Three and … Action!” . Everyone has in their heads the moment before the actors in a movie start recording a scene: that object full of numbers and indications that closes before the camera before starting a shot is part of anyone’s imagination.
But what is that object? When is it used? And what is it for? It is the clapperboard, one of the most important objects in any type of audiovisual recording – not just in cinema – and which has a particularly relevant task for the proper functioning of the project and its final result.
What is the clapperboard and what is it for?
The first thing that must be clear to know what a clapperboard is and what it is for, is that without its presence and correct use an audiovisual production would be practically impossible.
The objective of the indications and the noise made by the clapperboard is to synchronize the sound and the image. By making the familiar click sound of the clapperboard, assemblers are given a reference to match the image to the exactly recorded sound.
This is important because in professional recordings, the sound and the image are stored in different places , so later they will have to be assembled together and made to play at the same time.
But there is a second use of the clapperboard that should not be forgotten because of the importance it has for the editor: the written data indicates which scene is being recorded and which is the shot. In this way, a kind of index of the footage is created, which is very useful to select the shots that have been the best for each scene.
Information to bring
There is a protocol agreed by all professionals who work in the world of audiovisual creation that indicates what type of information the clapperboard should include and in what way, so that any editor or director can work with the material of another without confusion or disagreements.
It includes the name of the production , the number of the roll or card where the shot will be recorded, the scene number according to the script and the number of the shot. In addition, clapperboards often include additional information such as who is the director and photographer and the date the shot was shot. Finally, some technical specifications are included on the type of scene: if it was recorded indoors or outdoors, if it was performed during the day or at night, or if the sound must be synchronized or it will be a scene with only image.
If no sound is recorded
It may happen that the scene is recorded only with the intention of using the image . This is the case of resource plans in which, for example, a view of the city is recorded until reaching the protagonist’s house.
In these shots, the important thing is to take into account the information on the clapperboard rather than the sound, since it will not have to be synchronized.
Precisely because sound is not necessary in many audiovisual projects, a different clapper board is used for MOS (Motor Only Shot) scenes , in which the upper part is not included , which is used to make the reference sound.
How the clapperboard is sung
Just as there are established rules for writing the information on the clapperboard, there is also a protocol for singing the clapperboard, that is, to indicate out loud the information contained in it and that will serve as a reference for the assembly.
The following order is generally followed: sequence, shot, shot and timing noise.
To sing it, it is placed before the camera at a sufficient distance so that all the information can be clearly seen, all the information is said out loud and the noise is made. After removing the clapperboard from in front of the camera the action can begin.
Digital clapperboard
The traditional clapperboard has been made in the form of a blackboard where information could be written down and erased quickly and easily. However, with the advancement of technology, the use of the digital clapperboard has been increasingly implemented in filming.
The advantages of the digital clapperboard are that it is now even easier to synchronize the sound, since the clapperboard includes a digital panel that marks the time in a much more precise way, which is also synchronized with the cameras . way that synchronizing audio and video is practically automatic.
Since its implementation, at the beginning of this century, the digital clapperboard has become a fundamental element for any type of audiovisual work, be it cinema, documentaries, television, among others.
