have two hours to train boom guy
- Thread starter brianluce
- Start date
since time is a consideration I'll chime in with my experience. I don't know a great deal about equipment but have been a boom operator on a 35mm film with good results. Having said that, there are a bunch of people here more qualified to answer.
The key for me was to get as close to the actors as possible without being in the shot. To do this it was critical to establish in my mind where the frame began. I would spend a few seconds with the DP moving the boom mic closer and closer until he told me I was in the shot. I would use a mental mark to remember where that was and added a small buffer for safety. It gets tricky when there is a lot of camera movement, so rehearsing with the grips and camera is important so you know where to go.
Also, an understanding of the script is important, especially if you are covering more than one person, so you can anticipate when to move the mic and possible blocking issues. The mic needs to be pointed at the person talking as directly as possible, in most cases, from above. Try not to slide the pole in hand but hold firmly and rotate the wrists when redirecting the mic. Also walk heal to toe in rubber bottom shoes (think Ninja LOL) With editing, there are times when you need to key on just one actor so have a conversation on who needs to be covered with the director. AND ALWAYS check for shadows and work with the lighting people if a problem occurs.
just my 2 cents
The key for me was to get as close to the actors as possible without being in the shot. To do this it was critical to establish in my mind where the frame began. I would spend a few seconds with the DP moving the boom mic closer and closer until he told me I was in the shot. I would use a mental mark to remember where that was and added a small buffer for safety. It gets tricky when there is a lot of camera movement, so rehearsing with the grips and camera is important so you know where to go.
Also, an understanding of the script is important, especially if you are covering more than one person, so you can anticipate when to move the mic and possible blocking issues. The mic needs to be pointed at the person talking as directly as possible, in most cases, from above. Try not to slide the pole in hand but hold firmly and rotate the wrists when redirecting the mic. Also walk heal to toe in rubber bottom shoes (think Ninja LOL) With editing, there are times when you need to key on just one actor so have a conversation on who needs to be covered with the director. AND ALWAYS check for shadows and work with the lighting people if a problem occurs.
just my 2 cents
Last edited:
And then I would add to Tim's post:
* Aim the mic the same direction the camera is facing (while still following the above rules)
* Lock your elbows. Takes some of the strain off your lower back.
* Don't just set the boom and mic down anywhere. During setups bring it back to the sound cart.
* Never unplug the mic without first warning the mixer.
* Learn "over-under" cable coiling.
Phil
* Aim the mic the same direction the camera is facing (while still following the above rules)
* Lock your elbows. Takes some of the strain off your lower back.
* Don't just set the boom and mic down anywhere. During setups bring it back to the sound cart.
* Never unplug the mic without first warning the mixer.
* Learn "over-under" cable coiling.
Phil
wabbit
Evil has Ears
Good advice. I would add that "creeping" into frame is not as effecient as a "boom check". The boom op calls out, "Boom Check!" and drops the boom into frame while the camera op calls out, "In" and then the boom op slowly backs the boom out until the camera op says, "Out." That is your frame line. This usually takes less the 5 seconds. After awhile your boom op shouldl learn where the frame line is for most shots without a boom check.
A good boom op will actually get the boom in the shot from time to time. A bad boom op will be so careful to be to be too far clear and will not ever come into the shot.
Remember to keep the levels consistent between shots.
Cheers
A good boom op will actually get the boom in the shot from time to time. A bad boom op will be so careful to be to be too far clear and will not ever come into the shot.
Remember to keep the levels consistent between shots.
Cheers
wabbit said:
Believe me I was winging it. I had flown out to a location in Roswell New Mexico to do some quick and dirty pre-production/legal work for a friend shooting his first film and before I knew it I was production coordinator. Then we lost our boom op and the sound man left the wireless units in LA, so there I was. The shoot ratio was really small, shooting with ends mostly, so I didn't have the luxury of crossing into the shot. I have to tell you it was a blast, I loved it. The sound mixer, a guy of some esteem in LA ,actually asked me if I wanted to come out to LA and work because he thought I had an knack for it. (he was probably being nice)
Last edited:
wabbit
Evil has Ears
Oh, I wan't criticizing your need for a boom check. I was just reversing how you did it. It is much more effecient that way. Especially for an inexperienced boom op. Most people don't realize how much room there is to get the boom in so if you are slowly moving the boom into the shot it will usually take longer then just dumping it into the shot and pulling out. The danger being a jerkoff at the camera that will wait to tell you that you are out in order to keep you further out of the frame. If your in a situation where you have a mixer with a monitor this is something that can be done without involving the evil camera dept 
Either way works, pulling out just tends to be quicker.
Cheers
Either way works, pulling out just tends to be quicker.
Cheers
Shawn Philip Nelson
Veteran
I need to revive this thread to ask a relevant question...when using a hypercarioid (such as an Oktava or AKG Blueline) how should I aim the mic? I thought aim the tip at them as if the mic was a flashlight and I was trying to spotlight their mouth. So I tell this to my sister who had a class with Douglas Spotted Eagle at this year's NAB and she said in the class that Douglas said pointing a hyper straight at the mouth was an amatuer mistake and that the mic should be more perpendicular to the mouth. Obviously not totally off-axis, but more of a 45 degree or less. The idea being to put the mouth in the hyper "bubble" without pointing the mic as if it were a gun shooting the mouth. Thoughts?
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
I aim the shotgun or hyper at an invisible ball that I imagine about 6-8" out in front of the mouth. It's fine to let the hyper point straight down when splitting the distance between speakers or leading an actor... but I listen to the room and go with what works best. Sometimes putting the mic at a slight angle into the talent will help with some room acoustics or outside noise.
A hyper has a pretty smooth bubble and you don't need to put the actor on axis with the mic... it's best to aim for an area out in front of the mouth just to be sure you don't get over somebody's head... if you get an actor speaking past the bubble while you're mic'ing the top of their head you're lost.
I'd say after not getting the mic close enough the next biggest mistake is hand movement on the pole during a take. Don't wait until the cam is rolling to find out how good or bad of shape you're in... just because you lock your elbows doesn't mean the fatigue of leverage will go away. I use all different ways to hold a boom through a long shot.
A hyper has a pretty smooth bubble and you don't need to put the actor on axis with the mic... it's best to aim for an area out in front of the mouth just to be sure you don't get over somebody's head... if you get an actor speaking past the bubble while you're mic'ing the top of their head you're lost.
I'd say after not getting the mic close enough the next biggest mistake is hand movement on the pole during a take. Don't wait until the cam is rolling to find out how good or bad of shape you're in... just because you lock your elbows doesn't mean the fatigue of leverage will go away. I use all different ways to hold a boom through a long shot.
wabbit
Evil has Ears
I have witnessed this debate before and it is as relevant as taste great/less filling. It is true you can actually boom a hyper much easier then a shotgun by spliting the difference between subjects or even pushing a louder speaker slightly off axis with a good mic like the Schoeps but you can also do it the hard way and point the hyper at each speaker like you would a shotgun. Neither is wrong if you can stay on the action.
Often the situation favors one method over the other. After awhile the whole thing becomes pretty zen and you don't even think about it anymore.
Cheers
Often the situation favors one method over the other. After awhile the whole thing becomes pretty zen and you don't even think about it anymore.
Cheers
MattinSTL
Sound Modulator
Ditto...
I edited my previous post within the first minute to take off a comment that I was afraid may be taken the wrong way, but yeah, I hate to hear anybody call something "an amature mistake" when it sometimes works. The best thing you just said is that it's a Zen thing... in the past few months I've found my way into a much higher level of production then I was doing previously... and all the things they say about soundguys (and the lack of respect) are true, but I keep getting called back because I work well with the rest of the crew. "Experience" is really starting to mean something to me. Sometimes I have to do things with the mic and pole that I wouldn't normally do... I used to hear the talk about shadows and thought it was no big deal... but when you've got 10+ lights in a small set it becomes a major factor... the whole process has evolved into a Zen thing... watching the zoom ring and the cam op... getting a peak at the monitor when possible... paying attention to the cam and actor moves during each take... yeah flyin' a boom is like dancing.
If there's one thing that's getting etched in my mind it's that the whole process of production really requires a lot of awareness from the soundguy... more then I used to think... and I thought it required a lot before. Call it science or call it art... as long as you're not causing problems in the picture and the sound is good I don't care what you're doing with the boom.
I edited my previous post within the first minute to take off a comment that I was afraid may be taken the wrong way, but yeah, I hate to hear anybody call something "an amature mistake" when it sometimes works. The best thing you just said is that it's a Zen thing... in the past few months I've found my way into a much higher level of production then I was doing previously... and all the things they say about soundguys (and the lack of respect) are true, but I keep getting called back because I work well with the rest of the crew. "Experience" is really starting to mean something to me. Sometimes I have to do things with the mic and pole that I wouldn't normally do... I used to hear the talk about shadows and thought it was no big deal... but when you've got 10+ lights in a small set it becomes a major factor... the whole process has evolved into a Zen thing... watching the zoom ring and the cam op... getting a peak at the monitor when possible... paying attention to the cam and actor moves during each take... yeah flyin' a boom is like dancing.
If there's one thing that's getting etched in my mind it's that the whole process of production really requires a lot of awareness from the soundguy... more then I used to think... and I thought it required a lot before. Call it science or call it art... as long as you're not causing problems in the picture and the sound is good I don't care what you're doing with the boom.
timapter
Veteran
Yeah matt, i think I've been learning some similar things to you these last few months (finding myself on bigger productions, too!)... the shadows thing is too true. Today we shot in a music recording studio with 3 Kino flo 4 ft 4 banks, 3 redheads and an HMI coming through the window! YIKES! Ah, but we pulled it off - got a brilliant gaffer and DOP, and they are very considerate of sound.
Boom op IS a very zen thing and to me, its never about what is right but more like what WORKS. Thats all that matters...
Boom op IS a very zen thing and to me, its never about what is right but more like what WORKS. Thats all that matters...
To the issue of how to hold the boom...I agree with Matt, I hold it all different ways. But, the best basic way is to lock your elbows. (But, for a long take, I have been known to rest it on my head, usually works pretty well too. ;-)
If your new boom op is shorter, then don't forget an apple box for them to stand on.
Phil
If your new boom op is shorter, then don't forget an apple box for them to stand on.
Phil
Remember that the lcd display on a dvx doesn't show you the entire frame being captured; the inscribed line a few millimeters outside the screen does. So unless you can check with an underscan-capable monitor, don't assume that a mic that's unseen in the lcd finder is really going to be entirely outside the recorded frame.
Shawn Philip Nelson
Veteran
Thanks guys a bunch for the replies, very helpful. I think this thread should be a sticky, a lot of concise and specific info.