A clapperboard does two jobs: it marks the take for picture and sound, and it records the details an editor needs later. Cinema Slate does both from the phone or tablet already in your hand, at a fraction of the cost of a hardware slate.
Clap, log, and rate every take
Tap the sticks and Cinema Slate produces an audible clap and a screen flash — a clear sync marker for picture and sound. Each clap logs the scene, shot, take, roll, day, and timecode, and you can attach notes and a star rating before moving on.
Production fields are editable on the fly: scene, shot, take, roll, day, director, DOP, operator, lens, mic, FPS, location, day or night, sound, MOS or sync, and INT or EXT. Industry-style lettered shot codes keep you moving between setups, a hands-free clap can be triggered from the volume buttons or a shake, and a bad take can be discarded with Redo. The full log filters by scene or shot, exports to CSV for editorial, and backs up to JSON.
Timecode and sync
Cinema Slate can generate Free Run, Rec Run, or Time of Day timecode and jam sync your cameras so every roll stays locked. Slate Sync mirrors project metadata and take history across nearby devices with passcode pairing, and the app syncs with Blackmagic ATEM switchers, Tentacle Sync, LTC audio in and out, and nearby devices over network or Bluetooth. It also integrates with BT Cam: the two apps exchange timecode, and a clap can start and stop recording on connected cameras.
Free to use, PRO to unlock
Cinema Slate is free, with no subscription and no sign-up — it works fully offline and keeps your shot history on device. A single one-time PRO purchase adds advanced timecode, external and wireless sync, Slate Sync, media file playback, and unlimited projects and takes.
It is available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux, and as a web app. See the details at cinemaslate.app. For help building a connected production tool of your own, explore our open-source projects and mobile engineering expertise, or contact our team.