TC slate care on set

I put a handle on the back of the slate and there are hooks on my sound cart
and utility cart to hang the slate on. The handle will also hang on a dolly
and provides a good grip to hold onto the slate with. I have found that
after putting the handle on the back that A.C.s are less prone to setting
the slate down because it is easier to hang it somewhere.

Brad Harper


"Fernando" <fdi.DeleteThis@ran.es> wrote in message
news:dcfabf52.0312122001.58f61292@posting.google.com...
> Hi all,
>
> We all know camera team people that take propper care of our slates
> and people who don't.
> In general, I observe that most of -OK, may be half of- camera people
> have a respect for sound equipment that is inversely proportional to
> the care they take for their camera equipment. I sometimes say "I'll
> install a lens on my PD-4 so you will have some respect for it"
> Respect as a tool and as a precission instrument. Of course, this
> perfectly applies for the slate.
>
> I have build a Peli case interior in a way that the slate can rest on
> it and still is easy to get, and tell the loader or anyone that will
> use it that it has to be on his/her hand or on it's Peli case. Turn it
> off when re-setting, etc. I always found high resistance to any of
> this kind of care taking.
>
> So, that's the subject: HOW DO YOU DO IT?
> Do you protect the slate with rubber feet? (not good to perforate the
> TS3 because of the back light) Do you use any kind of protection for
> sand? (the sand always find it's path to the display) How do you deal
> with all this?
>
> Fernando
>
>
> f
> *
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

At Sound Techniques, we have fitted all our rental slates
(as well as those sold to clients) with an open fronted leather case.
The back of this case has a zippered compartment above the battery box
area, which can contain the timecode box or receiver.

We also fit a robust plastic handle on one side of the slate as well
as a metal handle on tha back behind the sticks.

Apart from the odd nuts and bolts working loose we have had no
significant damage in 10 years.

Regards

Mike Westgate AMPS
www.mikestgatesound.webnz.co.nz
www.soundtq.co.nz
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

Most assistant's I've worked with are (by now) respectful of the slate
and try to keep it from being damaged. (There were certainly issues
about this in the early days of TC use.) I've found that they
appreciate me labelling the slate myself before I give it to them, my
being mindful of and checking the batteries and jam syncing when they
can see me do it, always being willing to let them hand it over when a
turn around or a move starts, making sure there is plenty of velcro
on it for their report clipboards and having a spare slate close by
that can be handed over quickly if there is a problem with the first
one. The slates are like Comteks, lav mics, boom cables and wireless
transmitters in that they are in the line of fire and are going to get
broken. A sound person knows that they will have to spend a good deal
of time checking/fixing these things before every job, and good
producers know that there will be casualties from time to time despite
best intentions.

Philip Perkins
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

"Philip Perkins" <spamiser DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3677d4b3.0312141320.72f06292@posting.google.com...
> Most assistant's I've worked with are (by now) respectful of the slate
> and try to keep it from being damaged. (There were certainly issues
> about this in the early days of TC use.) I've found that they
> appreciate me labelling the slate myself before I give it to them, my
> being mindful of and checking the batteries and jam syncing when they
> can see me do it, always being willing to let them hand it over when a
> turn around or a move starts, making sure there is plenty of velcro
> on it for their report clipboards and having a spare slate close by
> that can be handed over quickly if there is a problem with the first
> one. The slates are like Comteks, lav mics, boom cables and wireless
> transmitters in that they are in the line of fire and are going to get
> broken. A sound person knows that they will have to spend a good deal
> of time checking/fixing these things before every job, and good
> producers know that there will be casualties from time to time despite
> best intentions.
>
> Philip Perkins

Just curious... how is it that the Timecode Slate ended up being a Sound
Department item instead of a camera department item?
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

Thanks Charlie. When I am on the job, the camera department gets to deal
with the slates, always. I'll put batteries in them, jam them twice a day,
but the stay with the camera stuff for the whole job; live on the camera
carts or dolly. If they break one, I just get out another one and wait for
my new one to come in, courtesy of the production company.

D.

PS. I don't really need a slate for anything. MY timecode is already on my
tape<g>.

PPS. Remember the days when you got an extra $50/day (!!) for a TC slate?


"Charles Tomaras" <tomaras.DeleteThis@tomaras.com> wrote in message
news:tbudnTKNW6yhm0CiRVn-tw@comcast.com...
>
> "Philip Perkins" <spamiser.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:3677d4b3.0312141320.72f06292@posting.google.com...
> > Most assistant's I've worked with are (by now) respectful of the slate
> > and try to keep it from being damaged. (There were certainly issues
> > about this in the early days of TC use.) I've found that they
> > appreciate me labelling the slate myself before I give it to them, my
> > being mindful of and checking the batteries and jam syncing when they
> > can see me do it, always being willing to let them hand it over when a
> > turn around or a move starts, making sure there is plenty of velcro
> > on it for their report clipboards and having a spare slate close by
> > that can be handed over quickly if there is a problem with the first
> > one. The slates are like Comteks, lav mics, boom cables and wireless
> > transmitters in that they are in the line of fire and are going to get
> > broken. A sound person knows that they will have to spend a good deal
> > of time checking/fixing these things before every job, and good
> > producers know that there will be casualties from time to time despite
> > best intentions.
> >
> > Philip Perkins
>
> Just curious... how is it that the Timecode Slate ended up being a Sound
> Department item instead of a camera department item?
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

On Sun, 14 Dec 2003 18:31:44 -0800, "Douglas Tourtelot"
<tourtelot DeleteThis @nospamspeakeasy.net> wrote:

>Thanks Charlie. When I am on the job, the camera department gets to deal
>with the slates, always. I'll put batteries in them, jam them twice a day,
>but the stay with the camera stuff for the whole job; live on the camera
>carts or dolly.

But the slate is coming from you ?

>If they break one, I just get out another one and wait for
>my new one to come in, courtesy of the production company.
>
>D.
>
>PS. I don't really need a slate for anything. MY timecode is already on my
>tape<g>.
>
>PPS. Remember the days when you got an extra $50/day (!!) for a TC slate?

Yep, they are still happening over here. ( commercials ) .
And even more for the TC Clock & accus that run the clock.

Roberto





--
Http://www.xs4all.nl/~tuig/index.html
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

On 12/14/03 4:54 PM, in article tbudnTKNW6yhm0CiRVn-tw.TakeThisOut@comcast.com, "Charles
Tomaras" <tomaras.TakeThisOut@tomaras.com> wrote:
>
> Just curious... how is it that the Timecode Slate ended up being a Sound
> Department item instead of a camera department item?
>
The SOUND Department has always been responsible, to some degree or another,
for all issues regarding SYNC (and later, timecode) and sound personnel seem
to always be asked the questions about everything sync and timecode related.
When timecode came in as an additional tool for interfacing the camera
department and the sound department, the sound department again was expected
to deploy these systems and understand their use. The use of timecode in
film pre-dates the so-called "smart slate" and since all of the early
systems and procedures had their roots in the electronic recording chain and
video, the sound department presided over all of this. When a timecode
display was first incorporated into the conventional CLAP SLATE, it made
sense that the sound department supplied these as well. As pointed out here,
most sound mixers owned some form of timecode slate, usually a Denecke
product here in the US, and got additional rental for these slates because
timecode was a new thing and it was not the norm on all jobs at first.
During the shoot, the slate would be in the hands of the camera assistant
because they were the ones who needed to present the slate to camera.

Lastly, many of us felt that timecode ON FILM would establish itself and the
timecode slate would go away, replaced by the older conventional clap slate
(back to completely in the hands of the camera department). For a variety of
reasons this still has not happened, and although timecode can be put
directly onto the film stock in a variety of methods and by all current film
cameras in use today, this may be a procedure that is never adopted widely.
As much "film" making moves towards total electronic acquisition where
timecode is easily put on the image recording medium, timecode on film may
be a totally dead issue.

Regards, Jeff Wexler
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

> cameras in use today, this may be a procedure that is never adopted widely.
> As much "film" making moves towards total electronic acquisition where
> timecode is easily put on the image recording medium, timecode on film may
> be a totally dead issue.
>
> Regards, Jeff Wexler

And as odd as it may seem, TC slates still play a role in the
production of video jobs as a way of showing a common scene start to a
number of cameras which may not be (or can't be) jam-synced or running
w/ shared TC feeds.

Philip Perkins
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 15:52:51 GMT, Jeff Wexler <notjeff RemoveThis @earthlink.net>
wrote:

>On 12/14/03 4:54 PM, in article tbudnTKNW6yhm0CiRVn-tw RemoveThis @comcast.com, "Charles

>Lastly, many of us felt that timecode ON FILM would establish itself and the
>timecode slate would go away, replaced by the older conventional clap slate
>(back to completely in the hands of the camera department). For a variety of
>reasons this still has not happened, and although timecode can be put
>directly onto the film stock in a variety of methods and by all current film
>cameras in use today, this may be a procedure that is never adopted widely.

Widely as in your area ? Over here i haven't seen anything else for
the last 10 years, thanxs to the Aaton Indaw at the Telecine.
Almost all 16 MM tv series are done with TC, both on Pic and sound.
And hardly with Digislates, afaik.
I don't know how the rest of the world is doing ?

R








--
Http://www.xs4all.nl/~tuig/index.html
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

Interestingly, the camera department now does have effectively 'TC on
film' in all the various HD and other video formats used more and more
for dramatic work. And yet it remains the sound department that has to
deal with the sync issues (and takes the heat when sync is bad,
regardless of the source of the difficulty.)
Peter

In article <ovortv4v4i8h9kqqd3dqv6q59aos3v5179.RemoveThis@4ax.com>,
Rob?rto <Fris.RemoveThis@Fruitig.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 15:52:51 GMT, Jeff Wexler <notjeff.RemoveThis@earthlink.net>
> wrote:
>
> >On 12/14/03 4:54 PM, in article tbudnTKNW6yhm0CiRVn-tw.RemoveThis@comcast.com, "Charles
>
> >Lastly, many of us felt that timecode ON FILM would establish itself and the
> >timecode slate would go away, replaced by the older conventional clap slate
> >(back to completely in the hands of the camera department). For a variety of
> >reasons this still has not happened, and although timecode can be put
> >directly onto the film stock in a variety of methods and by all current film
> >cameras in use today, this may be a procedure that is never adopted widely.
>
> Widely as in your area ? Over here i haven't seen anything else for
> the last 10 years, thanxs to the Aaton Indaw at the Telecine.
> Almost all 16 MM tv series are done with TC, both on Pic and sound.
> And hardly with Digislates, afaik.
> I don't know how the rest of the world is doing ?
>
> R
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Http://www.xs4all.nl/~tuig/index.html
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

Don't EVER take responsibility for problems that are not your
responsibility. Just say "no" and point them in the proper direction for
real answers. Works every time.

D.


"Peter" <pkurland DeleteThis @REMOVEearthlink.net> wrote in message
news:pkurland-3BB294.15084915122003@comcast.ash.giganews.com...
> Interestingly, the camera department now does have effectively 'TC on
> film' in all the various HD and other video formats used more and more
> for dramatic work. And yet it remains the sound department that has to
> deal with the sync issues (and takes the heat when sync is bad,
> regardless of the source of the difficulty.)
> Peter
>
> In article <ovortv4v4i8h9kqqd3dqv6q59aos3v5179 DeleteThis @4ax.com>,
> Rob?rto <Fris DeleteThis @Fruitig.com> wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 15:52:51 GMT, Jeff Wexler <notjeff DeleteThis @earthlink.net>
> > wrote:
> >
> > >On 12/14/03 4:54 PM, in article tbudnTKNW6yhm0CiRVn-tw DeleteThis @comcast.com,
"Charles
> >
> > >Lastly, many of us felt that timecode ON FILM would establish itself
and the
> > >timecode slate would go away, replaced by the older conventional clap
slate
> > >(back to completely in the hands of the camera department). For a
variety of
> > >reasons this still has not happened, and although timecode can be put
> > >directly onto the film stock in a variety of methods and by all current
film
> > >cameras in use today, this may be a procedure that is never adopted
widely.
> >
> > Widely as in your area ? Over here i haven't seen anything else for
> > the last 10 years, thanxs to the Aaton Indaw at the Telecine.
> > Almost all 16 MM tv series are done with TC, both on Pic and sound.
> > And hardly with Digislates, afaik.
> > I don't know how the rest of the world is doing ?
> >
> > R
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Http://www.xs4all.nl/~tuig/index.html
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

On 12/15/03 8:48 AM, in article ovortv4v4i8h9kqqd3dqv6q59aos3v5179 RemoveThis @4ax.com,
"Rob€rto" <Fris RemoveThis @Fruitig.com> wrote:
>
> Widely as in your area ?

Yes. Widely, as in almost all feature films produced or originated in the
United States and Canada (which does account for a considerable number of
productions as compared to films done "in your area."

Just for a personal account of this (although my statement is certainly not
limited to support from only my experiences) I have done over 60 feature
films and none has every used timecode printed directly on the film during
production even though the technology to do so has been around for over 20
years.

Regards, Jeff Wexler
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set 

On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 21:49:35 GMT, Jeff Wexler <notjeff.DeleteThis@earthlink.net>
wrote:

>On 12/15/03 8:48 AM, in article ovortv4v4i8h9kqqd3dqv6q59aos3v5179.DeleteThis@4ax.com,
>"Rob€rto" <Fris.DeleteThis@Fruitig.com> wrote:
>>
>> Widely as in your area ?

>Yes. Widely, as in almost all feature films produced or originated in the
>United States and Canada (which does account for a considerable number of
>productions as compared to films done "in your area."

Exactly my point. Tc didn;t make it in the feature world ( and that is
very good ) but it did make it over here in the TV world, a far bigger
production world.

Now, i'm not into a yes or no, but i wonder how this is worldwide, not
just features.

R







--
Http://www.xs4all.nl/~tuig/index.html
 >> Stay informed about: TC slate care on set