Crickets and Birds... they're going to be the end of me.

[Richard Crowley]

Highly recommended to read (and keep a copy for review) the "Open Letter from Your Sound Department"...

http://filmsound.org/production-sound/openletter.htm

[mainstreetprod]

[QUOTE=tyreeford;1986199205]Then, maybe

1. Work more closely with boom op and shooter to orchestrate their moves to allow for a tighter boom
Not saying this is you, but some video folks (versus film folks) are afraid to cut off the top of the talent's head or they inadvertently choose camera heights that force the boom into the shot.

Last time I did a feature I basically used a lot of tight, cropped shots to get better sound. I resolved this time to not let sound issues get in the way of telling the story, so I'm using fewer tight shots. My boom op is just out of college, a great audio engineer but just learning to boom. She's serious about it and overall I'm happy with the job she's doing. We do think about camera height and how it affects booming.




2. Are these shots static? If so can you use a locked down boom to prevent your fear of the boom in the shot?


Formerly I used a fishpole holder just like this any time I had a static shot, which was a lot last time but not as much this time. This time I invested in a studio boom: http://www.samash.com/p/On%20Stage_S...FZSC7Qod-AcAiA

It is easier to setup and adjust then the fishpole holder, and the heavy stand makes sandbags unnecessary. I'm a firm believer in locked down booms when possible- no handling noise!

3. More blankets

That's something we need to stop and take the time to do.

4. Better boom op.

Couldn't possibly find a better one at our budget level, ultra low. I hired a $300 a day "pro" once, he had an attitude and generally kept the mic 3 feet from the talent. I was unimpressed.

I forget, which mic are you using inside?

4053A. Also have an Oktava but due to handling noise do not use it much. A couple of times I neglected to swap my 4073 to the 4053 when going from outdoors to indoors, that caused real problems.

[Rick R]

" I hired a $300 a day "pro" once, he had an attitude and generally kept the mic 3 feet from the talent. I was unimpressed"
-- Sounds like someone masquerading as a "pro" boom op... 99.9% of "pro" boom ops have an good attitude . If the 3 feet was an issue due to camera frame, a "pro" would have advised the 1st AD.. or whoever.

[mainstreetprod]

" I hired a $300 a day "pro" once, he had an attitude and generally kept the mic 3 feet from the talent. I was unimpressed"
-- Sounds like someone masquerading as a "pro" boom op... 99.9% of "pro" boom ops have an good attitude . If the 3 feet was an issue due to camera frame, a "pro" would have advised the 1st AD.. or whoever.

I guess he was the .1%- although, based on his screen credits and equipment list, he doesn't look like a poser.
His attitude, by the way, surfaced when I asked him to move the mic closer. I guess he assumed I was a DP telling the sound guy what to do.