Part Four: 8 key slating terms

Part Four: 8 key slating terms

Slating is generally a simple practice but some setups can create special

circumstances that affect how you perform the task. Listed below are 8 critical key

words and phrases you might hear called out that can communicate how you should

proceed with a slate.

1: “Speed/ Speeding” means either sound or camera is or has been requested to start

rolling.2: “Soft sticks” asks that you clap the board as softly as possible while still being

somewhat audible. This is typically done when the slate is very close to an actors face,

during emotionally sensitive scenes, or with possibly skittish talent like animals.

3: “Second sticks” can be called out and requested if either sound or camera missed

the moment of the slate. If you hear this you most likely need to pop back in and slate

once again calling out second sticks as you do so.

4: “Tails sticks” requests that instead of “head” slating at the beginning of the take you

wait until the take is over and slate at the end. This is done for a lot of reasons but

often due to emotionally sensitive scenes, shots with difficult set ups, or tight camera

positions that wouldn’t be able to capture the slate within its initial frame. Traditionally

tails sticks are performed by inverting the slate upside down as it enters frame and

then flipped right side up and clapped. This specific practice of slate inversion however

is a bit of a holdover from the film era and as long as you are not shooting on film not

terribly important to do these days.

5: “MOS” refers to a take in which sound will not be rolling. If this is the case leave the

clapper portion of the slate closed and allow the 1st AC to roll just a few frames of the

slate as to catch the id info then pull it out without clapping.

6: “50-50” is used as a key word to request and inform crew members to roll discreetly,

without disclosing to the talent on camera you are doing so. These are typically met

with tails sticks as a head slate would be a give away that you are indeed rolling.

7: “Hold the roll” sometimes has different interpretations but most often is meant as a

last minute request to either stop rolling and prepare to roll again once an important

issue is resolved or to not roll at all if you are just about to so. Typically this is said if it

had initially seemed like everything was picture ready but some unforeseen

circumstance has changed and more work is needed to make something picture ready.

If you have already rolled on the slate most script supervisors will have you move onto

the next take number but if you haven’t it is most likely safe to remain on whatever take

you had been prepared for. Just confirm with sound and the script supervisor so you

are all on the same page.

8: “Insert slates” are used when the first frame of the shot is too tight to accommodate

the size of a traditional slate. There are varying sizes and types of insert slates but they

all do the same thing and it’s your responsibility to have a couple of them on hand in

case they are needed.

- Luke Peckham, Local 600 2nd AC