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Boom Mic Techniques


cmgoodin

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Just was leafing through the latest HD Video Pro magazine and hit the section called Cine Sound Pro.

with an article on Boom Mic Techniques.

 

Please note the illustration on the cover and later in the article.  The boom man has a shotgun mic aimed at least 6 feet above what the camera is shooting.  If pointing at a person for dialogue you would never have the boom on the pole at the angle it is illustrated....  Maybe if they were doing an article on boom techniques they would have an illustrator that knows something about  booming. Also the hanging cable from the boom pole is in danger of getting in the shot or at least getting in the way of the cameraman.

 

 

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In the very beginning the author mentions monitoring the audio. Headphones on the boom op? Nope. That in conjunction with the reflective vest, no shoes, odd mic placement for dialog recording, and questionable cable management, the illustration is just plain ridiculous.

 

This is what happens when art directors don't do their homework. On my long list of pet peeves is when I see a period piece that has totally incorrect microphones, TV cameras, monitors, and stuff like that. It ain't rocket science to get this stuff right. 

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I'm not defending the illustration. But I'd guess the illustrator started with a photo showing two guys in those positions with the one holding the boom pole for some reason holding the cable just like that. I mean, everything seems pretty specific; I don't think an art director and illustrator just winging it would come up with that. The editor should have provided some guidance.

 

And I say that as a former magazine editor who worked with lots of talented art directors who weren't necessarily experts in the subject matter of the stories they designed (and usually designed quite beautifully). Oh well.

 

For me, the "Photoshop For Sound" headline was weirder. Cute analogy, but misleading cover type. Again, oh well.

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The picture is very funny....  It's like showing a picture for how to surf with the guy in the pic flying through the air upside down.. his board 10 ft. away....

 

  The cable situation is a disaster.... I mean really, do you need to know anything about booming to sense that that is probably not proper?

 

In all fairness, at least from what I can see on the pic, we don't know what he's pointing at... maybe a car coming around a corner, in which his aim may be OK....

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