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Long Interviews!!


Manx

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As to placing the boom mic "out of their line of sight", that's not something I would ever consider as a standard practice. You wouldn't ask the cam op to place the camera out of their line of sight would you? Some people have asked "are you gonna have the mic that close?" I just reply "Yes, it's just out of frame". The producer asks them the first question and they have forgot about the mic in 2 seconds. Good sound = good interview :).

If you're referring to my line of sight comment, it was me I was talking about, not the mic like André said. If the subject can't see other folks, they're more likely to keep looking at the interviewer. I've also done a ton of stuff recently with the subjects talking to/looking in the camera and it's really important to stay out of their eyeline for that style in particular.

 

But I did say having a handheld boom with the mic floating around just at the edge of the subject's field of view can be very distracting. When an interview subject is looking at the interviewer, the mic most often end up just on the edge of their field of view. Mounting the pole on a stand solves that problem.

 

I've been using a pair of these, purchased from my local pro sound supplier Vark Audio, to hold the pole for as long as I can remember:

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Best regards,

Jim

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I understand the objections to having the mic on a stand re talent movement, but the posties need to understand that if they move there will still be changes in the audio even if you are holding the pole, that's just how it goes.  It may be that you are playing the mic too close, so changes in position are much more audible.  Contrary to what many camera people think, the best place for an interview mic is not as close as possible to the subject, ie riding the frame line, and this situation is one reason why.  It is also a fact that non-pro talent without experience in being interviewed can be distracted by a mic moving, however slightly, just overhead.  What we want is for the whole shooting and recording apparatus to disappear as far as they are concerned once we start rolling--it's just a conversation between interviewer and interviewee.  I have worked with many directors who demand that the mic be on a stand for this reason.

 

I like Cardellini Clamps for boom holders.  They have a wide enough jaw that they don't damage the pole even when tightened, but since they are a clamp and not a drop-in holder the boom is secure if you want to tilt it up vertical to get it out of the way.

 

philp

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Joel, how long did it take to reel in that yellow fin?

Hi Michael

 

Fight time was about 10/15 minutes from memory, any longer and the arms would've come out of my sockets - we were live baiting in about 100m, 12 mile out.  They're 2 of 10 or so I caught that day - just kept the one tho.  They're both Kingfish ( Kingies ) and have the highest strength to weight ratio of any fish apparently.  The one on the bench was 47.5 pounds!

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Hi Michael

 

Fight time was about 10/15 minutes from memory, any longer and the arms would've come out of my sockets - we were live baiting in about 100m, 12 mile out.  They're 2 of 10 or so I caught that day - just kept the one tho.  They're both Kingfish ( Kingies ) and have the highest strength to weight ratio of any fish apparently.  The one on the bench was 47.5 pounds!

I'm jealous. Must have been a tasty meal.

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  • 10 months later...

One thing to consider when you're just starting out is that booming a longish interview by hand is an opportune time to test out the edges of your mic of choice. Not a lot, just little adjustments along the way proved invaluable learning, and improved my understanding of various mic patterns immeasurably.

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One thing to consider when you're just starting out is that booming a longish interview by hand is an opportune time to test out the edges of your mic of choice. Not a lot, just little adjustments along the way proved invaluable learning, and improved my understanding of various mic patterns immeasurably.

 

You have just reminded me that I used to do that... a very long time ago!

 

That is how I learned about a mic's pattern, not from some polar pattern viewed on a website (there was no internet then)

 

A very good tip.

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One thing to consider when you're just starting out is that booming a longish interview by hand is an opportune time to test out the edges of your mic of choice. Not a lot, just little adjustments along the way proved invaluable learning, and improved my understanding of various mic patterns immeasurably.

Call Me a gluten for punishment but I boom interviews pretty much 95% of the time because of what Jan said...been doing it for 5 years now but I feel like I am still getting to know my mics better this way.. plus I find the Physical aspect fun and challenging, It is part of the job that I really enjoy!

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Reading Jan's comments made me remember that I used to use those simple static shots (such as interviews) to teach my brain how to boom left handed, which is the opposite to my natural side. Now it makes no difference which side i boom from, but at the start it really felt weird. But it was one of the best things I could have taught myself.

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