Cinema Effect

[jackmarsh]

Hey all,

I am shooting my short film fairly soon using a Black Magic Pocket Cinema Camera with lenses - Canon 50 mm and Panasonic Lumix G X Vario 12-35mm. The majority of my film will be shot inside with relatively normal lighting with the exception of one scene that will be fairly low light.

(I have After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut, Da Vinci Resolve, and If I need to get anything else to work with I can do so.)


What I want to know is what things can I do to get the most professional or feature look to my film?
- What frame rate should I shoot it in?
- What things should I do editing wise?
- Anything else you think I should know is greatly appreciated.

 

[Quality]

- 23.976 fps you get proper or realistic motion blur when the actors move.
- Color Grading is everything.
- For cinematography, lighting is very important. Seeing the actors facial expressions and the background where you are; even though it's blurred sometimes, is very important.

PRESENTATION!

 

[AcousticAl]

The majority of my film will be shot inside with relatively normal lighting with the exception of one scene that will be fairly low light.

What is "relatively normal lighting"? Do you mean that you'll be shooting indoors with whatever lights are permanently installed in the room(s)? Good luck with that. Existing lighting is rarely camera-ready. It's going to have weird color shifts, and it'll be uneven with strange areas of highlight and shadow that likely won't jive with what's really needed to make a good image.

"Low-light" is also a trap that too many people fall into these days. Just because a certain camera means you can function in low light, doesn't mean you should shoot in low-light. Darkness in professional films is rarely actually dark on set. It's lit to create the needed contrast, and then graded in post to look like it's dim or dark.

What I want to know is what things can I do to get the most professional or feature look to my film?

Light it, and get a PSM with gear to make sure you have clean dialog.

- What frame rate should I shoot it in?

If you're going for a traditional motion-picture aesthetic, shoot and edit in 24p.

- What things should I do editing wise?

That's a very broad question. Have you ever edited any kind of narrative before? Have you edited anything at all? This is where everything comes together, but there are so many facets to the editing process - both picture and sound - that it's hard to know what you're asking.

You have said that you have Premiere Pro/After Effects, Final Cut (is that FCPX?), and Resolve. Really, you should pick one of those NLE platforms and stick with it for now.

- Anything else you think I should know is greatly appreciated.

Again, very broad question. Are you going into this with just your camera? Do you have a tripod? Any kind of shoulder support for handheld?

You aren't the first newbie in this forum to show up with grand plans of a first short film and no experience to back it up. So let's take a realistic look at the situation: you aren't going to make a spectacular short film with just your camera and no lighting or sound support. And you can't solve those shortcomings for $50. So, you have two main choices.

1) Go ahead and make your short just on the limited resources you have under the understanding that it won't get into Sundance or SXSW, and use it as a learning experience. This is a good option, as learning from mistakes makes you a stronger filmmaker on future projects. Too many people want to go into their first film with an expectation of perfection, or very close to it, without stumbling at all. Instead, go into it knowing that you're working toward that experience. If you never step in a pothole, you don't really learn how to spot the pothole in the first place. So, don't be afraid to make something that doesn't look professional at this point. Or,

2) Realize that getting a truly professional, cinematic look on this project is going to require a financial investment. You'll need to hire a PSM, gaffer, DoP, all who come with the gear they need (and the knowledge of how to use it).

 

[FilmmakerJ]

After thinking these questions over for many many years here are my suggestions for you.

1. You must shoot it in 24fps.
This is a MUST right from the start.

2. You must take cinematography very seriously. It won't hurt you if you don't do it right. But lighting a scene without much thought for style or mood will greatly diminish how "cinematic" it ultimately looks.

3. THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR for creating a "cinematic" look is the camera work.
I would highly suggest that you avoid two things for this project, especially if it is one of your first.
a. No hand-held camera moves, except when it is absolutely necessary.
b. Lock down your camera for most of your shots. Design your shots based on similar shots used in other films. Try to get a sense of how far back a camera should be set to achieve the right framing, the right angle, and the right level of focus for the subject and their background.

Something far too many early filmmakers don't seem to grasp is framing and composition. Just because you think the shot you are lining up looks like the kind of shot you want, doesn't mean that the shot is framed correctly. A film can end up looking very flat and amateurish if the position, framing, and composition of each shot is not "just so."

Also, to be fair, the location can cause this to be a problem as well. Because Hollywood production can build and or find just the right location they need for any scene in their film. Amateur and Student filmmakers are not so fortunate. Therefore, if a house or apartment or an office is too cramped, small, or bare and unfurnished, then it can look really tacky or boring, and offer far less options in terms of where to put the camera and your other equipment in order to get the shot you want.

Therefore, Location can become your "Achilles Heal."


Here are a few notes on editing as well.

1. While Editing, you should avoid dissolve transitions, unless you are showing a passage of time. And you should avoid fading to black unless the next scene takes place the next day or some longer amount of time later. Other than that, use hard cuts. Any wipes, shape transitions, or otherwise are used very infrequently these days because they are gimmicky. But if your film were to be a science-fiction or fantasy piece, then wipes like these would be best when transitioning from one place to another.

2. Editing is a tricky skill to learn. The biggest trick I was taught was that you should always try to cut on eyelines. So long as you have footage to accomodate it, let each character's eye dictate when you change up your angle. If they look over to their left, show what they're looking at. If a character looks down at their hands, show their hands. It's a bit complicated to explain without a good example.

3. Editing footage based on dialogue is another important thing. If you were to only cut your shots based on when a character starts to speak and stops to speak, then you might lose important facial reactions from the person who isn't speaking. So always try to cut to whom-ever's reactions are the most important to be seen at any one time, and try to cut across the dialogue (like in the middle), rather than on the ends.


I hope this offers some help and perspective.

 

[sfoster]

dolly or crane shot looks cinematic

whenever they have a tv show that is making a movie, and they show us from the 'movie' perspective it is a dolly shot 99% of the time.

 

[FilmmakerJ]

dolly or crane shot looks cinematic

whenever they have a tv show that is making a movie, and they show us from the 'movie' perspective it is a dolly shot 99% of the time.

If you don't have a dolly or a crane, though, then I would always advice against hand-held or basic-steadicam shots unless your film is supposed to have a sense of tension or eerie closeness.

If you DO have a dolly or a crane, or maybe a slider, then by all means, use them.

 

[FreddyLongSongs]

If you're going the film festival route like me then save up for a pro to shoot. It depends on how complicated you want your short to be to know how much you'll have to save up. A 5-hour shoot cost me $400 then make up $45, food $50, they dressed themselves so free, the location was free, etc. If you have to pay for talent then do so but i was fortunate i didn't have to.

When i was shooting, i thanked GOD He and IndieTalk shown me the way. If you wanna DP then save up on equipment. I don't care to just bring it to life.

This is from the perspective of someone who wants to write and direct professionally but if it's a hobby then knock yourself out.

 

[jackmarsh]

What is "relatively normal lighting"? Do you mean that you'll be shooting indoors with whatever lights are permanently installed in the room(s)? Good luck with that. Existing lighting is rarely camera-ready. It's going to have weird color shifts, and it'll be uneven with strange areas of highlight and shadow that likely won't jive with what's really needed to make a good image.

"Low-light" is also a trap that too many people fall into these days. Just because a certain camera means you can function in low light, doesn't mean you should shoot in low-light. Darkness in professional films is rarely actually dark on set. It's lit to create the needed contrast, and then graded in post to look like it's dim or dark.



Light it, and get a PSM with gear to make sure you have clean dialog.



If you're going for a traditional motion-picture aesthetic, shoot and edit in 24p.



That's a very broad question. Have you ever edited any kind of narrative before? Have you edited anything at all? This is where everything comes together, but there are so many facets to the editing process - both picture and sound - that it's hard to know what you're asking.

You have said that you have Premiere Pro/After Effects, Final Cut (is that FCPX?), and Resolve. Really, you should pick one of those NLE platforms and stick with it for now.



Again, very broad question. Are you going into this with just your camera? Do you have a tripod? Any kind of shoulder support for handheld?

You aren't the first newbie in this forum to show up with grand plans of a first short film and no experience to back it up. So let's take a realistic look at the situation: you aren't going to make a spectacular short film with just your camera and no lighting or sound support. And you can't solve those shortcomings for $50. So, you have two main choices.

1) Go ahead and make your short just on the limited resources you have under the understanding that it won't get into Sundance or SXSW, and use it as a learning experience. This is a good option, as learning from mistakes makes you a stronger filmmaker on future projects. Too many people want to go into their first film with an expectation of perfection, or very close to it, without stumbling at all. Instead, go into it knowing that you're working toward that experience. If you never step in a pothole, you don't really learn how to spot the pothole in the first place. So, don't be afraid to make something that doesn't look professional at this point. Or,

2) Realize that getting a truly professional, cinematic look on this project is going to require a financial investment. You'll need to hire a PSM, gaffer, DoP, all who come with the gear they need (and the knowledge of how to use it).

I appreciate your feedback. Obviously, yes, I realize you get what you pay for, and your not gonna have a budget film like this look like a feature. What I'm asking is: What's everything I can do to get as close as I can with the tools I have. Although my experience may seem to be to be marginal, I do understand what I have in my arsenal, and what it's capable of doing. I'm not going to just rush into making a film, that I know will look and feel disgusting. To me, that's like trying to build a computer without looking anything up, asking questions, or doing things to make sure it comes out right. Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll make mistakes, and the stumbles you speak of will teach me valuable things moving forward. However, that isn't going to stop me from attempting to make an award winning master piece this time around. Sound support is another topic, that I actually do have covered well.

That's good to know about low-light, and makes sense how most of that work is done post-production. The film takes place: outside a gas station, in a gas station with a good amount of natural light coming in, then indoors with no natural light (what one would consider to be there average office lighting), in the back of a van, and in a dimly lit warehouse. My experience and tools dealing with the lighting of a film is very rudimentary. I know what my vision looks like, and that's about it. Yes, I do have a tripod. I have a decent shoulder mount. And for some shots, I did plan on goiing handheld. All software I mentioned was just to give you an idea of what I have at my disposal. Whatever one you reccomend I'll be happy to look into using. I've seen astonishing work done from people with less resources than me.

 

[AcousticAl]

What I'm asking is: What's everything I can do to get as close as I can with the tools I have.

Well, apparently you haven't explained all the tools you have:

Although my experience may seem to be to be marginal, I do understand what I have in my arsenal, and what it's capable of doing.

But your questions have left a lot of this out, apparently. From what you had posted, you have a camera and two lenses. And several NLEs. My answer addressed what I thought to be your only existing resources. Evidently, you do have tripod and shoulder support. Anything else we're missing?

You say you have sound well-covered? What are your resources there? The more we know about what you have to work with, the less assumptions we have to make to help you out.

I'm not going to just rush into making a film, that I know will look and feel disgusting. To me, that's like trying to build a computer without looking anything up, asking questions, or doing things to make sure it comes out right. Nevertheless, I'm sure I'll make mistakes, and the stumbles you speak of will teach me valuable things moving forward. However, that isn't going to stop me from attempting to make an award winning master piece this time around.

Always set out to do your best. My point, though, is that we've hit an era where people just want instant results without having to work for it. Years ago, people would make short films with what they had and what they knew, then present those for critique. "What could I have done to make this better?" "I hit ______ challenge in production, so how to I avoid that next time?"

Instead, now, people ask lots of vey broad questions up front and expect their first film to be spectacular. Screw crawling; I wanna walk now!

I'm not trying to be an ass. What I am trying to do is encourage you to go ahead and make some smaller projects first, using those to make mistakes and learn from experience rather than from Internet forum posts.

I've seen astonishing work done from people with less resources than me.

I'm sure you have. In those cases, it's about skill and experience above resources.

 

[jackmarsh]

Well, apparently you haven't explained all the tools you have:



But your questions have left a lot of this out, apparently. From what you had posted, you have a camera and two lenses. And several NLEs. My answer addressed what I thought to be your only existing resources. Evidently, you do have tripod and shoulder support. Anything else we're missing?

You say you have sound well-covered? What are your resources there? The more we know about what you have to work with, the less assumptions we have to make to help you out.



Always set out to do your best. My point, though, is that we've hit an era where people just want instant results without having to work for it. Years ago, people would make short films with what they had and what they knew, then present those for critique. "What could I have done to make this better?" "I hit ______ challenge in production, so how to I avoid that next time?"

Instead, now, people ask lots of vey broad questions up front and expect their first film to be spectacular. Screw crawling; I wanna walk now!

I'm not trying to be an ass. What I am trying to do is encourage you to go ahead and make some smaller projects first, using those to make mistakes and learn from experience rather than from Internet forum posts.



I'm sure you have. In those cases, it's about skill and experience above resources.

I totally appreciate your feedback please don't get me wrong. I've done a handful of some smaller projects just not anything I am proud of because I know I can do much better. I've learned plenty along the way, but as I said I'm in it to make my vision a beautiful reality and produce award winning work. Is it likely it will be that way? NO, not right now haha. Nevertheless, I'm reaching for the stars. I came here for advice on how to get the most cinematic look on a budget with the tools I have. Sound I'm using is just a Rode Video Mic with a Rode Micro boom stick.

 

[AcousticAl]

I came here for advice on how to get the most cinematic look on a budget with the tools I have.

We're back to lighting. The camera cannot do it all alone, and shallow DoF is not a tool on which to bank every single shot. What kind of lighting support - lights, reflectors, cutters and flags - do you have at your disposal?

It also has to do with properly dressing the background of each shot, framing, eye lines, camera movement... but if the light sucks the rest of that won't surpass the lighting issues.

Sound I'm using is just a Rode Video Mic with a Rode Micro boom stick.

I would argue that this does not qualify as "well covered" for sound. It's certainly better than nothing as anything that isn't on/in-camera is a step up, but still a bit limited. Do you have someone swinging boom who knows how to do that? Also, that micro boom doesn't have a whole lot of reach, so you'll have a had time getting the mic in close enough on certain shots.

I'd also recommend that you get an audio recorder and a dumb slate (clap board), so that your sound person can monitor both visually and (crucially) through headphones, and there's no cable tie to the camera.

 

[jackmarsh]

We're back to lighting. The camera cannot do it all alone, and shallow DoF is not a tool on which to bank every single shot. What kind of lighting support - lights, reflectors, cutters and flags - do you have at your disposal?

It also has to do with properly dressing the background of each shot, framing, eye lines, camera movement... but if the light sucks the rest of that won't surpass the lighting issues.



I would argue that this does not qualify as "well covered" for sound. It's certainly better than nothing as anything that isn't on/in-camera is a step up, but still a bit limited. Do you have someone swinging boom who knows how to do that? Also, that micro boom doesn't have a whole lot of reach, so you'll have a had time getting the mic in close enough on certain shots.

I'd also recommend that you get an audio recorder and a dumb slate (clap board), so that your sound person can monitor both visually and (crucially) through headphones, and there's no cable tie to the camera.

I mean quite honestly the lights I'll have at my disposal will be salvaged from stuff. I'm learning from here - http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/5-diy-lighting-tips-for-filmmakers-on-a-budget/ .

What would you say is a good enough reach for the swinging boom? Yes, I'll have someone with some basic experience at swinging.

Do you have any models in mind for the audio recorders, that may meet my price range, around $100-150?

Can you explain the clap board for me, and the purpose it serves? As well as maybe a link to a decently priced one.

 

[Sweetie]

What I want to know is what things can I do to get the most professional or feature look to my film?

It's everything. To get that feature look, that Hollywood feel, it's everything. In my opinion, a great story is key. With a great story, the audience is often willing to endure lesser production value. That being said, the filmic feel you're chasing is a combination of everything. Great directing, performance, story, visuals, sound, music, timing, lighting, wardrobe, locations, camera movement and more are all important. What's most important is how all that meshes together. Any area that falls short may reduce your chances of achieving that filmic feel.

The best you can do is get the best people you can afford in all the facets your production requires and rely upon their experience in how to achieve what you need.

 

[jackmarsh]

It's everything. To get that feature look, that Hollywood feel, it's everything. In my opinion, a great story is key. With a great story, the audience is often willing to endure lesser production value. That being said, the filmic feel you're chasing is a combination of everything. Great directing, performance, story, visuals, sound, music, timing, lighting, wardrobe, locations, camera movement and more are all important. What's most important is how all that meshes together. Any area that falls short may reduce your chances of achieving that filmic feel.

The best you can do is get the best people you can afford in all the facets your production requires and rely upon their experience in how to achieve what you need.

Yeah. From what Acoustic has said too, that seems like the general consensus. Makes sense. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[indietalk]

Hey all,
What I want to know is what things can I do to get the most professional or feature look to my film?

Replace the word look with feel. It's the embodiment of your film, not the look, that creates the cinematic feel. Of course if you want a cinematic "look" you are welcome to that, but don't discount the rest. Take what one would consider a non-cinematic film, a student 101 film. Sure the picture sticks out as non-cinematic, but the acting is stiff, the sound is bad, the edits are choppy, the dialog in on the nose... etc. etc. So at the end of the day, it wasn't just the picture quality making it "look" like a student film though that's what often gets blamed as that is what we see. Now look how many films are cinematic shot with crappy cams, where the studio pumps $ into the sound, editing, grading, etc. These are all ingredients in making your film cinematic. Of course, you are on the right track asking these questions.

Just don't get too lost in the technical. When watching an A/B screen test on YouTube, that's exactly what you are watching. Not a movie with all the elements. So again, it's easy to think it's all about picture. Remember, it's an ingredient.

 

[AcousticAl]

Can you explain the clap board for me, and the purpose it serves? As well as maybe a link to a decently priced one.

THIS is a dumb slate, so-called as it does not have any electronics or time code display (i.e. smart slate).

When recording non-sync, dual-system sound (a separate audio recorder with no time code link to the camera), the slate is used to set a sync mark for post. Start both camera and sound recording, set the skate in frame on-camera and read the scene and take info out loud, then clap the sticks. In post, find the spike in the waveform of the sound file and line it up to the frame of video where the sticks come together and you're now in sync.

What would you say is a good enough reach for the swinging boom? Yes, I'll have someone with some basic experience at swinging.

Do you have any models in mind for the audio recorders, that may meet my price range, around $100-150?

9' minimum*. Indoors, you may not need that much as you work in smaller spaces, but wider shots outdoors may require a little more physical reach.

As for recorders, it's just above your $150 budget, but the Tascam DR-60DmkII is a good, small recorder. It would also allow you to upgrade to better mics in the future.

*Edited to add: the Rode VideoMic runs an unbalanced signal out, so you don't want to run it too long a distance. The 10' extension cable available is about as far as you want to go to avoid too much signal degredation. Which VideoMic do you have, by the way? The plain VideoMic? VideoMic Pro? This does make a difference.

 

[Guanto]

THIS is a dumb slate, so-called as it does not have any electronics or time code display (i.e. smart slate).

At the entry level your describing you can also substitute your script manager saying scene/shot/take and clapping his hands together for this - without sacrificing much on-camera production value.

It's everything. To get that feature look, that Hollywood feel, it's everything. In my opinion, a great story is key. With a great story, the audience is often willing to endure lesser production value. That being said, the filmic feel you're chasing is a combination of everything. Great directing, performance, story, visuals, sound, music, timing, lighting, wardrobe, locations, camera movement and more are all important. What's most important is how all that meshes together. Any area that falls short may reduce your chances of achieving that filmic feel.

The best you can do is get the best people you can afford in all the facets your production requires and rely upon their experience in how to achieve what you need.

This.

For a first time independent short you don't have to hire everything out but you do need to know (be honest with yourself about) your strengths and weaknesses and fill in the gaps accordingly.

I spent 2 years on my first short, because I have control issues... and just plain issues... but I mention this so you realize it takes a great, almost disgusting, deal of attention to detail to every single aspect of your project to sell that high production value look and feel.

Every frame a painting.

 

[Cracker Funk]

What I want to know is what things can I do to get the most professional or feature look to my film?

Lots and lots of practice and research. Do not expect your first film to be "cinematic". It won't be. You should see the first films of some of the biggest, most powerful directors in Hollywood today. They're not good. But they were learning.

Always keep learning, and remember that this is more of a marathon than a sprint. Should you feel disappointment with your first film, do not let that detract you from continuing on and making your next film better.

 

[jackmarsh]

Replace the word look with feel. It's the embodiment of your film, not the look, that creates the cinematic feel. Of course if you want a cinematic "look" you are welcome to that, but don't discount the rest. Take what one would consider a non-cinematic film, a student 101 film. Sure the picture sticks out as non-cinematic, but the acting is stiff, the sound is bad, the edits are choppy, the dialog in on the nose... etc. etc. So at the end of the day, it wasn't just the picture quality making it "look" like a student film though that's what often gets blamed as that is what we see. Now look how many films are cinematic shot with crappy cams, where the studio pumps $ into the sound, editing, grading, etc. These are all ingredients in making your film cinematic. Of course, you are on the right track asking these questions.

Just don't get too lost in the technical. When watching an A/B screen test on YouTube, that's exactly what you are watching. Not a movie with all the elements. So again, it's easy to think it's all about picture. Remember, it's an ingredient.

Absolutely. Truly, it does make a lot of sense. Really appreciate your feeback.

 

[directorik]

Go out and shoot one short film a month for the next six months. Learn
by doing. After you have finished six short films THEN start concentrating
on the technical details. Others have said it, I'll just reinforce them based
my own experiences: don't get too lost in the technical; it'll hold you back.
Do not expect your first film to be "cinematic"; you will learn by doing, not
by reading.

Can you explain the clap board for me, and the purpose it serves? As well as maybe a link to a decently priced one.

You can't go wrong with B&H Photo/Vodeo. Right now you don't need a
smart slate. That "Dot Line Color Clapboard" on the page I linked to is fine.
THIS ONE will meet all your current needs.

Typically the slate (or clapboard, clapper) is marked by the second Assistant
Camera. On smaller shows the first AC will do it. It’s marked in conduction
with the script supervisor. The information is for the editor and lab so they
can identify various aspects of the shot. Different directors, editors and scripty’s
will have slightly different ways to set up a slate, so this isn’t the one and only
way to do it.


The following information is usually on a slate: name of production, scene
number, take, date, roll number, INT/EXT (interior or exterior), day or night,
sound or no sound, director and director of photographer. Each scene in a
script will have a scene number. In this case we’re talking about “scene 22”

The first scene number will be “22”. After each take the number will change:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on. When the next camera set up is used the scene number
will change using letters: 22A, 22B, 22C, 22D and so on - omitting letters I and
O because they can be misunderstood as numbers 1 and 0. After Z, you will
move into double letters: AA, BB, CC, DD, and so on. For example:

Scene 22 is Bob and Mary sitting at a table - it’s three pages long. You will set up
the “Master Shot” - both people at the table, camera getting a head to foot shot of
both of them. On your slate you will write “Scene 22 - Take 1”

Scene 22 - This will be the entire scene from one angle. You do as many takes as
you feel you need. Again, shooting all three pages of dialogue.

Then you will move the camera to get Bob’s side of the table. Adjust the lights and
set up the dolly track. Again, you will shoot all three pages of the dialogue, then
you will “punch in” to get inserts and other coverage you might need. These set-ups
require only minor adjusting of the lights as you get closer.

Scene 22A - A slow dolly push in on Bob - from a full shot into a close up.
Scene 22B - Close up of Bob.
Scene 22C - Over Mary’s shoulder on Bob.
Scene 22D - an insert shot of Bob lighting a cigarette.
Scene 22E - a close up on Bob’s hand putting the cigarette in the ash tray.
Scene 22F - a close up of Bob taking the contract, looking at it and signing it (from Mary’s point of view)

Now you do the same thing - this time from the other side of the table. This is a major
lighting and equipment change - moving the dolly and track, all the lights and the crew.

Scene 22G - A slow dolly push in on Mary - from a full shot into a close up.
Scene 22H - Over Bob’s shoulder on Mary.
Scene 22J - Close up of Mary.
Scene 22K - an insert shot of Mary putting the contract on the table.
Scene 22L - a close up on Mary’s hand snuffing out the cigarette in the ash tray.
Scene 22M - a close up shot of Mary putting the contract on the table, putting a pen on the contract and pushing it to the middle of the table.
Scene 22P - a close up of Bob taking the contract, looking at it and signing it (from Bob’s point of view)

Another major lighting change. You want to do a dramatic, overhead shot of part of the
scene. You know you won’t be using much of this in the final scene so no need to shoot
the entire three pages.

Scene 22 R - start when Mary puts the contract on the table.
Scene 22 S - zoom in to get only the contract - follow all the business with the contract.
Scene 22 T - while the camera is up there might as well get a shot of the two actors sitting down at the table and then leaving the table. Who knows? You might want to use it.

You continue this until you get all the coverage you need.

If a set up is shot without using sound the slate will be marked “MOS” - it is purported
that director Erich Von Stroheim would say “Mit Out Sound”, meaning "without sound"
due to his accent so it became a standard. It could also mean Minus Optical Stripe,
Motor Only Sync.

This information is also on the scripty’s “marked script”, (again so the editor can keep
track of each shot) and the AC’s camera reports (for the lab).

On set the AC will hold the slate in front of the camera. The AD (assistant director) will
call for camera and sound to roll. The sound recordist will call “speed” when the audio
tape is running at speed, then the AC will call out the scene number and take and slap
the “clapper” together. This will provide the information on the audio tape and on the
film - the clap sound and visual is where both are in sync.