Alexander Burstein Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 That boom operators in Europe don't wear headphones. There's no way this is true (at least today), but the other day was told this by a boom operator. Said that booming without headphones is doing it "European style". Any story(ies) behind this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 It's own "European style". It's not the "European style". I don't know why they don't use headphones. Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 In Sweden we lose our jobs if we don't wear headphones, and I think we're still European. This was covered in a recent topic and if I'm not mistaken, the no headphones style is bbc style :S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Andrews Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Personally I wear headphones 90-95% of the time when booming, and while mixing I like the boom op to wear them. I occasionally take my cans off during very complicated takes, such as dolly shots, where I have to move quickly. Often the movements in those shots need to be very precise in order to not only follow the talent but also to enable camera crew to pass (and do so without getting cables tangled). I find if I am monitoring those shots, and there is an unexpected sound, it distracts my attention from the movement i am trying to make. If there is a sonic problem with the take, the mixer will call it and ask to go again. However the rest of the time I do alternate between having them completely on or as in my pic here on the left, just having them over one ear so I can still hear what is going on directly around me. There is no reason or logic to that decision, just how I feel at the time. Usually completely on though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimPitot Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 I don't even wear them when mixing. Unless the crickets on - then I like to have them on and tuned Radio 5 Live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nika paniashvili Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 I always wear headphones... oh wait Im not euro anywayz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimPitot Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Nika, I'm not European either, strictly speaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesper Magnusson Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 I'm also from Sweden, and have never seen a boom op not use headphones here. I know some who use relatively open phones so they can still hear things around them, but most use isolating ones (the HD25 is very common). I have boomed one day without phones because an adapter went missing, and with knowledge of how your chosen mic sounds, it's pattern etc, you can still do pretty well, but you can't be absolutely sure. As Mark says, there could very well be situations where headphones could be in the way, or you need to hear more of your surroundings. The approach of having one cup off might be pretty good in the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Taylor Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Not come accross anyone in the UK who doesn't use headphones. Although I dont think thats always been the case. We tend to use wireless receivers rather than any kind of duplex system, and so before the days of wireless I think it was common for the Boom Op not have a headphone feed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmahaAudio Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 That boom operators in Europe don't wear headphones. There's no way this is true (at least today), but the other day was told this by a boom operator. Said that booming without headphones is doing it "European style". Any story(ies) behind this? Supposedly that's the way that the BBC trained their boom ops to operate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gilbert Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Typical BBC cost saving measure, think of the money they saved on headphones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VM Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 That's not a rumor in France. Here... boom operators, most of the time, doesn't have headphones. It's very confortable to have a guy that hears everything on the set. Sometimes we debate about headphones or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 " There's no way this is true (at least today), but the other day was told this by a boom operator. " this comes up here regularly, and ... WAY. there are still a number of folks who do not wear headphones while booming in Europe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olle Sjostrom Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Out of curiosity Mike, do you ever get tired of writing the same posts all over again? You must be really frustrated by now, perhaps you could make a new topic about it and spill the beans for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Burstein Posted August 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 So a mix throughout Europe and the UK. " There's no way this is true (at least today), but the other day was told this by a boom operator. " this comes up here regularly, and ... WAY. there are still a number of folks who do not wear headphones while booming in Europe... Well they're very talented to be able to pull that off. The only trouble I could foresee is handling noise. Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse here. I haven't come across it I swear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VM Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 When I work, alone on doco, obviously I use a headphone. Here, on feature film boom op, mostly, doesn't have any headphone. You should try, it's not as bad as you think. It has nothing to see with a dead horse. I have nothing against wearing or not an headphone. What do you think about this Spanish boom op ? This video has already been seen on jwsound. By reading jwsound, I noticed that our ways of working, our problems , our solutions are very similar. Here is a difference. It's not so huge. http://youtu.be/4mPQL9PUI-w Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Campion Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 I had a boom op not use headphones once. I didnt use him again. In uk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 I bet my boom op would love not hearing me in his ear a lot of the time, but even if I had a boom op who was GREAT without headphones, I'd find the lack of communication frustrating and lonely. My boom op and I like him to be on set, but we are friends, so we like to talk too. No headphones, no conversation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Burstein Posted August 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 That's my first reaction but I was taught that way. If I was taught to not use headphones and it was accepted then I don't see a problem with it. To each his own. I had a boom op not use headphones once. I didnt use him again. In uk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VM Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Robert : Headphone for conversation YES but not for mic hearing during the shot. I know it seems strange ! At Roso : Do you think he emigrates to France !! I think the trouble with him was not the headphone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Spaeth Posted August 30, 2012 Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 Booming is IMO a visual job. Look where the actors are, when they open their mouths, react. When I boomed I would get worse results with good headphones, as I would concentrate too hard on the aural side if things. IMO the mixer's job is to judge the audio. A good boom op can boom well without hedphones. I had a boom op who got criticized for never reacting to others on set because he always had his closed cans on. A bunch use just one in ear monitor, some only for com, others prefer to hear the mix, others like to hear the boom only. In ear is my preferred method because they usually keep one plug in their ear betwern takes so I can talk to them, while if you wear a HD25, you'll take it off from time to time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrd456 Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I wear headphones 24/7 J.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Trew Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 When I work, alone on doco, obviously I use a headphone. Here, on feature film boom op, mostly, doesn't have any headphone. You should try, it's not as bad as you think. It has nothing to see with a dead horse. I have nothing against wearing or not an headphone. What do you think about this Spanish boom op ? This video has already been seen on jwsound. By reading jwsound, I noticed that our ways of working, our problems , our solutions are very similar. Here is a difference. It's not so huge. http://youtu.be/4mPQL9PUI-w Very impressive pole-swinging. But what the boom op didn't know is that the mic developed a loud buzz until the transmitter battery went flat. Just kidding of course, but in North America it is usually the boom op who is the first voice of the sound department on the set, and is expected to hear problems and announce them when needed. I'm sure it has a lot to do with what you get used to, but it seems to me that booming without headphone -- knowing the mic's pattern and pointing it in the right direction -- is like operating the camera without a viewfinder -- knowing the lens size and pointing it in the right direction. GT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 Hey Eric T, is this the 3rd or 4th conversation we have had here @jwsoundgroup.net about boom op's wearing or not wearing headphones? I've lost count. I guess I should do a search. CrewC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted August 31, 2012 Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 I'm reminded of watching ace focus-pullers who don't have a monitor, but merely look at the actor and know exactly how far away they are from the lens. They develop a feel for it from years and years of experience, and get it exactly in focus every time. (Well, the good ones do.) Me personally, I think it's insane not to boom without headphones or to mix without headphones (unless of course you had a private room with full-range speakers). It's counter to my way of thinking. Working wirelessly has changed my whole approach to both booming and monitoring, simply because it enables us to get out of the camera department's way and put the mike where we need it to be. My boom op and I like him to be on set, but we are friends, so we like to talk too. No headphones, no conversation. I agree, but take my advice: watch your routing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.