Slate: Meaning in Film Production

Slate

Definition

A slate, or clapperboard, is the board held in front of the lens at the start of a take. It shows production title, roll or card number, scene and take, director, DP, and date. The clap of its hinged sticks gives editors a visual and audio point to sync picture with separately recorded sound.

The call and response

A slate only works if everyone follows the same sequence. On a sync sound take it goes like this:

1st AD: "Roll sound."
Sound mixer: "Speed."
1st AD: "Roll camera."
1st AC or operator: "Rolling" (or "Speed").
2nd AC, holding the slate in frame: "Scene forty-two Apple, take three, marker." Clap.
Camera operator: "Set" once the frame is clear.
Director: "Action."

On a two-camera setup the AC says "A and B common mark" if one slate is visible to both, or slates each camera separately ("A mark," then "B mark"). If the clap was missed, they call "second sticks" and clap again.

How the scene numbering works

In US-style slating, the scene number comes from the shooting script and each new setup adds a letter. The master of scene 42 is slated 42. The first piece of coverage is 42A, then 42B, and so on. Takes restart at 1 for each setup. So "42C take 4" means the fourth take of the third coverage setup. Letters are spoken with the phonetic words crews use, like "Apple," "Baker," "Charlie," though every crew has its own list.

Some productions, especially in the UK, use slate numbers that climb all day regardless of scene (slate 214, 215, 216). Whichever system you use, pick it before day one and tell editorial. The scene numbering rules post covers how script scene numbers get locked.

What can go wrong

Wrong numbers are the biggest time-waster in editorial. If the AC slates 42B when it's really 42C, the assistant editor may file the takes under the wrong setup. The 2nd AC should confirm the next setup letter with the script supervisor before rolling, not after.

Clapping too close to an actor's face is the other classic. For tight close-ups, a soft clap or a smaller insert slate is the courteous move, and some actors ask for a tail slate instead.

Paper trail

Everything on the slate should match the camera report, the sound report, and the script supervisor's log. Timecode slates reduce sync work but don't replace readable scene and take information, since editors still search by those numbers.

Frequently asked questions

What goes on a slate?

Production title, director, DP, date, camera roll or card, scene number with setup letter, and take number. A timecode slate also displays running timecode from the sound recorder. Add MOS or the frame rate when it matters.

What is a tail slate?

A slate done at the end of a take instead of the beginning, held upside down so the editor knows it belongs to the shot before it. It's used when slating at the head would disturb the actors or wasn't possible.

Why do some scene letters get skipped?

Many script supervisors skip I and O on slates because they look like 1 and 0. Some also skip letters like S and Z. Check with your script supervisor and editor at the start of the show.