09/26/2025
With the advent of multicolored LED lights being more common on set these days, you don’t see C47s used as much anymore. But back in the day, they were everywhere.
FILM SET HISTORY 101
Have you ever wondered why a clothespin isn’t called a clothespin on set? It’s a C47. The name is one of the funniest and most debated little pieces of set history. Back in the golden age of studios, gaffers and DPs had to submit lists of gear to get funding approved. Writing down “clothespins” probably wouldn’t receive approval, so they came up with a more technical-sounding code. C47. Producers signed off without a second thought.
Across the pond, the British industry had its own theory. Crews there had to log every last piece of equipment with exact numbers. Nails, screws, clothespins. And since they often came in boxes of 47, the code became C47. Simple as that.
There’s also the military theory. After World War II, many veterans found employment on film sets. The Douglas C-47 transport plane was one of the most reliable machines of the war. Clothespins are just as dependable on set, so the name may have carried over.
Which story is true? Honestly, it might be all of them. What matters is that C47s are one of the most valuable tools on set. Just don’t call them clothespins. And if you’re not paying attention at wrap, a sneaky gaffer or grip might send you home with a few clipped to the back of your shirt.
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