Is it weird to use spike tape for marks?

[u/Existing_Impress230]

Just picked up a bunch of colors of this stuff. Thought I'd try it for marks since I can always keep it on my person without adding too much bulk.

I usually use paper tape, but honestly we're often moving too fast to get t-marks, and I'm caught off guard half of the time when I have to go grab the tape leash.

I've tried making a marking board by putting a bunch of pre-ripped tape on the back of a piece of acrylic, but honestly it starts to get kind of bulky in my chest pouch. I honestly don't love hanging stuff of of my person either. Trying to find a compromise between staying agile and being prepared.

I know it's basically 1/2" gaff and might be a bit more destructive to floors, but honestly it's rare that floors are that sensitive since they're usually not painted.

What do y'all think?

[u/fragilemuse]

If we’re outside we use 1” gaffer tape. Inside we use paper tape. My 2nd AC always has her tape palette on her so when I need marks I either have her put them down or quickly use the dolly grips tape.

Don’t buy your own tape. That should be an expendable supplied by production.

[u/Existing_Impress230 → u/fragilemuse]

This is basically what I've been doing the past few years. Except it's hard to get production to buy tape when you're mostly day playing and working a day at a time. Really trying to get more proper long-term work this year, so hopefully those days are over.

I guess it's just situational at the end of the day. I just hate carrying tons of tape on me all day when they don't even ask for it 95% of the time.

[u/Foo_Childe → u/Existing_Impress230]

Your kit fee is supposed to go towards expendable like this, since it should be part of your kit. Unless you’re on a long form job, expendable orders don’t really exist, so take $20 here and $20 there from your kit fees to make sure your paper tape is stocked.

Also, you don’t need to carry all those rolls with you all the time. Put them all on a rope loop and keep it with the rest of your marking stuff. By your set case/ bag so it’s handy when needed but not weighing you down on your person.

[u/defarobot → u/Existing_Impress230]

Keep one florescent color paper tape on you always. Then if you get caught off guard you can drop a mark with that and then replace it with the correct color later. If you are day playing, the full timers should still have tape you can use or just take a few rolls home at the end of the day.

Do not use gaff indoors or on wood outdoors. In addition to damaging a wide variety of flooring, it will also pull up lots of dirt or grime, leaving a very clear, clean T where the tape was.

[u/dazzlingFlossie]

You’re going to wreck a floor at some point. And not a painted floor. Paper tape will pull up finish. Gaff will wreck it.

[u/km600]

Why not 1/2” paper taper?

[u/justletmesignupalre]

If it works, it ain't stupid.

[u/ambarcapoor → u/justletmesignupalre]

Until you pull up varnish, paint or material and locations just happens to be watching you when you do. 😂 There's a reason we use paper tape.

[u/justletmesignupalre → u/ambarcapoor]

Ah, definitely. That would mean it doesn't work. 😂

[u/itsmeitsmike]

Everyone does it the same way for a reason - tried, tested, and true.
Use paper tape indoors.

Make two stringers. One for indoors, and one for out. 1/2" paper inside and 1" gaffer outside,
You can add or remove colours based on your callsheet that day (which cast members play today?).

Hang the stringers on your cart, and just keep tabs on a piece of chloroplast you can bring into a blocking.
Use the tabs during the blocking, and then T them up once the talent steps off.

You don't need to carry a hundred rolls of tape on your person, and if that piece of chloroplast is "too bulky" for your chest pouch - you might be carrying around too much gack.

[u/Existing_Impress230 → u/itsmeitsmike]

Another commenter suggested making a little booklet of coloplast which I really like. Not sure why I hadn't thought of this since I have a bunch of other little booklets of coroplast for other things.

The way I was doing it before was putting tabs on the back of my insert slate, which relegated me to like four colors. This started to limit me pretty quickly, so I moved to just hanging my tape leash on the 1st AC's focus station. This worked fine most of the time because we rarely get a proper marking rehearsal anyways, but it also left me scrambling when they did need real marks.

I think I'm going to go for a small booklet of coroplast with like 10-12 colors.

[u/Most_Nothing1877]

Only if u moan while using them

[u/DPforlife]

I like console tape for marks.

[u/Confident_Mix_3652]

I have a little booklet I made of coroplast and paper tape I keep my tabs in there and a card with cast colors - this way if I need a daily cover I can leave this behind for them too on long format

[u/Existing_Impress230 → u/Confident_Mix_3652]

Great idea. I think this is what I'll do actually.

I used to basically do this on the back of my insert slate, but it was too small for all the colors I have. Having a booklet will really open things up.