Is the clapperboard like a cheese board?
A clapperboard is an object with key info about the shot including the shot number (slate) scene and whether the shot is inside or outside and other useful stuff for the editor to know when he’s cutting the film together. It’s put in front of the lens for enough time for the camera to see it in focus and then clapped - by raising the top bit up which is on a hinge and then slamming it down. This short shapr sound is used as a defined point to synchronise the audio and video points if you’re recording sound externally to the camera.
A cheese board is a board with cheese on it.
Do you really say ‘lights, camera, action’?
Noooooo sorry mate, this is some part of misconstrued filmmaking folklore a’happening here. What happens is the director (on a smaller shoot) or the 1st Assistant director (on a larger shoot) will say ‘quiet on set please’ or ‘everyone settle in’ which is a cue to be still and not make noise because if you’re in a creaky old house with even more creaky floorboards you can ruin the sound on a take just be shifting weight from one leg to another.
After that they say ‘roll camera’ the camera operator or director of photography will say ‘speed’ or ‘camera rolling’ then the director/1st AD will say ‘roll sound’ then the sound operator will say ‘sound rolling’ or ‘sound speeding’. It’s then back over to the director/1st AD to say ‘mark it’ where the person with the clapperboard (usually the assistant camera) will jump in and slate the shot (see last question) after their clear of the frame the camera operator will say ‘camera set’ and the 1st AD/director will say ‘standing by’ followed by ‘aaaaaaaaand action’ (for some reason the ‘and’ is always ALWAYS drawn out like that. Bizarre really.
Have you worked with anyone famous?
Yes, but that would be name dropping.
Were they nice?
Oh yes. Elvis was great.
I’ve written a great script, will you read it?
Maybe, if you ask us nicely. It’s a hard one, we’re a commercial video production company as opposed to a film production company which means we make short form video content pieces (usually under 5 minutes) rather than full length feature films or television so we wouldn’t be able to make your film, unless you have funding attached already. Even actual film production companies don’t finance the film they kinda package it together from the different parts: talent (the cast and crew), a script and finance from either public or private investors.
Can I be an extra in your next film production?
Yes! Just hit us up on the contact page.
Is it very glamorous?
Hmmmm so there’s the odd wrap party (that’s wrap with a ‘w’ rather than rap like A$AP Rocky, though it would be kinda fun to party with A$AP Rocky - sidebar, what is it with all these singers/rappers and so on having a dollah dollah bill sign all up in their names?! Like I’m talking Ke$sha, the aforementioned A$AP, Dollah $ign, probably a few more too I swear…)
But anyhoo, so yeah there’s the wrap parties (end of the film parties and premieres but otherwise, you’re up a rainy hill in wales at 6am stat mate, the rain is in your shoes and in your eyes. The rain is poured on through to the very essence of your being. So not so much then.
