to the long-running shot.
### Switcher Video
Use **Switcher Video** to pick the switcher source for this Shot — handy when a Shot should ride over a specific live input. The tooltip on the control reads "Choose the switcher video for this shot."
### Play content duration
Mark the **Play content duration** checkbox to end the Shot as soon as any contained title finishes; leave it unchecked (the default) to keep the Shot on-air until every contained title has finished.
## Shot Values
Open the **Shot Values** tab to override text and image variables for this Shot only.
{% hint style="info" %}
*(In Captivate 2025 and earlier, this tab was called "Shot Control".)*
{% endhint %}
Every variable available in any contained graphic appears here, grouped by graphic. Click the small triangle next to a graphic name to expand or collapse its variables.
To override a variable for this Shot:
1. Click **Disabled** in the dropdown next to the variable, then choose **Replace**.
2. Edit the text in the Text input box, or pick a new image with the **Fill / Fit / Stretch** option.
The variable is now overridden for this Shot only — the original graphic is unchanged. To revert, open the dropdown again and choose **Disable**.
## Shot Audio
Open the **Shot Audio** tab to control audio per-Shot.
For each contained graphic, set:
* **Volume** — the audio volume of that graphic when this Shot is playing.
* **Mute** — silence that graphic in this Shot.
* **Override** — when on, the Shot’s audio settings replace the graphic’s normal audio behavior. When off, the graphic plays its normal audio.
Use Shot Audio to keep one Shot’s voice-over louder than another’s, mute background music in a sponsor card, or duck contained graphics' audio to make a presenter’s voice prominent.
## Notes
The **Notes** tab holds free-form operator notes attached to the Shot — cue reminders, talent names, timing hints. Notes save with the project and never appear on air.
## Shot transitions
The Shot Properties panel has two transition controls that sit alongside each other:
* **Shot Transition** — the transition Captivate uses when this Shot comes on-air. When set, this Shot Transition overrides whatever the Switcher would normally apply.
* **Video Transition** — the Switcher transition associated with this Shot’s **Switcher Video**. Use it to set a specific cut, dissolve, or stinger between the previous Switcher source and this Shot’s source.
Pick either transition from its dropdown in **Shot Properties**. When neither is set, the Switcher’s current transition is used as a normal cut between the previous Shot and this one. To learn more about transitions, see the Transitions article.
## Group and filter the Shot Launcher
On busy shows the Shot Launcher can group its shots into tabs. Open the **Filter** menu — the filter button in the launcher’s footer, or right-click an empty area of the shot grid — and choose **Group By**:
* **Tags** (the default) — one tab per design-intent tag carried by your shots. Design intents come from the graphic’s [Design Info](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-1/designer-properties-panel.md) in the Designer — tags like `lower-third` or `scoreboard` — so shots organize themselves.
* **Color** — one tab per color label in use.
* **None** — no grouping tabs.
The tab strip appears above the shot grid with **All** first; click a tab to show only that group’s shots. Turn on **Show Tab Counts** in the same menu to see how many shots each tab holds. When no shots carry tags or colors, the strip hides itself and the launcher looks unchanged. The **Filter** menu also carries the **Sort By** and **Filter By** options.
## Tips
* Drag a Shot into a position in the Shot Launcher to reorder it.
* Right-click a Shot for options like **Rename**, **Duplicate**, and **Delete**.
* The variables in **Shot Values** are the only changes that apply to "this Shot only" — Properties and Audio overrides apply to the Shot as a whole.
## See also
* [Assign playback roles for media clips](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-7/assigning-a-playback-role-for-media-clips.md) — how a Media Clip’s role affects whether it can be a Shot’s background or transition
* [Create a media sequence](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-7/create-a-media-sequence.md)
---
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