Do you really need a clapperboard for your film making?

Do you really need a clapper board for your film making or are they just a little bit pretentious, a way of telling the world that you are a real film maker?

Ok, here’s a practical example that explains why you might need a clapper board, and it’s based on my own practical experience.
Or sad story.
When I was shooting my first short film ‘A Spirit Of The Wind’ I wanted the girl spiritualist that features in the film to create two different expressions. At first, she had to look disapproving. Then she had to slowly break into a giggle.
It took quite a few takes to achieve this, it was pretty challenging.

Meryl Streep, where were you when I needed you?

Let’s face it, how many actresses (Meryl Streep was unavailable) can first look disapproving and then slowly break into a giggle when a ghost farts?
Let’s face it, how many actresses would even want to do this?

Without a clapper board you might have some pretty long-winded video editing ahead of you

When it came to editing all these takes, there were quite a few of them. None of them were identified. I had to say to myself: “was it the fifth or sixth take that she got it right?” and I look at them all again.
If I had used a clapper board each take would have been identified, ie. take one, take two, etc.
It would have been easy to note that she got it right in take five for example, and I could have gone straight to take five, instead of checking through all of the takes again.
Clapper boards might be a little pretentious, they might be a little too ‘Hollywood’ for some film makers, but they’re also very useful – maybe even essential.