Where does this come from, and can I check it?

The clap makes a visible and audible mark at the same instant. The figure is taken from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a movies & tv fact?

Yes. It sits on the Movies & TV shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

The clapperboard exists to line up sound and picture

The clap makes a visible and audible mark at the same instant Picture and sound are recorded on separate devices, so editors need a common reference to synchronise them. The clapperboard's hinged sticks produce a sharp sound exactly when they close, and the closing frame is visible on film. The editor aligns the two marks and the rest of the take stays in sync. It sits in Mondo's movies & tv collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

Go further

Movies & Television trivia Technology trivia

More facts like this

Boom operators hold the microphone just out of frameA long pole lets the mic follow the actors without entering shot A blimp muffles the sound of the cameraSoundproof housings let noisy film cameras run during dialogue scenes Television sitcoms often use several cameras at onceMulti-camera shoots record a scene in one continuous run before a live audience The focus puller keeps the shot sharpThey turn a geared wheel to track an actor moving toward or away from the lens The dolly grip drives the camera platformThey push and steer a wheeled rig by hand so the move stays smooth The gaffer runs the lighting departmentThey plan the rig, hire the electricians and answer to the cinematographer

Tags: sound, production, sync

The clapperboard exists to line up sound and picture: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: The clap makes a visible and audible mark at the same instant. The figure is taken from Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a movies & tv fact?: Yes. It sits on the Movies & TV shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.