Clapper boards

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

I have an upcoming film, taking on camera assistant. Thing is, I will also have to do the clapper board.

 

I'm REALLY sorry if this is unbelievably basic, but I just don't want to look like an idiot on set.

 

On my last film the only two pieces of info I had to shout out were "Slate n" and "Take n". Thing is I have looked at all these Hollywood clapper boards e.t.c. and they seem to have a lot of info on them. What is usually expected of someone to shout out? Is what?s shouted out going to be purely up to the director or DP?

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

(And I honestly can't find anything about this on the internet)

[Alex Mercer]

Im not really that experienced but I remember when I helped a local director I ran the clapper and I shouted: The Movie title, Scene number, and take number. So like, The Shunned scene 4 take 4. Something like that.

 

Alex

[Kevin Zanit]

Well, you being in England could mean that you would be asked to say something different than here in the US.

 

Here, all that is said is Scene 1 Take 1, marker (and then clap the sticks). Sometimes sound will even say that so that all you have to do is say marker right before you clap the sticks.

 

The rest of the information (Show name, roll number, director's name, DP's name, date, day/ night, int/ ext, and filters) is not something you read before the take, its not necessary, would take a long time, and is sometimes being redundant as sound will slate the thing in their own way.

 

Just ask the sound people if they will slate their own stuff, and any other questions redirect to your first assistant.

 

 

Kevin Zanit

[Rolfe Klement]

The shout out depends - I have heard many variations.

The text should have as much as is needed

 

Scene ,Take, DOP, Director, Timecode, Shutter, fps, Camera A | B, INT | EXT and many more I can't remember

 

I am sure there must be something in a book somewhere cause there is also the upside down clapper board at the end of shot when you don't want to clap the beginning of a shot ( ECU close romatic kiss can be hard after an ear splitting clap 2cm away :)

 

There is the hand over the lens thing and the shooting a grey card or the other one with all the colors on it (nice technical term forgotten) for lab

 

thanks

 

R

Edited January 12, 2005 by Rolfe Klement

[Brad Grimmett]

The movie I'm on right now is using two cameras and it sounds something like this:

AD: Roll sound

Boom Op: Sound speed (the mixer has slated before calling speed)

"A" cam 1st: A speed

"A" cam 2nd: A mark (he hits the sticks)

"B" cam 1st: B speed

"B" cam 2nd: B mark (he hits the sticks)

Director: Action

Sometimes it's possible for us to use a common slate for both cameras. In those cases the "A" camera 2nd will say, "A and B slate" and hit the sticks. Of course this is the best way because you save a bit of film, but it's often impossible to use a common slate. It's normally up to the sound mixer as to how he wants you to slate, so talk to him before the fist shot and work it out. After that it should be pretty easy.

For tail sticks you should come into the frame with the slate upside down and then flip it right side up and hit the sticks. One other thing to remember: Don't hit the sticks hard. Just let them hit hard enough to make a sound. There is no need to slam them down, and if you do this you won't make any friends on set. The mixer will tell you if you aren't hitting them hard enough.

[Guy Meachin]

The shoots I've been on I've only been asked to shout e.g. "Slate 1, take 1" The scene no. can be found in post using the logs. I think the sound usually listens to the A.D. as to when he needs to roll sound e.g. "going for a take", I could be wrong, prob different for film.

 

Also end boards - prob done differently in different places - place the board, upside down in shot when asked "board in", clap first and then shout slate and scene no. think that's mainly for film though - you might want to ask the camera op./ camera assistant what lens they're on - or alternatively look at the monitor - to see how far you need to place the board for it to be in focus and visible.

 

As in the previous post don't clap the sticks too hard, for the sound mixer (what's the proper term for a sound person?) and also not too hard in front of an actors face should you be in that situation, they get p***ed also!

 

This is based on my experience with video not film, and it certainly aint gospel!

 

Good luck!

[Bob Hayes]

Here are some tips that will make you more proficient with the slate. I had no idea I?d have so much to say about this simple task.

 

You want to comfortable fill the frame with the slate and the clapper. Too close and the operator will have to pan the slate and the editor will have a tough time reading it. Too far away and it will be too small to read. So you MUST know what the lenses size is and how far away you need to be. There is a simple formula the assistants use that I don?t know. But for example in 35mm if the camera is on a 20mm you might want to be 4 feet away. On a 50mm 10 feet away 100mm 20? away.

 

Once you have figured out the right distance you need to center the slate in the lens. That means the center of the slate not the top. On some shots operators want to line up before you roll camera and they will be very pissed if they have to reframe for slate. So learn to eyeball the center of the frame, even if it means practicing at lunch.

 

When you sense it is getting close to roll time stand near where you need to stand with the slate lowered so it doesn?t block the operators view. Be sure to give the actors as much personal space as you can. Your body language should say ?I am ready to slate?. When the AD says ?roll sound? bring the slate up to your predetermined spot. When the AC says speed or you hear the sync beep. Say Scene One, Take One, Marker. Smack the marker; hold it for 1 second and leave. After hitting the slate you should quietly leave the set to an area you can watch from. Don?t fiddle or make noise during the take. As soon as they call cut write the next take on the slate and get your footage numbers. It will help if you can learn the one hand counting system AC?s use to keep talking down to a minimum.

 

When the shot is a tight close-up of the actor it means the slate must be very close to the actor?s face. In this case you want to quietly hit the sticks. They must be crisp and loud enough for sound but soft enough so as not to distract the cast.

 

When not using the slate it should be placed in an area where it is easily grabbed, and where it will not fall down. It is particularly aggravating to me to see these expensive slates falling off counter tops because my seconds don?t respect them.

 

Finally, present a pleasant and professional appearance when you slate. You are the only crew member who face is scenes in dailies. Good crisp quality slates performed by a professional assistant say a lot about the camera crew.

[Chris Keth]

That is quite the treatise, Bob :P

 

 

When I've had to do it (for student films, but we try to be proper), the slate had Production, Production Co., Director, DP, Scene, take, camera roll, sound (sync, MOS, etc) and date on it. Then the shout was just "scene one apple, take one." Always use a word with the letter at the beginning that is pronounced, so don't use "Know" for K, etc.

 

 

As for lettering and numbering, if you have to do that, too, here how we have been taught. Numbers for scenes, usually with a location change marking scene changes. Letters for shots within the scene. So "1 Apple take 1", "1 Banana take 1", etc. Subsets of any shot (say if you were shooting a master then decided to get another take, but only of the entrance) would go "1 Apple 1, take 1"

 

You always slate in the order lensed, starting with 1A. Don't use any numbering system that the shotlist or anything uses.

 

That's about all I can add.

Edited January 13, 2005 by Mr. Bunnies

[Kevin Zanit]

When in doubt, just ask the script supervisor what she wants on the slate. If it does not match, she will certainly call you on it in front of everyone. So don?t hesitate to ask questions.

 

Another thing that was touched on, when slating wait until the last possible moment to put the slate in, as all involved don?t want to be looking at the slate while they are framing up.

 

Good camera departments work like clockwork, without making any noise.

 

When you exit after slating, exit from the same side you entered on, so you are not crossing camera (when possible). Have your exit path to clear out planned before hand. Once the camera is rolling money is being spent. The quicker you get the hell out, the less money will be wasted.

 

Be aware of actor?s eye lines. You are often the closest person to the action, thus you have to be aware of where your eyes are, so you don?t distract the actors.

 

I always see assistants after slating doing what I call the "trying to quietly erase and take the cap off the dry erase marker dance". There will be a time where you make a noise at just the wrong moment, bad idea.

 

This stuff all seems minor, but is the etiquette followed by all pro camera people.

 

Kevin Zanit

[Brad Grimmett]

This stuff all seems minor, but is the etiquette followed by all pro camera people.

 

Kevin Zanit

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very true on both accounts!

[Brad Grimmett]

When the AD says ?roll sound? bring the slate up to your predetermined spot. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a nitpicky correction here.....I prefer (and believe many others do too) that the slate is brought into frame AFTER sound is speeding. Sometimes it takes them up to 10 seconds before they are speeding and sometimes I will do quick reframes in the seconds leading up to actually rolling. The slate is just sitting there blocking the shot when it could be standing by just out of frame. Also, sometimes actors make a last second adjustment, moving just a bit right before action, so it's nice to be able to see that when it happens. If there's a slate in the way it will be a surprise to the operator. I know this is a bit of an anal thing, but it does make a difference sometimes.

[David Mullen ASC]

I believe the slate numbering system is different in the UK than the US. We mark things by Scene Number and a letter for each shot, followed by a take number, but I believe that they just use a shot number and a take number, so the first shot of the movie is #1 and the last one done on the last day of shooting is whatever that is, maybe #900 for example...

[Mike Panczenko]

I've been told to always have the sticks open when I go into frame, so the editor doesn't think that he should sync it to that frame. Also, the rules Bob referred to are roughly, in 35mm, the focal length divided by 10 is the distance, in feet, you should stand. In 16mm, it is the focal length divided by 5. Good luck!

[Guest Daniel J. Ashley-Smith]

Thanks for your help guys. I'm a lot more relaxed now because I found out were not shooting until April now. It's a 35mm project (!!) I'll post some images once I get the final cut.

Edited January 14, 2005 by Daniel J. Ashley-Smith

[Phil Rhodes]

Hi,

 

US: (with a big smile) "Forty-two-apple-take-one-A-and-B-cameras-marker'

 

Hitches enormous waist pack a little higher and wanders off among the gleaming white trailers to prop up the craft service table while chatting up big-haired star.

 

UK: (Looking totally moth-eaten and miserable) 'Forty-two-take-one."

 

Slopes off to hide under easy-up near rusting crew bus as the rain drips down the back of his neck.

 

As you may notice, the cardinal differences are not in the terms used!

 

Phil

[Stuart Brereton]

Hi,

 

all good advice so far. A common practice on low budget shoots is to call the Slate and Take No.s for sound before the camera starts rolling, then just clap the sticks after the camera hits speed.

 

On a higher budget production, you would wait for Sound and Camera Speed and then just call the numbers then clap the sticks. A lot of new AC's whip the board out of shot so fast after the clap that the editor can't read it - relax, take your time (within reason).

 

Same goes for End-boards. It's only the clap that's important for Camera, so don't panic trying to get the numbers out in a hurry....

 

"Slate 293, take 8, pickup, A and B Cameras, On the End........!!!!!". relax....breathe....

 

The one thing that i got shouted at for, and which now annoys me is, a slate in frame before it is needed or asked for. wait until you're asked to put the board in, then make sure you're close enough, and that there is some light on the numbers.

 

 

Stuart

[Brad Grimmett]

Hi,

 

US: (with a big smile) "Forty-two-apple-take-one-A-and-B-cameras-marker'

 

Hitches enormous waist pack a little higher and wanders off among the gleaming white trailers to prop up the craft service table while chatting up big-haired star.

 

UK: (Looking totally moth-eaten and miserable) 'Forty-two-take-one."

 

Slopes off to hide under easy-up near rusting crew bus as the rain drips down the back of his neck.

 

As you may notice, the cardinal differences are not in the terms used!

 

Phil

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, you're close Phil, but normally the 2nd would be slicing some cheese to go with the caviar and crackers that he/she had prepared during the last take. There's no way we'd except caviar without cheese on an American set!

[Annie Wengenroth]

On a more serious note, I was going to add that instead of forcefully clapping the slate down by hand, you should just hold the sticks up/open, and then let it fall by itself. This gives the editor more room to sync up in post because the clap sound will last longer than a frame. I don't know if that makes sense since I am really tired but I figured I'd throw it out there anyway...

[Nate Yolles]

When using letters in the scenes (ie. 4A or 12C) you don't use the letters I, O, Q, S or Z. I looks like a 1. O looks like a 0 or a Q and so forth. Write big and keep it neat.

 

If it's MOS, don't clap the sticks. It's good to draw attention to the fact that it's MOS. Some like to swing the slate open to a 90 degree angle others put their hand between the sticks to make it obvious that the sticks are not going to clap, hence don't bother looking for the sound track. Since sound sync isn't an issue, you can run the camera to shoot the slate then stop the camera and then run it again for the scene. Watch you 1st and be aware that he may want to pop it off quickly while the DP's tweaking a light or something.

 

If they call for "quiet sticks" clap them gently, yet still firmly, producing a quieter "click."

 

Note that there is a difference between a "slate" and an "ID." Don't clap the sticks on an ID. The same applies for a Tail Slate versus a Tail ID.

 

Oh yah, watch your thumb and never cover the DP's name on the slate. There are those with inflated egos. You know the difference between a DP and G-d don't you? G-d doesn't think he's a DP.

Edited January 15, 2005 by Nate Yolles

[Max Jacoby]

Oh yah, watch your thumb and never cover the DP's name on the slate. There are those with inflated egos. You know the difference between a DP and G-d don't you? G-d doesn't think he's a DP.

 

There's also those who like their camera to be called A-Camera, even when they are operating the B-Camera for a particular shot (while the B-Camera Operator is operating the A-Camera), as witnessed last year. One had to resort calling 'his' camera the 'First Camera' and the B-Camera Operator's camera the 'Second Camera', which was complicating the sweet assistant editor's job needlessly.

 

Egos...

[Brad Grimmett]

If it's MOS, don't clap the sticks. It's good to draw attention to the fact that it's MOS. Some like to swing the slate open to a 90 degree angle others put their hand between the sticks to make it obvious that the sticks are not going to clap, hence don't bother looking for the sound track.  Since sound sync isn't an issue, you can run the camera to shoot the slate then stop the camera and then run it again for the scene. Watch you 1st and be aware that he may want to pop it off quickly while the DP's tweaking a light or something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just one thing to add. Many times the 2nd will point to "MOS" on the slate and tap their finger once or twice to make it really obvious for the editor

[Guest Sprocket14]

Not sure if someone mentioned this but the hand over the camera thing is for when they want to keep the mood and shoot again quickly. After the one take is over put ur hand over the camera and make it black for about a second. I forget the complete reason for doing this but it makes the editor happy.

 

Chris Paré