Film Slate/Clapper

  • Thread starter Thread starter Romane19
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Clappers come in many forms. This would be completely acceptable on a professional or indi/student film. This is the basic slate.

As long as the craftmanship isn't crap, you've got all you need in a slate.
 
hey

hey

Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
Clappers come in many forms. This would be completely acceptable on a professional or indi/student film. This is the basic slate.

As long as the craftmanship isn't crap, you've got all you need in a slate.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S ALL I WANTED
 
(I'm a DP) I try to use a slate on most shoots, it ads to the discipline and professionalism, even on single-system sound shoots.

The snap of the slate helps to focus everyone on set from the AC to the actors. It helps to know "when they are on". It also helps to cut down on the "let's just keep the camera rolling" or "let's shoot the rehersal" mentality. It also tells the client/green crew/green talent that they are part of a serious production and they tend to take their roles more seriously.
 
I use one for all the reasons J mentioned. They are also fun :-D

Ive got a pretty funny blooper from an interview I did where the interview subject put his finger on the top surface and got his finger caught between the clapping sticks. it was pretty funny
 
So I shot a doc a while back. Informal, just me and the subject in an interview. I recorded just over 4 hours of footage. I normally use a slate, obviously when I have crew it's always there.

Thought I could get away with not using one cause this project was so small and heck, i was editing it.

It was a freaking nightmare to identify all the clips - especially since they were all of the SAME GUY just sitting there talking. They all looked the same!

Get a slate and use it even on your small stuff!!!
 
Yeah, get in a habit of slating everything. It helps.

I work with film, so I need to slate, else...we can't sync :)

But yeah, it makes it so much easier. Just a word of advice, use Gaff tape for numbers, so much easier compared to writing and erasing stuff. And looks cooler too.

I don't use it for professionalism, only to ID the shot. Sometimes you spook the talent. Especially with kids and fresh actors. That is when I toss the slate in at the end of the take. Just something to keep in mind. Also so people get spooked when you start running the commands in the seconds before shooting.
 
I want to THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS. That means my slate is awesome lol
 
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You take the gaff tape, use a marker to write the number on it, and stack them on the back. So when you need to switch, pull it off the back, switch it to the front and tada. Make a little fold on the tape so you can grab onto it to remove it.

Matt
 
Mattykins said:
1202435760.jpg


1202435818.jpg


You take the gaff tape, use a marker to write the number on it, and stack them on the back. So when you need to switch, pull it off the back, switch it to the front and tada. Make a little fold on the tape so you can grab onto it to remove it.

Matt
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OH MY GOD THATS AWESOME AND YOUR CLAPPER WON'T LOOK HORRIBLE AND MESSY AFTERWARDS!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M A USE THAT METHOD
 
ok, this may sound like a dumb question but when you slate beginning and end of every scene, are you holding the slate at the talent or closer to the camera? I'm wondering if it would be readable for a scene starting with a medium shot.
 
I had a very annoying experience as an actor with a slate person clapping the darn thing right next to my head. It was loud enough in my right ear to make it ring. After a couple of takes I moved out of the way, but the guy should have known better than to do that. Word to the wise...
 
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