A closer look

Cecil B. DeMille didn't just use clapperboards; he practically demanded a blood sacrifice. In the silent film era, slating was a chaotic necessity for syncing external audio discs, but DeMille turned it into an egotistical ritual. His slate boys had to hold the board at highly specific, mathematically precise angles in the frame. If the clap wasn't perfectly lit and reverently executed, you were fired on the spot, proving that Hollywood micro-management is a century-old tradition.