Slating Guides

What information goes on a clapperboard?

A clapperboard shows the production title, director and director of photography, the scene, shot and take numbers, the camera roll or card, the camera letter, the date, and often day or night, interior or exterior, frame rate and sync or MOS. Timecode slates also display running timecode.

True-Slate Guides · updated 1 November 2026

The fields, one by one

Production: the title of the film, series or commercial. It identifies the footage if cards or drives are ever mixed up.
Director and DOP (or camera): names of the director and director of photography. These rarely change during a shoot.
Roll: the camera roll, card or mag number. On digital shoots this matches the card label, for example A012 for camera A's twelfth card.
Scene: the scene number from the shooting script.
Shot or slate: the set-up within the scene. Systems differ (see below).
Take: how many times this set-up has been recorded. Take one, two, three and so on, reset for every new shot.
Date: the shooting date.
Day/Night and Int/Ext: boxes or tick marks matching the scene heading.
Sync/MOS: whether sound is being recorded.
Frame rate: for example 23.976, 24 or 25. Useful when productions mix rates.
Timecode: on a timecode slate, the running clock jammed to the sound recorder.

US and UK numbering systems

There are two common ways to number shots. In the US system, the scene number is combined with a letter for each new set-up: scene 12 is shot as 12, 12A, 12B, 12C. Letters that look like numbers, such as I and O, are usually skipped. In the UK system, every new set-up gets the next slate number across the whole shoot, regardless of scene: slate 147, then 148, with the scene written separately. Both work; what matters is that the whole production uses one system consistently, and that the script supervisor's notes match the board.

Reading a slate in the edit

When an editor or assistant editor opens a clip, the first frames show the slate. They read the scene and take to name and organise the clip, check the roll against the camera report, and use the clap to line up sound. Anything unclear here creates questions later: a smudged take number on a whiteboard can mean someone has to watch every take to work out which is which.

Keeping the board accurate

Update the take number straight after every clap, so the board is ready for the next one.
Change the shot letter or slate number the moment the set-up changes, even if the camera hasn't moved far.
Check the roll number every time a card is changed, and tell the script supervisor and sound.
Keep the writing large, dark and neat. A slate has to be read on a phone screen in a dark edit suite.

Digital slates

On a digital slate the fields are typed or picked rather than written, and they stay sharp and legible at any distance. True-Slate shows scene, shot, take and roll in large high-contrast type, increments the take for you, remembers names you have used before, and logs every take so the board and the paperwork always agree.

Common questions

What does the roll number on a slate mean?

It identifies the camera roll, card or magazine the take is recorded on. On digital shoots it usually matches the card name, such as A012.

What does MOS mean on a clapperboard?

MOS means a take recorded without sound. The slate is shown with the sticks open or not clapped, so nobody waits for audio sync.

Do you reset the take number for each shot?

Yes. The take number goes back to one for every new set-up, while the scene and shot change to identify it.

True-Slate reads and generates real LTC timecode

A digital clapperboard and film slate app for iPad and iPhone, with LTC jam sync in and out, an automatic shot log, and exports. £9.99 once, no subscription.

Download on the App Store