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Film Theory, Lighting, Production

Essential Knots for Filmmaking: Sheepshank

Randy Marsh tied up to a chair with rope

The sheepshank knot is commonly used to secure loads to trucks or trailers. It’s also used by sailors and is one of the most essential knots because it’s a knot that you can easily tie, and it is so powerful. The sheepshank knot is a trucker’s hitch on steroids. You use the mechanics of the rope to actually become a pulley and give you more torque to tie off stuff, kind of like a ratchet strap.

When making this knot, you’re going to want to set yourself up for success. You do that by holding the rope with your two hands, like below.

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Notice how I’m holding the rope with my two hands.

Next, you’re going to pull the rope in as below to create a tail.

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Creating the tail

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Here is the tail.

With the tail, cross over the other piece of rope. Then loop the tail up into the hole.

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Crossing over the other piece of rope with the tail

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Looping the tail from under, up into the hole

Do that twice, so your sheepshank knot looks like this:

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

The knot after looping through the hole twice

Now you can pull here to increase tension on your rope.

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Pull where indicated by the red to tighten the rope like a ratchet strap

To lock the rope in, make a half hitch for safety. To do that, cross the rope over and pull it up through the hole.

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Crossing the rope over the other piece to make the half hitch

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Pulling the rope up through the whole to complete the half hitch

For extra safety, make a double half hitch in the rope.

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Cross the rope over the other piece

Essential Knots Cinematography filmmaker film movies tv shooting DP lights

Pull the rope up through the hole

Cinch the double half hitch to secure it.

Once you’ve made your double half hitch, you have your completed sheepshank knot.

Completed sheepshank knot

Taking the Rope Apart:

To take the sheepshank rope apart, pull the rope loose where indicated in the image below.

Undo the first half hitch

Then pull the rope so that the loop comes undone.

Pull where indicated on the image above.

Repeat the same last two steps for the other knot on the rope to completely take apart the sheepshank knot.

All videos were edited on HP Z840 workstations using HP Z24x DreamColor monitors.

Read Essential Knots for Filmmaking: Clove Hitch

Read Essential Knots for Filmmaking: Bowline

Read Essential Knots for Filmmaking: Figure 8


Be fearless in your filmmaking. Join Shane’s Inner Circle today.

June 22, 2016/by Shane Hurlbut, ASC
Tags: Cinematography, Director of Photography, Film Education Online, filmmaking, HP, hp dreamcolor, Knot, Knots for Filmmaking, Musicbed, Pulley, RED Digital Cinema Company, Rope, Ropework, Sheepshank, Sheepshank knot, The Double
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https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/8Z8Z.gif 270 480 Shane Hurlbut, ASC https://www.filmmakersacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Filmmakers-Academy-Filmmaking-Courses.svg Shane Hurlbut, ASC2016-06-22 10:00:292022-02-10 17:26:16Essential Knots for Filmmaking: Sheepshank
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