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Resting Pole on Head


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Saw a picture in another thread and it spurred a question.

Is resting a boom pole on your headphones accepted and practiced by professional mixers and boom operators?

When I started out and saw my first boom operator do this, I was a bit worried that it looked unprofessional. I've seen it since and while it bugs me a bit I haven't said anything.

I've tried it out of curiosity but found that it really hurts my head.

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Resting the boom pole on the head during or between takes. Between takes, then bravo for dexterity, during takes, I would say, errr... Mind what you're doing there sonny, you need to aim that mic properly and i can hear that friction from the top of your head.

 

Between takes I rest the boom pole on my shoulder mostly, I like the fact that it's rapid action to get it back up again.

 

If someone is struggling with holding it over extended periods of time, time to work on some technique and endurance. I used to do boom excercises with weights at the end of my old aluminium boom pole at extension for jollies no joke :P Obviously for 20 minutes sit down interviews a stand is fine :P

 

EDIT: I have been in situations on some doco shoots where they have continuously rolled for 30+ minutes at a time, at that point you just kinda have good technique, grin and bear it, and continuously mouth to the AD "when are we going to cut?!"

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     OK if you are booming on a TV drama or a feature film resting the boom on your head does not really cut the mustard and the chances are that the scene/take will  only last a few minutes at most ,so really two hands all the way. But if you are running around with a bag strapped to your back stuffed full of radio mics while holding a boom in the air for many hours of the day then resting the pole on your head shoulder or passing heffalump are all legitimate ways of recording good sound.Working smart is as important as working hard.

Best John

 

Can you tell from the above that I come from Scottish Presbyterian Stock

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I do it all the time and have done so for about 35 years.  When the pole is extended and I need to adjust levels etc in a bag rig and the talent is standing still I hold the end of the boom with one hand, set it on top of the headband of my headphones and do a quick knob-twiddle with the other hand.  I don't care how it looks, I care about how it sounds.  I wish I had 3 arms, but can't afford the transplant.

 

philp

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" I wouldn't consider it when shooting under any circumstance. "

OK, but why not ?

Because I don't like it. It's a personal choice and I don't think it's comfortable or safe when holding a boom above or near talent (considering it could potentially fall off of your earphones), which is my opinion. I did not say 'No one should ever do this under any circumstance' did I? I didn't even advise anyone one way or the other. I simply stated that 'I' wouldn't. It is my preference to be in constant control of the boom pole with both hands.

 

Besides, I am of the mindset that it shouldn't ever come to be expected by productions. I will either record ISOs and boom very well, and you can mix in post, or I will mix very well and not boom (or collect ambience), and you can use my mix in post. I will not boom and mix at the same time by resting my boom pole on my head and attempting to move about and do my job that way.

 

It's the same type of logic applied to not asking a DP to shoot a movie and also pull focus. If you asked that of them, they'd probably say it was an unrealistic expectation.

 

P.S. Don't assume I don't adjust faders throughout the day regularly, I simply don't do it by resting the boom on my head.

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" Because I don't like it. "

OK..

---as long as you have a reason! ::)

 

" or safe when holding a boom above or near talent (considering it could potentially fall off of your earphones), "

actually a valid point, but that isn't all circumstances..

" I will not boom and mix at the same time "

another valid point, if that is part of the equation...

 

" It's the same type of logic applied to not asking a DP to shoot a movie and also pull focus. If you asked that of them, they'd probably say it was an unrealistic expectation. "

winner!

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I do it all the time and have done so for about 35 years.  When the pole is extended and I need to adjust levels etc in a bag rig and the talent is standing still I hold the end of the boom with one hand, set it on top of the headband of my headphones and do a quick knob-twiddle with the other hand.  I don't care how it looks, I care about how it sounds.  I wish I had 3 arms, but can't afford the transplant.

 

philp

Yes, this is what I do. Doing doco, ENG when the takes(!) can be long I need to to adjust levels.

I've found doing it more than this hurts my head and neck vertibra.

I would not do it during a normal take in a drama though.

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I tried it a few times as a boom op, during a reset or between takes, but it hurt my head.

I see my boom op do it sometimes, although not while booming a scene. I've seen others do it too, and in pictures. I just think it looks a bit lazy. But not so when carrying a bag. In that case it seems necessary in order to adjust levels from time to time.

But honestly, it's the same as booming with earbuds, or a single-ear, or other perceived "less professional" practices. Once you have established yourself as a professional, how you get good sound is no longer relevant. If my boom op puts the mic in the right place, who am I to dictate how he looks doing it?

Robert

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On docs I do the one ear thing a lot, sometimes mixing up the ear that has the headphone.  An example of the efficacy of this was a recent shoot in a silkscreen print shop.  The people working there weren't thrilled we were there anyhow, and the space was cramped with a lot of people moving around us.  It's good to be able to easily hear someone considerate enough to whisper to you that he needs to get by you, rather than just shoving you or asking loudly to be let by--thus the one-ear thing.  

 

philp

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I tried it a few times as a boom op, during a reset or between takes, but it hurt my head.

 

Dave Fisk from K-Tek should come up with the new, improved "Head Boom Mount":  a cap with a strap and a vice-grip on it, to clamp the boom to the cap and then strap the cap securely to your head!  Somehow, visions of Al Franken as the one-man-band news crew from Saturday Night Live come to mind...

 

al_franken.gif

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