Bondelev Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 This would be great if it were true, but this is the first time I have heard this story, and the article does not have any references. Does anyone know if this was indeed the first use of a boom on American feature films? http://inventors.about.com/od/audiowaxrecordstomp3/p/Dorothy-Arzner-Boom-Microphone.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLightstone Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 (edited) According to Wikipedia; At Paramount, Dorothy Arzner directed Clara Bow's first talkie, The Wild Party (1929). To allow Bow to move freely on the set, Arzner had technicians rig a microphone onto a fishing rod, essentially creating the first boom mike.[2][3] She did not, however, take out a patent. One year later one was filed for a very similar sound-recording device by Edmund H Hansen, a sound engineer at the Fox Film Corporation.[4] Edited September 25, 2015 by RLightstone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 I've read this history before which means it may well be true. I hope it is but..... CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 In german a boom and a fishing rod both have the same word, so this possibly gives further credence to the above story. But when and why did it turn into boom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 In French "perche" Boom I guess is derived from the boom of a boat mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traut Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 It actually originated from longshoremen lingo in the 1800's. Back then, ships were equipped with booms to load and unload cargo. When they wanted to retrieve cargo from the hold, the gang boss would order "lower the boom". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stef Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 I hear it regularly called a fishpole. I've definitely heard boom used in sailing, but to direct the sail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Maybe "boom" from windsurf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted September 26, 2015 Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) Edward Bernds claimed to have invented a mic boom in 1928 at Columbia Pictures in his book Mr. Bernds Goes to Hollywood... http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Bernds-Goes-Hollywood-Edward/dp/0810836025/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443255562&sr=1-1 But Bernds admits that he had heard of others using booms in the weeks prior to building his own, though he never actually saw one. Edited September 26, 2015 by Marc Wielage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Flowers Posted October 5, 2015 Report Share Posted October 5, 2015 For what it is worth, here's a story I heard from a (Fisher) boom operator years back. On location in Kenya, the sound maintenance guy decided to service the Fisher after shooting, as it had got a lot of dust in it. The only place with enough space to do this was in the hotel lobby, but after he had cleaned it, he got into a bit of a pickle trying to reassemble it. Observing his increasing frustration, a hotel guest came over to lend him a hand. The hotel guest was very, VERY knowledgeable and after the task had been successfully completed, the maintenance guy bought his helper a drink and in conversation it came out that he had been assisted by Mr. Fisher himself, on holiday there. Now that was a stroke of good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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