Clapperboard In Use?

[Reddkryten]

Hi there.

This is going to seem like an insane question, but here goes.

Most clapper boards have two categories, Scene and Take.
My question is, what about individual shots?

I mean, a scene can be made up of hundreds of individual shots, so how are they recorded on the board? Out of all the boards I have seen, only one has a shot category.

I looked at a few behind the scenes photographs and found two. One is from Star Wars Episode 3 and it was on scene V116N, what is that? Would that be scene 11, shot 6? How could you tell the difference between that and scene 1, shot 16?

I know this seems like an odd question, it's just really confusing me.

[WesScog]

It's usually divided like this, under Scene, you go like 3-1.

That means Scene 3, Shot 1.

[Reddkryten]

Okay, that makes sense, I can understand and use that. Thank you.
I also found some slates from Greys Anatomy which had Scene 3C, I'm guessing that's Scene 3 shot C.
This still makes no sense to me http://www.blueharvest.net/images/prequel/episode3/clapper.jpg but then again, even if I did understand it, I'd probably never use that system.

[PadawanGeek]

Or you say "Scene 1a", then "1b" etc...

EDIT: oh, just saw your post

[WesScog]

Okay, that makes sense, I can understand and use that. Thank you.
I also found some slates from Greys Anatomy which had Scene 3C, I'm guessing that's Scene 3 shot C.
This still makes no sense to me http://www.blueharvest.net/images/prequel/episode3/clapper.jpg but then again, even if I did understand it, I'd probably never use that system.

The V might be because it's a Visual Effects shot.

The designation for what the scene is listed as and marked on the clapperboard as is decided by the person who organizes the Scene Breakdown.

You take all the scenes that happen during the same time of day, and at the same location, and you film as much of your scenes that happen at the same location around the same time of day, during the same day.

SO lets say that I have multiple scenes of my character waking up in his bedroom, I might film all of the scenes of my chracter waking up during the same day, since they all happen in the same room, during the same time of day.

So I might film Scene 1-1, and Scene 4-1, and Scene 8-1 all in the same day, because they are all the same scene of my character waking up in his bedroom, so I can go ahead and get them all shot.

While for instance, lets say I have a scene on a city street, and then my character goes into a building, then I have a scene later than evening on the same street with my character getting into a fight, I might film the first scene, then film as much as I can, then get back to the same location at the right time.

When doing a script breakdown, you've got to think about when and where your scenes happen, so you can organize them in the most efficient way possible.

For larger films they can have a more complicated system, especially if they are shooting with multiple cameras and utilizing lost of post-production effects.

[Reddkryten]

Sorry to necropost, but I just thought of a situation.

What if I had a scene. Bill walks in and says "Hello" in a close-up called shot A. a lot happens, elephants walk in, a space battle rages, yadda yadda.Then Bill turns and says "Goodbye."
It would be the same camera setup, position, scene etc. But there is a break.

How would I slate that? Would I just say shot A. Or would Hello be shot A and goodbye shot B. Or would it be shot A2.
If it's the latter, would it be shot B or shot Z. Are shot letters determined by the production order, or the chronological order within the scene?

I was looking at my own shot list. The film began and ended with the same setup, but I did it in a cronological order and I was wondering if that was right?

Yes it's a very pedantic question. Really sorry about that, this is what runs through my mind when I'm having trouble sleeping.

[Ergo Pictures]

I'm sure there's a technical way to slate it, but I'd just say do whatever will help you find it and sort it easier.