Movie Slate Clapboard

A must-have tool for video movie making that will speed up your edit time exponentially. In fact filming is also aided by not having to search for the chalk, dry-erase pen, eraser, simply reach to the back where all your letters and numbers are stored on velcro. Film about 10 seconds before each take to provide a visual marker you can easily find when fast forwarding through your clips. Why not just rewind each time? You lose valuable time and run the risk of erasing good material for "cut-aways" and "out-takes".

Step 1: Materials

I used some scrap 1/4" hardboard cut 18" by 12" rounding the bottom corners with a jigsaw. Then cut a piece of 1x2 18" long for the top backing. This simulates the "clapping arm". This slate does not "clap" since that is a vestige of the old devices that made a noise used in syncing sound. We just want a way to identify our shots for editing. 1" wide sticky-backed velcro, a good adhesive, 1" adhesive-back lettering, a couple wood screws, a roll of 3/4" masking tape, and finally black and white paint rounds out our materials list.

Comments

[caitlinsdad]

It would be more fun if the board could "clap". Add a second striped bar with a small hinge or pivot point on the top.

[Jyssa]

not only more fun (which I totally agree with by the way) but there are practical applications to the clapping sound and the board actually touching down on the other board, for synching sound with image when editing. :)

[DELETED_GuardianFox]

(removed by author or community request)

[LoganSix]

I'm going with the chalkboard paint.  It apparently doesn't reflect as much light either, so it reduces glare into the camera.

[DELETED_GuardianFox]

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[LoganSix]

Here is my clapper board.  I made it from some scrap wood, so it is a little over sized.  Since I didn't sandpaper the surface, the chalk isn't as smooth as it should be, but still readable.  Here is a link to a little movie I created showing the board.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZFOAJGARcY

And apparently I made it for lefties or something.  ha ha  Oh well, still works the same.  I used a small square piece of wood to attach the clapper.  I drilled through both pieces of the wood at the same time to make sure the holes lined up.

If I make a new one, then I'll probably do an Instructable.

[sirmorrow]

Lost or broken chalk, missing eraser, messy chalk dusk, cough, cough.

[DELETED_GuardianFox]

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[sirmorrow]

Would need a tethered eraser as well, markers run dry, caps get lost. Velcro letters solved all these problems. Thanks for the comments.

[Ward_Nox]

not to mention white boards can be hard to read if anything id use greese parkers on a smooth black surface but that has its own difficulties this is a great idea though wish id had one when i was in school

[LoganSix]

Just wanted to point out, that I did a film this weekend and we used a white board style clap board that my editor bought. It was much smaller than my quickly done one, but after about 20 takes, it was difficult getting it clean enough to write the numbers on it. So, I would say, chalkboard paint and a wet wash cloth is the best way to go.

[DELETED_GuardianFox]

(removed by author or community request)

[Ward_Nox]

well you could always use magnetic paint and magnetic numbers be harder to lose the numbers for one thing

[sirmorrow]

Magnets slide and can be jarred loose. Never had that happen with the velcro. But I do like the possibilities with other magnetic objects, hmmmmm.

[Ward_Nox]

ive never seen the thin semi flexible magnets slide without