How To Slate On Set | Clapperboard Tutorial for 2nd ACs

In this episode of Sound 101, Andrew is joined by Ryan Hasegawa who teaches us how to slate on set! This clapperboard tutorial for 2nd ACs features the Deity TC-SL1 but the same concepts apply to any movie slate or film set you may find on a movie set. We cover what to say when slating, how to mark a scene, how to mark a take, what should go in each field on the slate, and even some slate maintenance tips.

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Deity Microphones produces weekly digital web content to help filmmakers and sound mixers grow in their education. Deity Microphones shares this free web series in hopes that the next generation of filmmakers grows in their video production quality and changes the world.

Deity Microphones produces free educational web content to help filmmakers, vloggers, sound mixers and sound designers grow as creatives and take their production quality (be it independent, TV, or studio) to the next level. Deity Microphones believes that budget should never be a constraint to creativity.

[JohnUntivero]

If possible, always try to have the slate already in frame and ready before the camera starts rolling. The DIT and editor assistant will love you.

[gaips]

Amazing video and product Deity! Additional tips. Even if you have only 1 camera, call out your camera (good practice for multi-cam setups and for redundancy captured by audio. People syncing audio can only hear slates, not see them.). Call out, “Scene 35 Alpha, Take 1, A camera, marker.” Your focus puller will yell “Mark” or “Mark it” to indicate she/he has the focus on the slate and then you can clap-slate and step out of frame.

2nd tip for ACs: after take 1 onwards, immediately erase your take number on your slate and put 2 - (trust me, sets get chaotic and sometimes people will ask you what take you are on, or going on, or you run and do errands and forget.) and once you are about to slate on camera again, rub off the (dash) - .

Not related to Deity: Lastly, and this is a fantastic tool for everyone: use the ZoeLog app to enter your camera reports as you go along (log in the focus distances or a range if you are in a rush, or if focus puller is uncertain or can’t remember, or stressed. (One day, focus pulling metadata will be recorded internally.) This is a phenomenal tool for script supervisors, VFX Data Wranglers, Editors, Audio, Production reports (Yes, even accounting: proper logs have timestamps of setup times etc), and VFX vendors all can benefit from ZoeLog. Use the set WiFi or your data so people can view the logs instantly.

[pradeepchakraverti]

Simple, sound advice; especially for newbies.

[HappyCamper-bs]

Great info. Just like to point out that the scene information comes from the Script Supervisor because they are organizing the shots for the Post Dept and/or Editors.

[AryanAbbasnia]

Thank you for the great video. One tip if I may add, is to make sure to alway bring the slate in the frame with stick open.

[SoundSpeeds]

Scene numbers in the script, labeled as something like 35A were inserted before scene 35 and after scene 34, are also indicated on the slate a special way. You wouldn't call it "scene 35A" because that would indicate the second slate in scene 35 but instead you put the letter before the number. Scene 35A in the script would be Scene A35 on the slate. Reshoot that scene later and it would be RA35. Add VFX elements to that scene and it would be VRA35 or RVA35 depending on what makes sense to the script supervisor.

2nd ACs don't always read off the info on the slate. Sometimes this is done by the sound mixer after they hit record and sometimes no ody does. This used to be something done regionally but now is just seen as something that's done or not depending on what people want to do.

Instead of a hand in the slate to indicate MOS, some ACs will tape or Velcro the sticks closed with something labeled as MOS. No need to see the numbers roll on MOS.

If you happen to write on your slate with the wrong kind of marker or want to clean it with a product, Rain-X is the go to for Pros.

[arachosia]

Nice tutorial. Now what if there are 3 cameras? I know if they can all see the slate, you can say common sticks, but what if Cam B changes a lens while Cam A and C remain unchanged....how do you label the slate then?

[moreSMP]

Thank you! Working as 2nd AC on a flix production soon! Super excited and this helped a bit.

[saidcisneros]

Always love learning small little things I never knew. Thanks, Deity!

[natecarrollfilms]

Just picked up the slate and 3 pack. Can't wait to use it when it rives from B&H.

[LivyWard]

Amazing tutorial! I went to film courses in college and they didn't cover this in class, so this is so helpful. Thanks Ryan! (I transcode dailies too, and well placed slates are awesome to reference in post. Oh, and don't forget clean legible handwriting!)

[Swahnod]

What is the process for multiple cameras. One at a time, on once for all of them?

[LarryRodriguez-gcfi]

Fantastic video and lesson. You can alwways learn something new!

[xl]

would like to know how do you guys handle clapper boards in different countries. on many sets I worked at, people told me, the clapper loader has to follow a specific order: 
- wait for audio speed first before camera is rolling,  
- next read the scene,  
- wait for the camera operator until he says "mark" 
- then the 2nd AC claps and move out of the frame,
- then everyone waits for the Boom Operator, 1st AC and the camera operator to be set,  
- then wait again for the dop to confirm 
- and only then the director will say action....

but if I research it on the web, it seams to me, no one is following this order....

[albertusbodenstein]

ok.. SO what do you do if you are in a Scene, and you have 3 cameras? I guess its then still Scene 5, Take 1, but Roll A, B, C? Do you slate all the cameras? Do each camera has it's own slate?

[BasicFilmmaker]

"Don't use a permanent marker..." Yes! Can you send this to EVERYONE who uses a marker please? :)

[totallycheckthisout]

Thank you! that's really helpful, cheers!

[TheForbinone]

When do you zero the timer and does keep rolling when blank or only when the lapper is open.

[stevestussey]

The letter S and sometimes Q are also not used. As far as calling out the scene, depends on the show, sometimes you just call out the camera and mark. And for the love of god, practice writing, you should have legible marking on the slate. Your #s and letters should fill the box, ie as big as you can get it. For MOS, the other option is to not open the slate and put your hand over the sticks. If there's velcro on the slate, many of us have MOS tags. Also, Sharpies do get used for things like the roll # and date. Which you can use the dry erase to go over the Sharpie to 'erase' it. Also, as a courtesy, if you're using sounds smart slate, clean it before you hand it back to them. It takes 15-30sec to get the Sharpie and dry erase off of it. Sound will love you and it's part of being a professional AC.

[thoslie]

If the roll says A001 which stands for camera A, how do you adress a second camera that is roling at the same time?