Where can I buy a clapperboard (film slate) immediately?

Question

I am going camping this weekend in PA (driving from VA) with my wife's church. We're making a movie with the youth group up there and I need to buy a clapperboard ASAP. We're leaving on Thursday so I'd like to have it by...well, tomorrow! I don't want to buy it off ebay because they're all coming from England or Hong Kong and that would take too long. Where can I find one of these in a store locally or supplied in the USA so I can have it shipped to me asap?

Answer 1

This eBay merchant is based in Ceritos, Calif.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MOVIE-DIRECTOR-CLAP-...

Answer 2

I'm not sure if you actually need a clapper board. It is used to identify the shot during editing, and you really only need one if you are recording the sound and video separately so you can synchronize them.

If you are recording the sound on your camera (by using either a boom mic or the the camera mic) than you really only need a slate to identify the scene takes. And in that case you can use anything from a piece of cardboard to a chalk board, or just state the scene & take number verbally.

Or make your own: With a small dry erase board (aka white board), use permanent marker to divide it up into sections, than use the erasable markers for the changing scene information. You can get the kids to be the clapper by using their arms to make the slap.

To make a more realistic one, check out the link below.

Have fun and break a leg!