Great in theory but not always possible without coordination. You don’t want to be too early and get in the way of the camera operator as they’re setting up their shot.
Yep. As an editor scrubbing through ACs scratching their ass and wait, wait, wait, wait… scrub scrub scrub….. THERE’s the fuckin slate! Yes please. I cut one super16 feature film, and it was such a joy to see that slate RIGHT in there immediately MARK, out, GO. Haha. Efficient!
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.
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.
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.
wow this was actually useful thanks for this!!!! i work on sets im not a sound pro but im intermediate with it and just recently i was shooting a short with my crew we're indie and i realized the scenes weren't slated correctly ive worked as a 2nd camera ac so im pretty knowledgeable on how it works but you really sold me on the putting the LETTER before the NUMBER because as a Screenwriter myself you're right i do have the scene numbers so i can break em down never thought thats why we say it on the slate duhhh lol now its gonna be easier for me to get thru it all faster as i do edit myself thanks for this information you learn new things everyday i love it!!
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?
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!)
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.
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?
Hello Deity crew I work in live sports production I am trying to get the best crowd ambiance possible with a 2-4 mic setup what mics or style of mics do you suggest? Thanks for all the great videos full of fun educational content!
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....
how does one pump in timecode from music playback into this? I'm trying to figure out that approach for a music video. Do not want camera timecode in that use case, want the songs timecode.
Memory card seems like useless info. Either your viewing it on the camera and you can just look at what card it is your your viewing it on a computer and have successfully transferred it making the memory card number obsolete by the time the editor steps in.
It helps scripty and whoever else on set who is logging shots and good takes to log what card things are on. So the editor can go to the right media/folder first time to find a specific shot.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
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.
Great addendum, thank you! Pinning this one :)
@@DeityMicrophones My comment below, this means the slate will always be the first thing on the take. :)
Great in theory but not always possible without coordination. You don’t want to be too early and get in the way of the camera operator as they’re setting up their shot.
Yep. As an editor scrubbing through ACs scratching their ass and wait, wait, wait, wait… scrub scrub scrub….. THERE’s the fuckin slate! Yes please. I cut one super16 feature film, and it was such a joy to see that slate RIGHT in there immediately MARK, out, GO. Haha. Efficient!
If it's tail slate different story. Had these issues filming in tight spaces and there was no room for the A.C to slate it up prior to a take.
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.
Brilliant, thanks for all the additional tips!
@@DeityMicrophones Thank you! Love your products!
Simple, sound advice; especially for newbies.
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.
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.
Thank you! Working as 2nd AC on a flix production soon! Super excited and this helped a bit.
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.
wow this was actually useful thanks for this!!!! i work on sets im not a sound pro but im intermediate with it and just recently i was shooting a short with my crew we're indie and i realized the scenes weren't slated correctly ive worked as a 2nd camera ac so im pretty knowledgeable on how it works but you really sold me on the putting the LETTER before the NUMBER because as a Screenwriter myself you're right i do have the scene numbers so i can break em down never thought thats why we say it on the slate duhhh lol now its gonna be easier for me to get thru it all faster as i do edit myself thanks for this information you learn new things everyday i love it!!
Always love learning small little things I never knew. Thanks, Deity!
hopefully this can give everyone a little more confidence on set. even if they're not slating, just following along can help.
Same!
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?
Just picked up the slate and 3 pack. Can't wait to use it when it rives from B&H.
Great vid!
Perfect.
Thank you! that's really helpful, cheers!
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!)
Fantastic video and lesson. You can alwways learn something new!
"Don't use a permanent marker..." Yes! Can you send this to EVERYONE who uses a marker please? :)
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.
This video nailed it! well done!
That video is amazing!!!
Thank you ❤
I always thought this is an easy job.
I always wanted to know this 😅
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?
Great video 💯🎬
What is the process for multiple cameras. One at a time, on once for all of them?
Hello Deity crew I work in live sports production I am trying to get the best crowd ambiance possible with a 2-4 mic setup what mics or style of mics do you suggest? Thanks for all the great videos full of fun educational content!
What marker should we use for this clapperboard? Is there any specific brand you suggest?
The one that comes with it. :)
But any dry-erase marker should work fine.
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....
Quick question on MOS slating. I've seen people keep the sticks closed with tape that says MOS to indicate MOS. Would that be fine, too?
how do you do slate for mutiple cameras. You had multiple cams in this vid but didn't go over it. =( That's the only reason I clicked on this video.
When do you zero the timer and does keep rolling when blank or only when the lapper is open.
My clapperboard says "sound' and "prod.co." what do those mean?
If the roll says A001 which stands for camera A, how do you adress a second camera that is roling at the same time?
Quick question. I noticed on the slate there are colors. Are this important or server any purpose?
They help you tell the sync point under different lighting conditions.
how does one pump in timecode from music playback into this? I'm trying to figure out that approach for a music video. Do not want camera timecode in that use case, want the songs timecode.
for soft sticks, do you still read out the slate?
Yes
Where can I get that clapperboard smart plate from??
wwww.Deitymic.com/dealers
Can you believe that slate he's using is $1,000?!!! Damn lol
Memory card seems like useless info. Either your viewing it on the camera and you can just look at what card it is your your viewing it on a computer and have successfully transferred it making the memory card number obsolete by the time the editor steps in.
It helps scripty and whoever else on set who is logging shots and good takes to log what card things are on. So the editor can go to the right media/folder first time to find a specific shot.