Be a Faster AC #2: Cut Down on What You Say When Slating

Camera Assisting 18 Comments

Evan Slating with a Clapperboard

From our ongoing exploration of ways to become a faster and more efficient camera assistant, today’s tip is:

2. Cut Down on What You Say When Slating a Shot

Beginning camera assistants (ACs) have a tendency to do two things wrong when slating: they speak too slow and they announce everything on the slate. I know this because I was guilty of it and, as I trained others, noticed how they would fall into the same trap.

What I always try to explain to new 2nd AC’s is to only read the most essential information — scene & take — then yell “mark” and get out of there. You should be all business in front of the lens.

Depending on the circumstance, you can take it even further. For instance, if you know the sound mixer is reading off the slate onto their own recordings or marking them with metadata, you can get away with saying “mark” (…instead of marker you save time by one syllable) and clapping the sticks.

As an exercise, let’s take a look at how you could cut down on one particular shot:

  • “Scene Twenty-Seven Apple, Take Two, Marker!”
  • “Twenty-Seven Apple, Take Two, Marker!”
  • “Twenty-Seven Apple, Take Two, Mark!”
  • “Take Two, Mark!”
  • “Mark!”

Even the third option takes much less time than the first. And let’s not forget another important thing: say it fast! Do your best impression of an auctioneer while still being clear.

How do you make sure you’re out of frame quickly when slating?

About the author:

About the author: Evan Luzi is the editor and founder of The Black and Blue as well as a freelance camera assistant.

You can learn more about him or follow him on Twitter and Google+.

This Isn't About One Gig. It's About Launching Your Career.
  • KJ

    Such a good tip. I like to think that I know the ins-and-outs of slating (though I wouldn’t say I know everything), and it pains me when I hear inexperienced 2nd ACs drag out the mark. “This is… [movie]… scene twenty-three shot ‘ay’… take one… roll fifteen… *awkward clap*… *hold slate in front for a tad too long*…”

    Speaking of the phonetic alphabet, apologies if this has been referenced before or you plan to later, but is there a “standard” in the film industry? I know it varies from the military phonetic alphabet a bit, I just remember these from a script super I worked with in Louisiana:

    A – Apple
    B – Baker
    C – Charlie
    D – Delta
    E – Edward (?)
    F – Frank
    G – Georgetown
    H – Hotel
    J – Jackson
    …
    N – Nancy
    …
    V – Victor

    Obviously my memory’s a bit lacking when it comes to most of the second half of the alphabet.

  • Adam Richlin

    Here’s another little thing I teach new AC’s… if you’re slating at night with a dumbslate (or one that doesnt glow like the glorious deneke’s), when you aim the flashlight at the slate, dont use the center of the beam for the shot/take part. Put the beam off center so that shot/take are being hit by some of the outer glow of the flashlight beam.

    Most new AC’s dont put it together that a strong flashlight just blows out the sensor in the area the beam hits hardest, which means no slate information. 

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    Thanks KJ! I feel the same way… I hate sitting through those awkward slates.

    As for phonetic alphabet, try reading this article and let me know if you have any other questions: http://www.theblackandblue.com/2011/03/03/slating-the-alphabet-from-apple-to-x-ray/

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    Yep that’s a very good tip Adam! You can see me holding a flashlight in the pic above actually (though it’s not doing anything…)

    I usually change the beam on the maglite to flood and then aim slightly off center as well. Never thought about why I did that, just seemed right. So thanks for explaining it so clearly

  • aemi

    Hi,

    You are obviously in the picture there at this article, now, what kind of slate is that one? what do the red numbers (timecode?) represent? If it’s timecode is that the same as the timecode on the camera? How does it work?

    Thanks,
    aemi

  • Johnny

    Denecke. Hours, minutes, seconds, frames. depends. use google. 

  • Aemi87

    Pardon my ignorance,

    I am searching google on Denecke now, and I hope I will find more information.

    So basically one of the cameras is generating a timecode (or an external device) and the clapper is somehow receiving the timecode and then you can synchronies by the timecode… is that how it works?

  • Nick Dulworth

    Not sure if y’all have seen this but here’s a great mockumentary about slates from Inspiration Studios  
    http://vimeo.com/5516736

  • aemi

    hilarious, thanks for sharing

  • http://twitter.com/stuwillis Stu Willis

    Saying just ‘take two’ may make your life faster, but it doesn’t make it easier for the guys in post who have to sync it up. 

    Yes, set time is more expensive than post-time, but thats no excuse for sloppiness.

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    Aemi — I think Johnny, briefly, described what you were asking fairly accurately!

    You nailed exactly how timecode works. In the case of the image above, the time code was synced to the sound recording. That way, in post-production, an editor can look at the image, see the number, and sync that frame to the exact same number in the sound recording.

    Usually to receive the timecode, the clapperboard is either “jam synced” where it is connected via cable, synced up, then runs on its own (like a watch) or it has a wireless receiver on it constantly feeding it the correct timecode.

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    Yep! Awesome video: http://www.theblackandblue.com/2010/07/02/the-subtleties-of-the-slate-video/

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    Of course, it always depends on the production and workflow being used. It would be sloppy to say only “take two” in certain situations, but in others it would be more prudent. Like in the example I provided above if you know the sound mixer is reading off the slate onto their own recordings.

    Or if you were shooting sync sound where there is no syncing involved.

    It’s always about evaluating the situation and applying the technique where it is most effective.

  • Pingback: What Can You Do to Save Time, Be Faster and Improve Your Efficiency as a Camera Assistant? | The Black and Blue

  • http://twitter.com/RobShaver Robert Shaver

    This is a bit off topic but … I can’t resist.

    A few years ago (I checked, it was 2006) I was shooting and editing an amateur soap for the local cable access station. (I’m not a pro either, by the way.) We shot it with two cameras and separate sound with no time code sync. The boom operator/recorder did not slate separably and nobody kept any logs. (Like I said, no-budget amateurs, all.) So we read scene and take for the benefit of the 
    separate  sound.One thing I started doing that I haven’t seen anywhere else was to do the mark before the slate. This way in post I could trim all the video and the sound to the mark and then use the FCP multi-cam function to sync everything and still have the slate info on all tracks. (I thought that was something I could have an assistant do … but I never did have an assistant.)If I ever have to do this again I’ll use Pluralize which doesn’t need the mark.

    I’m really loving your blog. Thanks for sharing.

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    Robert – thanks for the kind words. Glad you’re enjoying the blog.

    Also, good story. Smart of you to think on your toes like that when it seems like not everyone was!
    Ideally, when an AC slates, they will say “marker,” clap the sticks, then leave the slate in front of the camera for a moment. The best AC’s will have this down to a science and leave it up for like half a second — just long enough for an editor to do exactly what you described.

    It’s good practice and editors will love you for it.

  • Chriskane

    If you want speed on marking surely the British system of slate number – take number – mark is better ? 

  • http://www.theblackandblue.com/ Evan

    In what way? I’m not quite as familiar with the system.