Camera

Take

What is take in film production?

A take is a single recorded attempt at a shot. Takes are numbered sequentially within a setup, logged with a circled marker when the director considers them usable, and identified by scene, slate and take number so the edit can find them.

The circled take is the one flagged as preferred, and it is a hint to the edit rather than a decision. Logging why a take failed — a fluffed line, a boom in frame, an aeroplane — is what makes a take log useful three months later.

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Continuity software

Reviewed 2026-08-27

Related terms

Coverage: Coverage is the set of different angles and sizes shot of the same scene so that it can be assembled in the edit. A conventionally covered dialogue scene includes a wide master, matching mid shots or singles of each performer, and often close-ups and cutaways.
Continuity: Continuity is the consistency of everything visible and audible across shots that will be cut together — wardrobe, props, hair, position, eyeline, screen direction and the state of the action. It is tracked on set by the script supervisor and matters because scenes are shot out of order.
Camera report: A camera report is the log kept by the camera department for each roll or card, recording every take with its scene and slate number, lens, filters, frame rate, and whether it was circled. It travels with the media to post.
Slate: A slate is the board filmed at the head of a take carrying the production, scene, take and roll numbers. Its hinged arm is clapped to produce a sharp sound and a matching visual frame, giving post a point at which picture and separately recorded sound can be aligned.