clapstick

Scene and take

A clapstick is a hinged board used in filmmaking to mark the start of a take, slapped shut to create a sharp sound that synchronizes audio and video.

The clap appears as a visual frame while the sound provides an audio reference point.

Also called a clapperboard or slate.

Separately, clapsticks are a traditional Australian Aboriginal percussion instrument—two wooden sticks struck together to accompany singing and ceremony.

indigenous

Aboriginal

Australia's native peoples

didgeridooAustralian Aboriginal wind instrument
corroboreeAboriginal ceremonial gathering
ceremonyFormal event marking occasions

Dreamtime · ochre · eucalyptus · hardwood · rhythm · percussion · traditional · Australia · First Nations · storytelling

sound

snap

Sudden sharp sound

crackNarrow break or attempt
clackSharp percussive noise
clickBrief sharp noise

pop · strike · whack · sharp · wooden · percussive · staccato · beat · tap · knock

slapstick

pratfall

Comedic fall on buttocks

pie-in-the-faceComedic pastry impact
physical comedyHumor from bodily mishaps
knockaboutRough, boisterous action

gag · Charlie Chaplin · Buster Keaton · Three Stooges · Laurel and Hardy · vaudeville · buffoonery · farce · pantomime · shtick

film

slate

Fissile metamorphic rock

syncCoordinate timing or data
markerSomething that signals location
takeCapture or filmed segment

scene · production · sound · camera · roll · action · editor · continuity · timecode · board

Opposites

film production role

clapstickcamera

Image capturing device

video camera · microphone · boom mic · sound recorder · projector

audio-visual sync function

clapstickdesync

Loss of timing alignment

out of sync

production phase

clapstickfinal cut

Approved version for release

post-production · wrap · dailies

Family

clap, stick, claps, clapped, clapping, clapper, clappers, sticks, stuck

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G