#second assistant camera

[lifeinplasticblog]

Film Crew

[redshirtgal]

In a number of the TOS behind the scene photos, you see this man holding the clapperboard/slate. And in nearly every one, he has this nonchalant, almost bored expression. Although, who could resist laughing at Bill Shatner’s clowning around, as the last photo above shows? His name is Bill McGovern and he was a Desilu staffer. His official title was second assistant camera but you hear him more commonly referred to as a clapper loader. What does a clapper loader do? He has many duties but mainly he oversees almost every aspect of handling the physical film, from loading it into magazines, and holding the clapperboard/slate at the beginning or end of every scene, as well as transferring the film negative to the laboratory and  maintaining all records of these transactions. A clapper loader does not sound like an important position. However, any error on his part can ruin a whole day’s worth of shooting. 

According to Flickr’s Bird of the Galaxy, this last photo of McGovern holding a clapperboard is one of the harder ones to find. Notice he is holding it upside down. That is referred to as a tail clapper shot and marks the end of a scene. Occasionally, a decision is made not to use a clapperboard at the beginning because of the camera position or if the sound would be too distracting to the actors during the start of an emotional scene.  Bill McGovern never really received film credit for his work during the filming of TOS (or any other production he worked on), even though his position was an important one. IMDb lists him as the loader/assistant for a single episode, “Who Mourns for Adonais?” However as these restored images and many others attest, he seems to have been used for a much larger number. Bill McGovern may have not technically been part of the TOS crew, but he was still an integral part of Star Trek. Just look through many of the photos with someone holding the clapboard/slate and odds are that is Bill McGovern’s hands, arms, or body you are seeing.

[originalglory]

https://youtu.be/9D87kz6G2aI

Men's Swearhouse

Written and Directed by BJ Wilson

Edited by BJ Wilson & Adam Adamus

Director of Photography: Adam Adamus

First Assistant Camera: Brianna Woodruff

Second Assistant Camera: Ronald Groves

Gaffer: Danny Fong

Sound: Max Brudvig, Audrey Jewell, BJ Wilson

Set Design: Gayle Martin

Digital Effects: Ibrahim Ibrahim

[carvinglight]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul04AA3R4d0)

[goingforpicture]

From the set I'm currently working on. RIP Sarah Jones, and to all crew who have died on the job.