Skip to content
What's After the Movie?

Jump to
What's After the Movie?
Filmmaking Camera, lighting, sound, editing and the crew roles behind every shot.

Tail Slate: Meaning & Definition in Film

A tail slate is the practice of marking a take with the clapperboard at the end of the shot instead of the beginning, often done when slating at the start was impossible.

  • 3 sections
  • 2 min read
  • Updated
On this page 3 sections

Marking the End of a Take

A tail slate, also known as an end slate or end board, is a specific and crucial procedure used to mark a take for post-production synchronization. The standard practice is to use a “head slate,” where the clapperboard is filmed at the beginning of the shot. However, in certain situations, slating at the start is impractical or disruptive. The tail slate provides a solution, ensuring that even these difficult shots can be properly synced.

This is a common and routine procedure, and the post-production team is well-accustomed to handling takes that have been marked in this way.

When is a Tail Slate Necessary?

A director or camera operator will call for a tail slate when a head slate would compromise the shot, such as in these common scenarios:

  • Obstructed View: The camera may be starting a shot in a position where there is no physical room to fit the slate in front of the lens, such as an extreme close-up or a camera hidden in a tight space.
  • Spontaneous Performance: The director may want to roll the camera to capture a candid, documentary-style, or emotionally delicate performance without breaking the actor’s focus with the formal ritual of slating.
  • Working with Animals or Children: The sudden appearance and sharp clap of a slate can startle or distract an animal or a very young child, so the take is often marked at the end to avoid this.
  • Complex Camera Moves: A shot that starts with a rapid or complex camera movement might make it unsafe or impossible to slate at the beginning.

The Proper Procedure

To avoid confusion in post-production, a tail slate has its own specific protocol:

  1. The take is filmed as normal. Just before the director is about to call “Cut!”, the 2nd Assistant Camera (AC), who operates the slate, quickly moves into frame.
  2. The 2nd AC holds the clapperboard upside down. This is the universal visual signal to the editor that this is a tail slate and not the beginning of a new take.
  3. The 2nd AC loudly calls “Tail Slate!” or “End Board!” so that the sound is clearly recorded.
  4. The sticks are clapped together, and the director immediately calls “Cut!”

See the vocabulary at work in real films

Look up any movie for its ratings, cast and crew, box office run and where to watch, or read the full plot with the ending explained.

Browse movies
Filmmaking

More Filmmaking Terms

Entries filed on the same shelf as Tail Slate, each with the one-line answer first. They are the words that usually come up in the same conversation.

All 913 terms

  • Day-Out-of-Days (DOOD)

    Spreadsheet-style matrix tracks each talent’s work, hold, travel, and idle days across the shoot.

  • C-Stand

    A versatile grip stand used to hold lights, flags, silks, and other equipment on set.

  • Sound Blanket

    A sound blanket is a heavy, dense, sound-absorbing blanket used on film sets to control unwanted echo and reverberation.

  • Editing Notes

    Editing notes are specific, actionable comments and suggestions provided by producers, directors, or editors on a screenplay or a cut of a film.

  • JPEG 2000 XYZ

    JPEG 2000 is the standardized image compression format used for every frame in a Digital Cinema Package (DCP), with its color encoded in the device-independent XYZ color space.

  • Digital Cinema

    The capture, post-production and exhibition of motion pictures using digital technology