Who is it intended for? And is it the director who actually says it? The truth is that, prior to shooting a take, a whole series of filming related commands are issued, which signal to different specialists or groups what to do and when to do it.
Typically, the first is 'Roll camera,' alerting the camera operator, who will respond 'Camera rolling'or 'Speeding,'a remnant from when film cameras reached the correct speed to capture footage on celluloid.
Next up is 'Roll sound,'serving the same function for the audio team.
A crew member will then call out 'Slate,''Marker,''Mark,' or a variation thereof. This is the signal for someone, usually the 2nd Assistant Camera (2nd AC), to hold up the clapperboard, at the correct focal distance from the lens, and state the scene number and take number, for example, 'Scene 5, Take 13.'They then clap the two portions of the clapperboard together - in a surprisingly gentle manner - to produce a visual and audio signal that helps to synchronise pictures with sound in the post-production process.
Once camera and sound are 'œat speed' what comes next varies, but could involve a number of specific prompts before the main actors are cued. One might hear instructions for visual effects co-ordinators, smoke-machine operators ('smoke it up!') or background performers, to ensure the shot looks right before the key performances begin.
Only then will you hear the command 'Action.'
Traditionally, this has been the preserve of the director, but now it typically falls to the 1st Assistant Director (1st AD), one of several senior crewmembers and responsible for on-set management of the schedule, actors and extras.
The term 'action'is by no means universal, however. In Germany, productions notably use 'Bitte' (literally meaning 'Please') rather than 'Action.'
Some directors or 1st ADs will say something other than 'Action', especially if it's a sensitive scene in which they are creating a space for the actors to perform. In such cases, they might say 'whenever you're ready' or 'in your own time.' And then when it's time to stop recording the scene, the director will call 'Cut!'- or tell the 1st AD to call it - to stop the cameras, sound and activities.
So what's the point of all this? Well, making a film involves the careful coordination of multiple departments comprising dozens, even hundreds, of cast and crew members. These commands, evolved over many years, form a reliable set of signals that are understood by everyone on set and which channel their energies to the main task at hand: getting a good take.
Besides guiding cast and crew - no matter whose set they're on - these signals also provide valuable information to the editors working in the post-production process, who rely on visual and audio cues to ensure that images and sound sync together and that scenes are assembled in the intended order.
As with so many creative endeavours, organisation is the bedrock of the filmmaking process.
And..Cut!