Walkie-Talkies

They are such a necessity but can cause so many screw-ups that it’s important to know what you are dealing with.
When walkies are your responsibility:
• Make sure the walkies and any spare batteries have been charged.
• Check your gear. Make sure that if it says 12 walkies & 12 spares on the outside of the case, that’s what is inside the case.
• Use a walkie signout sheet. You should know who has walkies with what accessories.
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Using the walkie
• Always test your walkie when you first turn it on, and any time you put on a new battery. Hold down either the walkie bar, or the bar on the handset(when using one) and say “radio check”. Release the bar and listen for the response “good check”.
• Make appropriate volume adjustment to your surroundings. Be aware of sleeping neighborhoods at the crack of dawn, know when a shot is recording sound (so your walkie won’t interfere) and turn down the volume if you are near the director.
• Use a headset or a handset. Attach the handset to your shirt close to your ear. A walkie doesn’t do you any good if you can’t hear it.
• Speak clearly, don’t ramble and remember everyone can hear you.
• The walkie-talkie that you are assigned in the morning is your responsibility. Sometimes, there are not enough walkies for everybody, so your walkie may be reassigned to someone else during the day. Make sure you get the name and position of the person you give your walkie to and have them sign their name on the walkie sign out sheet. That way, if the walkie is missing at the end of the day, it’s on them, not you.

Walkie Etiquette
• Channel one is the main production channel and needs to be kept clear for the AD to communicate with the crew. If you need to talk with someone about production logistics, or anything not directly related to the set and the AD, there is a “go to” channel assigned by the AD department (usually channel two). Make sure you “go to” that channel and keep the main production channel clear from excess talking.



WALKIE TALK & SET LINGO

Rolling Camera is on, filming starts.
Action Filming and performance begins.
Cut Filming and performance stops.
What’s your 20? Where are you?
Do you copy? Do you hear me?
Copy that I understand.
Hold traffic Don’t let cars or people pass.
Release traffic Let cars and people pass.
Go to # . Switch walkie to channel # .
Back to 1 Switch walkie back to channel 1 (when on another channel)
Back to original positions. (when said by director or AD)
Watch your back Get out of the way.
10-100 In response to What’s your 20… it means you’re in the bathroom.
New Set-up
New Deal Everyone prepares for a new shot.
Going on to a new set-up.
Hot set a set that must remain exactly the wat it is for further shooting
Checking the gate This particular scene is wrapped and the interior of the camera is checked to make sure there are no hairs or other debris inside the camera that would damage the film. If the gate is good, then we move on to the next scene or wrap for the day.
Room tone Ambient sound being recorded. Be still and quiet.
Flash Say before taking a Polaroid or flash picture. This is so the elctricians will know it isn’t one of their lights that has blown. Never take a flash picture while the camera is rolling.
Crossing Say before walking in front of the camera while a shot is being set up.
We’re on the move Company moving to a new location.
Martini shot Last shot for the day
That’s a wrap The shooting day is done.