kao664 Posted October 24, 2013 Report Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hello all, I am gathering my sound gear together so I can become a sound man for film and tv. I've been boom operating for the past year and am trying to get gigs in shorts and small film projects. I plan to work alone as a sound mixer and boom operator and am very curious on getting K-tek articulated boom pole (http://www.ktekbooms.com/audio/boom-poles/klassic-articulated-poles/). My question is has anyone tried it or owns it and have any feed back on how well it preforms or likes and dislikes about the pole. This is going to be my first boom pole and I don't mind spending the a lot now if I plan on using it for the rest of my career. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmahaAudio Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 (Insert pointless Senator Mike comment here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpro Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 I am an older soundie and for me the articulated pole is perfect. I find myself resting the end on my hip and with the articulation I am able to reach into the scene with less discomfort. For MOS you can extend the pole fully click the short end to 90 degrees and rest the pole on the ground and still be out of the shot! I do own other straight poles, but the K-tek is my go to boom pole. I do wish it had another 2-3 feet of reach. Another problem is the fact when it is open but not extended it is a bit more unwieldy. I carry a 6' vdb for occasions when I can mount the pole on a stand and space is tight. The 6' works well in those times. Over time I have become accustomed to it. It is fun when someone the job says, I have never seen a pole like that, so they are a bit rare. YMMV David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim M Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 My Articulated boom has been invaluable to me so far. So much so that I need to send it in for repair. Why is it so invaluable...well you essentially in most cases it works as a portable C-Stand. You can plant the base on the ground and boom people without having to actually hold the weight...great for bag work...like OTF's on the street or food shows where you do on the street or even sudden interviews where you can't run to grab your C-Stand...invaluable. Things to watch out for. I found that the teeth on the articulate part although they look sturdy any additional weight when in an articulated position can grind the teeth down and cause it to slip...or letting it drop in the air into position puts undue stress on the joint teeth and they will break. Great value and addition to any kit...I am buying two just in case...cuz holding a boom pole traditionally is out of style lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 (edited) " worth it? " yes, particularly if the work you do calls for it... If you are considering this for your first, and only boom pole, I suspect you don't yet know what you want or need, and are counting on the arrows... Edited October 29, 2013 by studiomprd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkautzsch Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 It is *not* advisable to invest a lot of money into specialized equipment if you don't know what kind of jobs will actually come to you. I'd rather start out renting the things you need for a given job, especially when it comes to "trick" tools like that articulated boom. become a sound man for film and tv. ... I plan to work alone as a sound mixer and boom operator In film, it is *never* advisable to work alone. Ideally, you're a three-person sound crew. The mixer's job is to mix, the boom op's job is to boom, and both jobs need both hands. So the utility's job is to keep the other two's backs clear. ENG or reality, in contrast, usually means working alone, and being a pack mule too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 Or just add this one to a normal pole: http://www.ambient.de/en/products/ambient-recording/boompoles/accessories/qds.html Specialised (niche) equipment is what this jobs all about, ambient (de) make excellent products in this sense. Reading the above testimonies has got me thinking i may add a QDS to my shtick :-) dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmahaAudio Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I suspect you don't yet know what you wasnt or need... Any productive comments or just more insults? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Any productive comments or just more insults? But that was 4 days and 3 posts ago, wasn't really insulting and i've made 3 cheesy jokes since then. dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfisk Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 I've noticed that most users of the articulated pole tend to be more of the one man band/eng style sound mixers. Back in my freelance days I used one for sound effects gathers. It was great for getting under cars and over fences. I don't know if I've seen an articulated pole on a tv or film set. So, it kind of does depend on what type of work you are doing. The nice thing about the articulated pole is that it folds down nice and small for when you are traveling with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernierao Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 I've been working with a K-Tek Articulated BP for about a year now. Great pole to use when I'm working alone (which is most times). And I can always operate the boom while siting down! Bernie Rao Midnight Shepherd Productions Wellington, New Zealand http://bernierao.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Reilly Posted May 30, 2014 Report Share Posted May 30, 2014 Great for following a cam op in typical low/medium ceiling environs...FWIW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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