There is no official clapper emoji currently available on major platforms like iOS, Android, Windows, Twitter, and Facebook. However, some third-party emoji providers have created unofficial clapper emojis that can be used in certain apps and services. The lack of an official clapper emoji is likely due to the niche appeal and specificity of such an icon. However, as emoji catalogs continue expanding, a clapper emoji could potentially be added in the future.
What is a clapper emoji?
A clapper emoji would be a small digital icon representing two wooden clappers used in film and TV production. Clappers, also known as clapboards, are typically held together by a crew member and “clapped” at the beginning of a take to visually and audibly mark the take number. Clappers help synchronize visual footage with separately recorded audio in post-production. A clapper emoji would likely resemble the iconic board with a hinge at the top and stripes along the bottom. When static, it would appear as two closed wooden slats. When animated, the two slats would come together in a clapping motion. This would visually communicate the concept of clapping a clapperboard or marking the start of a film/TV take.
Is there an official clapper emoji from Unicode?
As of Unicode 14.0 in September 2021, there is no official clapper emoji from the Unicode Consortium. Unicode manages the Unicode Standard that defines emoji as part of digital text. Popular emoji catalogs like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Twitter rely on the Unicode Standard to implement emoji support across devices and platforms. Unicode currently has 3,633 approved emoji spread across 14 categories, but none representing a clapperboard. There was a proposal for a clapper emoji submitted to Unicode in 2019, but it did not gain approval. Without Unicode support, a clapper emoji is unlikely to achieve widespread adoption. However, the catalog is continuously expanding, so a clapper emoji could still potentially be added in a future Unicode version.
Are there any unsupported clapper emojis?
Even without Unicode support, some third-party vendors have created their own unsupported clapper emojis that work in certain apps and services. For example:
- JoyPixels offers a clapper emoji in its catalog of over 4,000 emojis. It can be accessed by users of the JoyPixels app or through plugins/integrations in some messaging platforms.
- OpenMoji provides an open-source clapper emoji that has been implemented in apps like Telegram, Messenger, and Slack through custom integrations.
- Emojidex includes a clapper emoji that can be used by installing the Emojidex app or Chrome extension.
However, without Unicode approval, these clapper emoji implementations have limited compatibility and may not display properly or at all on many popular platforms. They are considered unsupported emoji variants at this time.
Why isn’t there an official clapper emoji yet?
There are a few possible reasons why a clapper emoji has not yet been added to the Unicode Standard:
- Niche appeal – Clapperboards are a relatively niche piece of equipment used primarily in movie/TV production. The average emoji user may not be familiar with a clapperboard or have much need for a clapper emoji in casual communication.
- Specificity – Emoji are generally designed to be universally understandable. A clapper emoji would represent a very specific object that not everyone would recognize.
- Limited use cases – Apart from movie/TV production, there are not many obvious everyday use cases where a clapper emoji would be needed to express ideas.
- Other film emojis suffice – There are already emojis for more well-known film objects like the movie camera, film frames, and film projector.
Unicode aims to encode the most broadly useful and commonly used emojis. Given the niche specificity of clapperboards and limited everyday use cases, the Unicode Consortium may not have yet seen sufficient evidence for the need of a stand-alone clapper emoji.
Could a clapper emoji get approved in the future?
Despite the current lack of a clapper emoji, there is still a possibility one could be approved by Unicode in the future. Here are some reasons why a clapper emoji may eventually materialize:
- Popular usage/demand – If a clapper emoji gains more widespread usage and demand from the public over time, Unicode may reconsider adding it.
- Increased emoji catalog – Unicode continues approving dozens of new emojis annually. A clapper has a better chance as the catalog expands.
- Proposal resubmissions – The Unicode Emoji Subcommittee reviews new emoji proposals annually. Repeated proposals for a clapper emoji could eventually lead to approval.
- Industry advocacy – Directors, producers, film associations, or entertainment companies may advocate for a clapper emoji to represent their industry.
While there is no guarantee of approval, a clapper emoji proposal remains active for future consideration by Unicode as usage, advocacy, and the emoji catalog continue evolving over the years ahead.
How could a clapper emoji be used?
If added to Unicode in the future, here are some potential use cases for how a clapper emoji could be used in digital communication:
- Indicating the start of an action or event (“Lights, camera clapper emoji, action!”)
- Signaling the beginning of a take (“Clapper emoji, Take 1!”)
- Representing the film, TV, and video production industry
- Highlighting or labeling video content
- Expressing that you are filming or recording something
- Marking clap points in music or clap counts
- Indicating lights, camera, action
- Signaling applause and praise for a performance
A clapper emoji could serve niche uses for content creators and those in the entertainment industry, while also being broadly understandable by general emoji users as representing the start of capturing an action. The visual of two slats coming together in a clapping motion could convey beginning or starting something new.
Are there alternative emojis to convey similar meanings?
In the absence of a dedicated clapper emoji, some similar meanings can be expressed using these alternative Unicode emojis:
| Meaning | Emoji Alternatives |
|---|---|
| Filming, recording | 🎥 Movie camera, 🎬 Film frames |
| Clapping, applause | 👏 Clapping hands, 👋 Waving hand |
| Beginning, action | ▶️ Play button, 🎬 Film frames |
| Marking time | 🕑 Clock face, ⏱️ Stopwatch |
However, there is no direct substitute for visually conveying a physical clapperboard. While the above emojis can represent related concepts, the specific clapper meaning is difficult to portray accurately without a dedicated emoji. So there remains a gap to represent this distinct object and action in emoji communication.
Conclusion
In summary, while there are unofficial clapper emojis available in some third-party collections, Unicode has not yet approved an official standard clapper emoji. Reasons for its omission may include niche appeal, limited everyday use cases, and existing related film emojis. However, a clapper emoji could still potentially gain approval in future Unicode versions, especially if proposals persist, usage and demand increases, and the Unicode catalog continues expanding. A clapper emoji would allow content creators to represent their industry and tools more accurately. For general users, it could creatively convey meanings related to beginning action, marking time, and expressing applause. But until a clapper emoji gains Unicode support, these meanings will need to be approximated through other related emojis instead.