Can you please post pictures detailing a typical boom handler's position and form?

Yardsale

Yardsale

Well-known member
I have some oktavas and a k-tek boom on the way, and a guy foolish enough to help me on my project, and I want to be able to know the ins and outs well enough to be able to demonstrate to him so we can start testing/delving further. :dankk2:

Also, any specifics on placement of the mic in relation to the subject, angles, tricks on making sure the boom stays out of the shot etc are much appreciated!
 
There is a great book you can purchase buy Jay Rose that has a whole section on proper boom handling techniques with explanations as to why the techniques work. Highly recommended reading.

Phil
 
Yard - remember, the mic should be as close to the mouth without getting into
the picture, means the boom guy really needs to pay attention to the delivery
of lines, etc.

Charli
 
Yardsale said:
Can you please post pictures detailing a typical boom handler's position and form?
Click to expand...

drunk.gif


this is roughly the form, and position you will find from a typical boom operator.

..well it is in scotland anyway. :D

hope this helps.
 
Booming Technique CLICK

Your front arm, whichever that may be, is usually best if it can be as straight up as possible... not so much that your shoulder muscle is flexed hard, but basically straight up arm. I find that this reduces fatigue as much as it can... also if you boom more often you get better stronger with the boom... it sucks putting a PA as boom op because they will never hold the boom close enough and they rarely listen to tips on position to reduce fatigue... and then after about 20 minutes of booming their entire booming style goes to sh*t.

I get sick of being on productions where a PA is asked to boom as I'm running the sound... and I know that guy is gonna' make me look bad... a good pole feels so light when you first pick it up that the initial impression is that you can hold it any way you like and be fine... but by the time your arms are burning you're going to be sh*t for the rest of the day. It won't take more then an hour before you have to get creative with your muscles anyway... so it's best to start off avoiding fatigue.

You'll find out a lot about a person when you put them as boom op... I could pick a life-long business partner by watching that person boom for a day. The boom op has got to really care about you or your production to do a good job for the entire day... which is why I'm sure people constantly say that a good, EXPERIENCED boom-op is so valuable.

A good boom op is a 50/50 combination of a Yoga and Tai-Chi Master... that also cares about your soundtrack.
 
MattinSTL said:
Booming Technique CLICK

Your front arm, whichever that may be, is usually best if it can be as straight up as possible... not so much that your shoulder muscle is flexed hard, but basically straight up arm. I find that this reduces fatigue as much as it can... also if you boom more often you get better stronger with the boom... it sucks putting a PA as boom op because they will never hold the boom close enough and they rarely listen to tips on position to reduce fatigue... and then after about 20 minutes of booming their entire booming style goes to sh*t.

I get sick of being on productions where a PA is asked to boom as I'm running the sound... and I know that guy is gonna' make me look bad... a good pole feels so light when you first pick it up that the initial impression is that you can hold it any way you like and be fine... but by the time your arms are burning you're going to be sh*t for the rest of the day. It won't take more then an hour before you have to get creative with your muscles anyway... so it's best to start off avoiding fatigue.

You'll find out a lot about a person when you put them as boom op... I could pick a life-long business partner by watching that person boom for a day. The boom op has got to really care about you or your production to do a good job for the entire day... which is why I'm sure people constantly say that a good, EXPERIENCED boom-op is so valuable.

A good boom op is a 50/50 combination of a Yoga and Tai-Chi Master... that also cares about your soundtrack.
Click to expand...
awesome awesome response! Well, I elaborated to my friend how most of the shoot is going to be setting up, lighting, checking on stuff, etc. and that patience would have to be in the cards, so we'll have to see if he really is that patient :)
 
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