dry erase clapboard

[DVX100Shooter]

I have a dry erase clapboard that I have not used much because it hasn't lived up to its name. I use those special markers and the special eraser but you can still see the stuff you wrote on the clapboard! I had to sit there with a towel I would use to wax my car to clean the marker off the board because the erasure didnt do the job and a paper towel certainly didnt do the job. I do have some liquid solution to spray that came with the markers but that didn't really work either. When I was out in Hawaii shooting Lost, I noticed instead of them writing directly on the board they put different colored gaffers tape on the clapboard and then marked it accordingly. That might be something I need to do as well. For the most part I will only be removing one slab of gaffers tape per take and replacing it with another then writing the scene info on that one...

Anybody else have this problem with dry erase clapboards?

 

[PDX_DVX]

Re: dry erase clapboard

You have to be careful what marker you use with what board....I think some of them you can be ok with. Usually on the site you buy the slate on, they will list a recommended marker that wont stain the slate....like on filmtools.com or studiodepot.com. Did you work on LOST?, That show is awsome! I have seen people use gaff tape, but only for the more permanent headings, like producer, title, etc etc....Go to filmtools.com and look at the marker they recommend....but yea, I do know that is a problem with some slates.

 

[10s]

Re: dry erase clapboard

Try Dixon brand, or  Marksalot, or Expo2 Dry erase (only) test & see what works best.

Gaffer tape a powder puff on the end and you can tether it to the board so everyone knows that's the correct marker for the clapper.

I use a Don Earl clapper and it holds up well...but i use only one of the above markers.