Boom operator and Actors

HerzogisGod

HerzogisGod

Well-known member
If my scene calls for two actors who are several feet from each other, where do i position the boom operator? Does the operator move the boom back and forth between the speaking actors or remain stationary somewhere in the middle?
 
he would be positioned between them, and then aim the mic (if it's directional) at whichever actor is speaking.
 
This is a great question.
Here is how i would do it, and im not sure if its the "correct" way, but it works for me.

If there is some distance between the actors, first, i would aim the mic at one of the actors and do multiple takes, multiple angles..etc. Then we would do more takes with the mic aimed at the other actor. The only problem comes in when they are talking over each other. So if they do.. i make sure to get dialogue where they arent talking over each other. This way, i have crystal clear , booming audio from both actors, and i work the editing magic to make it sound like they are talking over each other. Sometimes you get lucky and the talking over each other sounds all right.

If they are close together.. i would just keep the mic directly between them.

However, if there is distance between them like you say, then by keeping it in the middle... and swinging it back and forth, it seems to me dialogue would go in and out.. in other words.. if it is pointed at one actor, then it is tilted to the other as they begin speaking.. it would start out a little hollow and then become "clearer" as the mic makes it way to the position it should be in. Make sense?

I have asked this question before of people and never seem to be able to get a get a direct, detailed answer. So i have just been doing it this way for films, and it works great for me.. the problem being more takes and more editing. So Im not saying its the proper way,and i would like to know if there is a better method myself!!

I suppose it would be best to use two mics.. but budget doesnt allow at this point for me anyway......
 
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Como's spot-on; I'd rather have two booms if they're far apart. Distance is the enemy in getting good sound quality; splitting the distance between actors who are six feet apart? I wouldn't do it.

Renting a second mic will be extremely inexpensive and will give you a huge jump in sound quality as opposed to trying to split two very-far-apart actors. Lavalieres would be a (distant) second choice for this.
 
Barry, what if they were like 5-6 feet apart, and the boom pole, is 6 feet (like mine)
Say you were to go from talent to talent with the boom, would you hear any thing in post when your editing? Since the mic is travelling from talent to talent, would you hear the wind? Even with a wind fur on?
 
You won't hear wind noise (possibly some cable slap if the cable isn't secure). But, the real challenge is that the boom op has to be ahead of the dialog - if s/he is still moving the mic when the other actor starts talking, you will hear the dialog moving into axis. This is why trying to do this when there is overlapping dialog either means you have to throw up two mics or shoot lots of coverage - this has to be a production decision. On most of the projects I've been on they don't have time to shoot the extra coverage, so up go two booms. This is why I am always saying that one mic in your kit is never enough. Because I have lots of choices of mics in my kit, I can have a second boom up and running long before camera is ready to shoot. If you don't have the extra mics, this is where it becomes very important to understand each day's shot list early to make sure you can rent/borrow the equipment you need on any given day.

Phil
 
Gee...I knew this was gonna get complicated :(

Now i need two of everything, including two human beings to operate...thats gonna make things harder in terms of blocking when the actors are moving about in the scene.

Im using an Oktava M012

Im gonna experiment a bit with actor proximity.

If i do go for two of everything, do I just plug each of the two mics into one of each XLR?

what about head phones? who gets to wear them? is there more than one headphone input on the HVX? (I havent received it yet)
 
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