Who is responsible for preparing and marking takes with the slate?

The role responsible for preparing and marking takes with the slate is the Second Assistant Camera (2nd AC). This individual is specifically tasked with managing the camera equipment, gathering lens information, and ensuring that each shot is accurately recorded on the slate, which includes noting the scene number, take number, and other pertinent details. The use of the slate is critical for maintaining organization in the shooting process and making the editing phase smoother by clearly indicating which takes correspond to which scenes.

While other crew members may have overlapping responsibilities in the production process, the Second Assistant Camera is primarily trained for this task and plays an essential role in ensuring that the visual continuity of the film is preserved by accurately documenting each shot during production.