Part Three: How to slate in 6 steps

Part Three: How to slate in 6 steps

Once you have properly prepared the slate it’s time to use it! Slating especially for the

first time can be a bit nerve-racking. I have listed below 6 steps to make the process as

simple as possible and to avoid any potential pitfalls.

#1: Know where it is! At the end of the day slating can sometimes feel like a secondary

part of your position. You can be juggling many other responsibilities as a 2nd AC

putting out fires across the department. This can sometimes lead to the misplacement

of slates, so it’s generally best to have a specific place you try to keep the slate when it

is not in use. Whether that be on a cart or in a bag making sure you always know where

it is will be the first part in being prepared. For my fellow neurodivergent ACs attaching

an AirTag or a tile to the slate on longer shoots can help in a pinch if it’s misplaced or

lost.

#2: Check and confirm your info is correct. As the crew gears up for a shot make sure

to check in with either the script supervisor or the sound department to make sure the

information you have is correct. Not only is it embarrassing to have to change

information after putting the slate in frame it detracts from the overall efficiency of your

department.

#3: Plan your entrance and exit. While everything is settling down take a moment to

determine where you will enter and exit the set to make sure you are using that time

efficiently. Film sets can get very crowded and “grip jungles” can often block entrances

and exits that were there moments before. In addition, you always want to do your best

to not appear crossing the frame after a slate so having your exit predetermined can be

important.

#4: Slate placement. Part of planning your entrance and exit of the set is knowing

where you will be slating in the first place. Generally, as it pertains to 35mm formats

and spherical lenses, you will want to slate 1 foot away for every 10mm of the lens's

focal length. So for a 50mm lens you would place the slate approximately 5 feet away

from the camera, 80mm lens 8 feet, a 100mm lens 10 feet and so on. This will place

the slate where it covers a majority of the frame lending it to be the most legible for

later use. Anamorphic lenses and full frame cameras typically need to be slated closer

than the formula listed above so be aware of these factors and do your best to adjust.#5: Check your mirrors. General set awareness is key when you are getting ready to

slate. Knowing what work has to get done before the shot is “picture ready” can be

incredibly important. Sometimes you can be called in to slate while the DP is still using

the image to light or while another crew member is on set and in the frame fixing a

problem. Though it is not your place to decide whether or not to roll having an

awareness of the “readiness” of the crew, especially your department, is important. A

preemptive slate can further accentuate miscommunications between a department

that is not ready and the 1st assistant director who is trying to roll as soon as possible.

This is a delicate thing however so always use your best judgment and never speak for

departments outside of your own.

#6: LIGHTS! CAMERA! slate. ACTION! After countless hours of preparation and work

from dedicated crew members it’s time to get the cameras rolling and shoot a scene. A

common phrase you might hear called out around this time is “pictures up”. This

should signal, if you aren’t already, to be on standby to slate. Typically an assistant

director will first call out to roll sound and that is your cue to step in and present the

slate in front of the camera. As you place the slate it is your responsibility to make sure

it can be seen and read. This will sometimes include illuminating it with a flashlight,

tilting it up or down to remove glare from lights, or maneuvering it around foreground

elements that might be blocking it. Once the sound department calls out “sound

speeds” the AD will then ask for the camera to roll. Once you have confirmation the

camera is rolling call out the scene and take number typically followed by the word

mark or marker then clap the slate. Use discretion when deciding how loud to clap the

slate and never clap it louder than necessary for it to be heard by the sound

department’s microphones. The key here is to be as discrete as possible as to not call

unnecessary attention to yourself while still delivering clear information and a deliberate

slate clap. Immediately after you clap the board give a very brief but intentional pause

to ensure you are not already pulling the slate away by the time the board actually

claps. After that pause do your best to exit as quietly and quickly as possible then find

a place to settle in for the duration of the take.

* Immediately after slating some ACs like to make a small dash with their finger

through the take number they just slated to help keep track of where they have been

and what comes next.

- Luke Peckham, Local 600 2nd AC