These are flat boards, usually with a clapper on one side and a slate on the other, and are used to identify, and synchronize, a video after the footage has been edited, allowing the video to be joined together in the correct order.
The clapperboard is used to provide a visual reference point, as well as an audio cue, for the video editor when piecing together the footage/video from multiple takes or merging different camera sources together. The flat board is used as a visual reference point, while the clapper is used to create an audible indication that can be used to synchronize the audio and video.
The end board consists of two basic elements: a slate and a clapper. The slate is usually placed on one side of the board, and features information such as the scene number and title, character’s name, the camera roll number, and the date that the scene was filmed. The clapper is then placed on the other side of the board and is used to match up the audio in the video with the visuals, while at the same time noting the start of a take. When the clapper is clapped together, it creates a loud “clap” sound that the assistant editors can use to line up the audio and video for a seamless transition.
Clapperboards come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. They are typically made of wood, although some models are made of metal or plastic. They can also be decorated with the logo of the production company, but the information written on them is most important & dependent on the type it is either written in chalk on the slate or is a screen where the information is displayed if digital. In modern filmmaking, the use of clapperboards has changed slightly. Digital slates have been used since the 1980s, and they are now commonly used in the production of films and television. Digital slates are a type of end board integrated into a computer and can be programmed to include all the same information that is written on a traditional slate. These digital slates can also record audio and video information and are used to save time during the editing process.
While clapperboards have been around for decades, they remain an important tool for filmmakers, and are used in productions of all kinds, from independent films to blockbusters. End boards are an indispensable tool in the ever-evolving world of filmmaking and will likely remain a staple of production for many years to come.
Why would a PPS or PPC need to know about Clapperboards/End Boards?
They would need to know about Clapperboards only in the case of a problem arising with the synchronization of rushes/dailies by the Assistant Picture Editors. This is part of the workflow for getting picture (from the camera) and sound (from the sound recordist) back into the cutting room.
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