Audio Daddyo Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 Can anyone recommend a specific clapper slate (non-timecode) to buy. I haven't used or needed one until now. I have a few projects coming up where one will be useful. I guess something that is not too large but not too small where the info is hard to read. Not sure what other considerations I should be thinking about. Thanks,Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 Can anyone recommend a specific clapper slate (non-timecode) to buy. I haven't used or needed one until now. I have a few projects coming up where one will be useful. I guess something that is not too large but not too small where the info is hard to read. Not sure what other considerations I should be thinking about. Thanks,Andy Check out the "directors" slates at www.markertek.com. 2 sizes, 6x9" or 11x9.5. $55 either size. The 6x9 is dual sided with a back focus chart on the back. More info on the website. The 6x9 has no clap stick. You should also check out www.movieclappers.com. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Waelder Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 The preferred professional slate is an Earl slate. Don Earl was, I believe, an employee at Panavision and he made the slates as a hobby business. They were sold through the Panavision store. There is a Lexan board to write data with a dry erase marker and a well constructed set of sticks. Closure of the sticks is enhanced with magnets set into the sticks near the ends. When Mike Denecke made his time code slate he modeled the operation after the Earl slate. He may even have purchased the sticks from Earl. (I don't know; maybe Charlie Parra can contribute here.) Anyway, it's a good product, easy to use, made with pride and constructed to last. I don't see it listed as a Panavision store item any longer but it is available from Film Tools: http://www.filmtools.com/donclasensla.html David Didn't pay close attention, at first, that you were seeking a compact slate. Try this instead: http://www.filmtools.com/doneareninsl1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Daddyo Posted April 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 Thanks Eric and David, I ended up ordering the Don Earl insert slate from Filmtools. It was my first time ordering from Filmtools and the sales woman I spoke to was extremely nice and helpful. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 It was my first time ordering from Filmtools and the sales woman I spoke to was extremely nice and helpful. Andy Filmtools is a really good organization, good people. They have helped me out several times in the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audio Daddyo Posted April 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 OK! This is good. I am learning slate etiquette. This is a new world for me. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 actually there is a little more to it: are we all agreed that a slate with no timecode is a "traditional slate" ?? OK... a "dumb slate" is a timecode slate with little or no brains! The original TC slates could display TC if they were being fed the code, but if the code stopped arriving, the display stopped! think: TS-1 with a Comtek receiving TC from the sound cart) a "smart slate" contains a brain (SMPTE TC reader/generator) or is a "dumb slate" with a brain attached (like a TS-1 with a SB-1 attached) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 actually there is a little more to it: are we all agreed that a slate with no timecode is a "traditional slate" ?? OK... a "dumb slate" is a timecode slate with little or no brains! The original TC slates could display TC if they were being fed the code, but if the code stopped arriving, the display stopped! think: TS-1 with a Comtek receiving TC from the sound cart) a "smart slate" contains a brain (SMPTE TC reader/generator) or is a "dumb slate" with a brain attached (like a TS-1 with a SB-1 attached) Remind me never to ask you the time, you'll go chapter & verse into how to build a watch. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 digital or analog... hope you enjoy your cruise next week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Toline Posted April 7, 2010 Report Share Posted April 7, 2010 digital or analog... hope you enjoy your cruise next week! Thank you. Four days of relaxing and 4 hrs of work on the last night at sea. Best part is getting full rate for 6 days. Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al mcguire Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 " How about referring to it as a "traditional slate" and not a "dumb" slate? As there's really nothing "dumb" about it, just because the term "smart slate" came into play with the advent of the timecode slate, doesn't mean that suddenly the "traditional slate" got stupid. You got to accentuate the positive, to eliminate the negative.... " +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ that was wonderful thank you RVD al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 Thank you for that. Speaking of dumb, many, many years ago I was talking with a P.A. on a commercial shoot and she said that she was told that it would be "smart to have a slate... or did they say they needed someone smart to do the slate... maybe they said we need a 'smart slate'... I really don't know, just bring something that will make everything sync up." - JW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 actually there is a little more to it: are we all agreed that a slate with no timecode is a "traditional slate" ?? OK... a "dumb slate" is a timecode slate with little or no brains! The original TC slates could display TC if they were being fed the code, but if the code stopped arriving, the display stopped! think: TS-1 with a Comtek receiving TC from the sound cart) a "smart slate" contains a brain (SMPTE TC reader/generator) or is a "dumb slate" with a brain attached (like a TS-1 with a SB-1 attached) There's more to it than THAT. The original Ivan Krugelagh TC slate (which we used quite a lot in the early 1980s, including a couple of features) would not even read TC directly--it was a hex display that had to be hard wired to a 9 pin connector on the back of the Coherent Communications TC generator that bolted to the bottom of a stock Nagra IV-SL. That was what we referred to as the "dumb" slate, for obvious reasons. A non-electronic slate was just a "slate". "Smart Slate" was somebody's trade name for awhile (possibly Editel) referring to the whole process of shooting film and telecine/sound sync of the negative to videotape (usually NOT in one step). Later "A SMART SLATE" came to mean Mike Denecke's TC slates, which (around here) were never referred to as "dumb"! Philip Perkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 " getting full rate for 6 days. " Happy Birthday!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted April 8, 2010 Report Share Posted April 8, 2010 second that! :) -vin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted April 10, 2010 Report Share Posted April 10, 2010 It's probably just "stupid post" tradition, but I have heard non-TC slates referred to many times over the years as "dumb slates" or "dumb sticks" -- usually accompanied with sad sighs and eyes rolling. Again, it's only really an issue when shooting on film, or when the digital camera has completely different time code than the sound files. And it's more important for multi-camera projects, which just makes dailies even more time-consuming when you have no TC slates. I agree that the Film Tools slates are pretty good. They have some slightly cheaper alternatives to the Don Earl slates, but the latter are definitely what I see used most often (aside from Denecke). --Marc W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted April 15, 2010 Report Share Posted April 15, 2010 The term smart slate became an "in" thing with production women here in NZ. When they phoned and asked if I had a smart slate, I loved replying "no I have a dumb slate" ( in the days of TS-1 and 2 and DAT on record run) I was going to call a conventional slate a very dumb slate but I will refrain! mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted April 18, 2010 Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 You could be politically-correct and call a wooden non-TC slate a "mentally challenged slate." (I'll shut up now.) --Marc W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderfm Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 This thread has been dead for a little while, but I'm in the market for a smart slate. I have a number of lockit boxes and I wondered if there is anyone out there manufacturing dumb slates at the moment? I thought I could save a bit of cash and velcro a lockit to the back of the slate rather than splashing out on a full ambient or denecke slate. Is this just wishful thinking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrider Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Thunderfm, I think your best bet would be to search the consignment pages of the usual suspects and hope to find a pre-owned and well-loved Denecke TS-1. They can be found and I have two that just won't die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderfm Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Thanks, will do. bblist will be awash with requests! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmfsnd Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 I have a number of lockit boxes and I wondered if there is anyone out there manufacturing dumb slates at the moment? Is this just wishful thinking? Well, You could get something like this. A TC display like Betso's TCD1, hooked up to your lockit box, could be a money saving option. Supports all standard DF/NDF FPS, and shows User Bits too. The downsides would be having to attach a clapper of some kind, and the numbers wont "stop" at the clap. It has an internal rechargeable battery, or DC power. The screen turns off for power saving after inactivity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderfm Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 Interesting. That could work. I could velcro it to a panavision slate. The number stopping thing though. Would that make sync an issue? I read the manual and it says it does have a feature where you can turn off the display, but it only happens 5 seconds after TC stops. Anyone know if it holds the display when TC is lost? I could fabricate a magnetic switch to cut TC when the sticks close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gilchrist Posted February 26, 2015 Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 You could be politically-correct and call a wooden non-TC slate a "mentally challenged slate." (I'll shut up now.) --Marc W. In today's education lexicon, it would be a "Special Needs" slate. Best regards, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmfsnd Posted February 28, 2015 Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 Anyone know if it holds the display when TC is lost? I could fabricate a magnetic switch to cut TC when the sticks close.It needs to be constantly connected. The numbers stopping at the clap is an additional convenience, but editors can stil match up the frame, timecode, and sound/waveform of the clap. If needed, you can alternate display between TC and UBits too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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