Proper Slate Procedures

Pete Wallington · December 14, 2010

Why are 2nd Ac's calling "Mark" (or "Marker")? That's the 1st AC's job no?

Isn't the whole point of the call "Mark" to let the 2nd know that the camera is up to speed, and only the 1st knows when that's the case. What is the point of the 2nd calling Mark? we know it's the mark, that's what the loud clap is!

On my team I will have the 2nd announce the board "2A take 1" then the 1st rolls the camera and calls "Mark" when it's up to speed, then the 2nd claps.

Brian Dzyak · December 14, 2010

Why are 2nd Ac's calling "Mark" (or "Marker")? That's the 1st AC's job no?

Isn't the whole point of the call "Mark" to let the 2nd know that the camera is up to speed, and only the 1st knows when that's the case. What is the point of the 2nd calling Mark? we know it's the mark, that's what the loud clap is!

On my team I will have the 2nd announce the board "2A take 1" then the 1st rolls the camera and calls "Mark" when it's up to speed, then the 2nd claps.

The job of the First AC or the Operator is to let the Second know that the camera is actually rolling. They do this by a non-verbal signal or by saying something like "hit it" or "set" or "mark it."

THEN, the Second AC says "Mark" or "Marker" or "A mark" or "B mark" or "A mark only" or "B mark only" as the case may be. The purpose of the Second AC saying it is to provide a audio cue to the EDITORS so they know that the very next thing they hear is the slate AND which slate it is. In the case of multiple cameras rolling on the same shot, just having the Firsts or Operators shouting out "Mark" doesn't provide a clue to the Editors as to which CLAP goes with which slate. So having the Second AC, who is holding the slate, say the words (in sequential order, A then B then C etc) helps everyone know which cameras are rolling and which CLAPS go with which slates.

John Sprung · December 14, 2010

The purpose of the Second AC saying it is to provide a audio cue to the EDITORS so they know that the very next thing they hear is the slate AND which slate it is.

Yes, and the Second says it mainly because they're where the actors are going to be, so they're in the right place for the boom microphone in most cases. The First would be way off mike, therefore harder to understand.

-- J.S.

Brian Dzyak · December 14, 2010

On my team I will have the 2nd announce the board "2A take 1" then the 1st rolls the camera and calls "Mark" when it's up to speed, then the 2nd claps.

Also, the one slating the audio is generally the Audio Mixer who sits somewhere in the shadows at his cart. Prior to the take, he will turn on his recorder then using HIS voice, identify the shot information... THEN he (over his private communication line) tells the Boom Operator that sound is speeding.... then the Boom Operator informs the set that "Sound is speeding" or something to that effect... that is a cue for the Camera Operator or First AC to turn the camera on (they work that protocol out between themselves)... when the camera is up to speed, the First (who can see the speed gauge) gives the Second AC a non-verbal or verbal cue that the camera is rolling... then the Second AC says "Mark" or some variation of either quietly (if the Actor is right there) or loudly (if the set is large and cameras are far from the Actors).

The purpose behind the Sound Mixer doing the verbal slate and the Second saying "Mark!" (besides the reasons already stated) is to keep the dialogue on set to a minimum. Very often, Actors will want less "hubbub" as they get in character (or whatever it is they do prior to a shot). Having the Second do the verbal slate, then having the Boom guy say "Speed" then the First AC also saying "Mark" is at least one too many voices on set. Minimizing the "hubbub" helps the machine move smoother for everyone. There's not much point in having the Second AC on set wasting time and film just to have him/her do an audio slate when the Sound Mixer can do it offset where no one else will be "disturbed" by that kind of mundane housekeeping.

James Winterflood · December 16, 2010

Posted this as part of another post elsewhere but this seems more appropriate.

Is the slating procedure in the UK completely different from America? We do not have 'Five Apple - Take 1' etc instead we use the 'Scene [xx] -> Shot [xx] - Take [xx]' format, or at least that is all I have known. Is there a reason for the difference? We use the standard calls for all other slating procedures e.g. second sticks, pick-up, MOS, tail slate and so forth?

in america they slate with scene numbers as opposed to slate numbers. so they have scene 1 for example and to differentiate between which part of the scene it is they use a letter. here we use slate numbers which go up sequentially regardless of what scene it is. sometimes a scene number isnt on the board as the script supervisor has the reference in the notes.

its just a different method no real reason for the difference i dont think, personally i think our one makes more sense, its alot easier (for my job) and it keeps things simple. although if you work on an american film here you would need to do it their way for their editors.

Brian Dzyak · December 16, 2010

in america they slate with scene numbers as opposed to slate numbers. so they have scene 1 for example and to differentiate between which part of the scene it is they use a letter. here we use slate numbers which go up sequentially regardless of what scene it is. sometimes a scene number isnt on the board as the script supervisor has the reference in the notes.

its just a different method no real reason for the difference i dont think, personally i think our one makes more sense, its alot easier (for my job) and it keeps things simple. although if you work on an american film here you would need to do it their way for their editors.

I never understood the British method. It seems that it would make the job of keeping track of shots much harder as there is no reference point for a random slate number to correspond to a scene. In the American method, any editor can look at the slate and quickly see which scene the shot is from and know from the notes how much coverage was done (based on how many letters of the alphabet were used). But the British method of sequential numbers doesn't give any indication of any of that. So how do Scripties and Editors have any clue what scene, say shot 81, goes with when putting a bit of film up to look at? It may make doing slates easier on set, but isn't the point of having a slate at all to let everyone know what the shot is that is about to happen after the 2nd AC hits the sticks? A random number on a slate doesn't accomplish that goal, does it?

James Winterflood · December 16, 2010

I never understood the British method. It seems that it would make the job of keeping track of shots much harder as there is no reference point for a random slate number to correspond to a scene. In the American method, any editor can look at the slate and quickly see which scene the shot is from and know from the notes how much coverage was done (based on how many letters of the alphabet were used). But the British method of sequential numbers doesn't give any indication of any of that. So how do Scripties and Editors have any clue what scene, say shot 81, goes with when putting a bit of film up to look at? It may make doing slates easier on set, but isn't the point of having a slate at all to let everyone know what the shot is that is about to happen after the 2nd AC hits the sticks? A random number on a slate doesn't accomplish that goal, does it?

the scene is often on the slate too so the editor generally does know what scene it is. so scene 1 slate 5 for example would be the same as scene 1e. a quick look in the scriptys folder and the reference is there too.

i think its easier as a reference because its one reference number. with the scene 1a,b,c method you have to relate the slate to the shot list and the which part in the scene it is, it means every time you have a new set up the 2nd has to have a conversation about what the next scene is etc. our way means the slates go sequentially and the scene is usually the same for a day and you just hand over the camera info and the scripty has the slate number and the scene reference in her notes.

i think if people are relying on the information on the slate to help them work out what the shot is then its all gone backwards.

in some of the posts above it was highlighted the problems of the american way - script rewrites etc. and you end up with scene 21a/e/f and ive seen one shot cover 3 shots in the script and you get the same 21a/e/f problem, certainly confusing in the edit. or what if you decide to split one shot into 2? would it go to scene 1aa?

a slate and take number is a unique reference to that take and that take alone, with direct reference to all the information in the scriptys notes. it certainly keeps things simple for me, with more priorities than working out all the alphanumeric tangents that will be going on the board.

James Steven Beverly · December 22, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVHg3PxSblI

This was always my favorite,

I about busted a gut!! :lol:

Douglas Johnson · March 25, 2011

What really irritates me is when I'm putting takes onto some hideously expensive and limited-capacity flash-based recording system and everyone turns over together.

Please!

Start sound.

State take. You can call it blow-sixty-nine-job if you like.

Start camera.

Clap sticks.

Eff off out of shot with maximum possible dispatch.

And if I have to say "settle" between the sticks going and calling action, someone's getting fired. I don't know if there's anyone on the average set who hasn't seen that little rectangular thing with the hingey bit and the chevrons at the top, but its presence in the shot means that we are about to commence, so kindly shut up and stand still.

P

This pretty much sums it up.

Once you hear "camera speed" do your thing and git.

Couple things to consider though. That the slate was indeed in the shot and could they read the whole thing.

The operator will tell you if you boned it.

Between takes when there was some down time we would play slate games. The 1st or Operator would use the zoom lens and call out say "200mm" and I'd try to get the slate perfectly framed so there wasn't too much space around the edges. It was fun, but when it was time to work, I was told that my slates were always bang on.

But yeah, sometimes the mic placement doesn't always allow for that. Basically, the point is, know where the best place is to do your slate and know the best way off camera so you wont hit anything and aren't in the eye line or way of the actors moving on and off camera.

David E Elkins · October 20, 2013

To Peter Enright: If you read further in the section on slating procedures you would see that I explain that on many productions the sound mixer does a "pre-slate" recording of the scene and take number, which is why the 2nd AC on needs to call "marker" when clapping the sticks.

David E. Elkins, SOC

Camera Operator

Author - The Camera Assistant's Manual 6th Edition