What Is A C-47?

On a film set, a C-47 (also known as a bullet) refers to a regular clothespin. C-47s are often used to secure filters to the barn doors of lights, but they are also used for a variety of other purposes, such as holding fabric up.

Wooden clothespins are preferred over plastic ones because plastic clothespins can melt due to the heat produced by the lights. C-47s can also be painted black to help blend in better on a set.

There are many different theories as to how the C-47 got its name. One of the most common stories is that it was named after the C-47 plane, which is an extremely versatile plane was used during World War II. Clothespins are versatile tools around a film set, so it was theorized that the clothespin was named after the military plane.

Another common theory is that the C-47 was named after the storage bin it was stored in at an old film studio (row C, slot 47).

A third theory is that it refers to an early patent number for clothespins.

A fourth theory, and possibly the most popular, is that in the early days of filmmaking, studio executives were less than ecstatic about spending money on such a simple, everyday item so clothespins became C-47s on expense reports. The mysterious item was not questioned and the reports were accepted.

Pro Tip: If you invert the clothespin, you can turn them into a pair of wooden tweezers/pliers to grab hot scrims. This is known as a C-74.

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