Slating for DV?

Steve McBride · May 13, 2009

Just wondering if people ever slate for DV?

I know that almost 100% of the time when you're shooting DV you aren't doing sync sound so slating isn't necessary, but when using a tape versus a harddrive where you don't have individual shots do you slate?

I like to slate for each shot or at least each scene so I know where I'm at in the tape, but I rarely do takes, it just seems to take too much time.

Chris Keth · May 13, 2009

Here is how slating for DV has traditionally gone for me on narrative jobs (reality is another story and you basically never slate that):

1. I start out slating it like a regular film job. :)

2. I'm told to stop because we're recording audio in camera and it just takes up production time. :huh:

3. Post SNAFU. :rolleyes:

4. I'm asked to start slating again and it's treated like my fault we stopped slating before. :angry:

Adrian Sierkowski · May 13, 2009

Rule 1) If you're editing yourself... well then... up to you

2) If not editing yourself, slate

3) when told not to slate stop

4) apologize, as Chris says, when production blames you for not slating

5) cash check, buy 6-pack, watch TV.

Steve McBride · May 15, 2009

That's what I guessed. All of my own shoots before where I've slated for DV have gone from slating to "this is a waste of time" to "I wish I had slated the whole shoot" in post.

I think I'll just slate each shot and not takes.

And unfortunately I have four more months until I can buy a real six pack, so I can't take that advice quite yet Adrian :\ .

Chris Durham · June 18, 2009

Slating is a good idea. Have the slate already in place by the moment the operator his "record." Later when the editor is tabbing through takes or looking at thumbnails of the clips, the first thing he or she will see is the slate info. Helps you log, or if you're not logging it helps you make sure you keep coming back to the same place. There's nothing I hate more than having to scrub back and forth through a clip to make sure I've got the right one. Even on DV I have someone slate and try to have a script supervisor helping me track what's what. Very useful

Phil Connolly · June 18, 2009

In addition to the stated answers about slating being still useful when editing video...

Its a big help in focusing the cast and the crew - the snap of the slate, reminds people that this is a take and not a rehersal. To my mind it sometime can help people zone in when your going for a take - true for both actors and crew.