Bust a take-boomer

[Tim M]

Hey Jeff or others how much do Hollywood level boomers bust takes for whatever reason? I find some guys are more concerned with busting the take visually than getting the shot aurally. How did you or do you deal with these situations?

[RPSharman]

Bust takes?

Do you mean dip in on purpose to stop a take? Or stop a take by some other method?

In my experience, I will talk into director Comteks if it is something pretty catastrophic, and experience tells me we won't get another take once this one is over. But I don't think it's common practice for a boom op to cut a take short in some manner.

That privilege seems to be reserved for camera operators, who seem to have no problem with calling out mid-take that they need to reset. Or the really awesome tilt-up to catch a boom to require another take. We had that happen recently, and the director said, "It's ok. I saw that. If I need that part I'll zoom in in post or paint it out." - To which the busted operator had to confess, "We had some focus and other issues too."

[Alexander Burstein]

I'm curious for others to chime in. I was told by an A-class level boomer that they get 1 dip in a day. It might happen more often than that, but that's the rule that boom operator followed. I think some boom operators put limitations on themselves, and some have no restrictions for themselves. You boom to get the best coverage you can. 

 

I definitely know that if you are going to get in the shot, better to do it on the 1st take. You don't want to mess up on the 8th take. 

[Alexander Burstein]

Bust takes?

Do you mean dip in on purpose to stop a take? Or stop a take by some other method?

 

He means seeing the microphone dip in.

 

I've had directors yell "boom's in!", completely distracting the actors and stopping the take, when a simple look and finger up from the camera operator or AC would've informed me to make an adjustment. It's too bad when that happens.

[VASI]

Never never I have stop a take.

It is catastrophic for actor performance with camera relationship. I called that "zen workload" between dept.

If I hear something not good I will talk first with my sound mixer (who have hear the problem) after the take.

 

I stop when the director say "cut".

Always we protect our work, but always take serious the camera and actor work in that case.

 

I don't want to cut a take without permission from director or sound mixer.

[Jeff Wexler]

I don't think it is ever proper for the boom operator to "bust a take" if by that you mean intentionally do something or say something during the take to bring it to a halt. As for the sound mixer calling cut, this is tricky as well (but the protocol is usually discussed well in advance with the director and 1st AD). As for "dipping into the shot", as long as it is not intentional, I think most camera operators, directors and productions in general just consider this a mistake. If it happens more than once on any given day, or happens quit frequently during a production, the general consensus is that the boom operator is not very good at their job. This might lead to the director having a conversation with the sound mixer and/or the boom operator directly.

[old school]

Most times an obvious sound issue comes up like a plane or lawn mower, the AD or Director or even the actor(s) will look at the boom op or mixer for some sign as to the severity of the problem and they make the call to cut. It's the boom or mixers job to explain after a take the issues at hand if there was a problem. No one size answer here.

CrewC

[Tim M]

I don't think it is ever proper for the boom operator to "bust a take" if by that you mean intentionally do something or say something during the take to bring it to a halt. As for the sound mixer calling cut, this is tricky as well (but the protocol is usually discussed well in advance with the director and 1st AD). As for "dipping into the shot", as long as it is not intentional, I think most camera operators, directors and productions in general just consider this a mistake. If it happens more than once on any given day, or happens quit frequently during a production, the general consensus is that the boom operator is not very good at their job. This might lead to the director having a conversation with the sound mixer and/or the boom operator directly.

Well that seems pretty straightforward. What about when a gaffer doesn't make room for your operator(s) is this just in amateur world? When do you usually discuss said protocol for audio halting takes? Thanks!

[Philip Perkins]

My feeling and experience is that directors call cuts and no one else.  I will call a cut if my recorder has screwed up (remember DAT?) in such a way that I'm not sure I'm recording the scene, otherwise I'm from the school of rolling to the end and then discussing how we did.  Good sound or bad, there might not get to be another take for other reasons.

 

philp

[Jeff Wexler]

Well that seems pretty straightforward. What about when a gaffer doesn't make room for your operator(s) is this just in amateur world? When do you usually discuss said protocol for audio halting takes? Thanks!

 

I usually ask the Director in pre-production (or on the first day if there isn't any "pre" on the production) if there is any situation where I would be permitted to call a CUT, and then I explain that I never would call a cut unless I had a catastrophic equipment failure (as Philip has mentioned) where going to the end may not even be possible --- the failure has ended my recording prior to anyone else knowing about it or calling cut.

[ChrisH]

I agree with busting the frame once a day although most of the time it's more like once a week, it depends on the operator and the lighting. Finally it's a boom ops job to stand by and monitor how they are lighting. If you foresee them lighting Ina way that will make it difficult or impossible to boom ask the gaffer if he can achieve his lighting goals another way so that you can boom the scene. If he cannot cooperate be understanding but it may be something your mixer should talk to the DP about. It is possible to light very nicely without lighting out the boom operator.

[Benjamin Gandy]

I see dipping in in the same vain as an AC not quite hitting his focus marks, and usually it happens on the early takes (I wish we did rehearsals) when just getting used to the movements. I rarely dip in while booming, and if I do it's usually on strange angled shots. I always keep an eye on the DOP during takes, and every now and then I'll see him pointing up, and adjust by an inch or two. I quite often ride the safety area at the top of the frame, even more so if I can see the monitor.

 

When mixing if anything makes a noise I usually get a glance from the director (among others), to whom I signal the extent of the damage, but usually if I signal to cut they'll cut. Every now and then the director will call cut of his own accord if something sounds off. 

 

I've met a few DOPs who will scream cut as loud as they possibly can if the boom dips in by a 16th of an inch for two frames. I've only cut in the middle of a take a couple of times when something's failed and I've stopped recording. 

 

Incidentally, I had the idea of a device that feeds a quiet beep into the boom op's phones that the mixer or someone behind a monitor can press if the boom gets too edgy.

[Wandering Ear]

I don't like the only 1 dip a day or your not a good boom OP rule personally. Some days are just hard. Steadicam, dolly, handheld, wierd camera moves and changing actions can all add up. AC's have the same issues with focus.

I think if a boom OP is generally clear, the mistakes on hard shots are understood and forgiven. If they are dropping in a lot on locked off frames, then you have issues.

It's very subjective.

I will usually say something on the coms if I see my OPS in frame, that allows the scene to continue, and hopefully they can cut around it without ruining the whole take.

[stevegrider]

I won't call call "cut" nor will my boom op unless we have the aforementioned catastrophic gear failure. I have yelled it spontaneously when a civilian car turned into a locked off set, and it was to alert the crew.

The directors Ive worked with wear Comteks and know there is an issue pretty much when I do. Also,

the directors know when they are going to cut in and out of the shot we are doing, and the door slam or car passby that offends might be in the clear of the piece they will actually use.

[johnpaul215]

I would never call cut for a boom dip. Might be different on the low budget indies I work on, but.... 

1) maybe it's another rehearsal for the actors to get in a groove, and for camera to work out things. Not like we really do rehearsals. 

2) I don't know how they are going to cut the scene. There may be a 1 in 5 chance that they will use that angle for that moment of that scene. If it was a close shot and they end up using a wide at that moment, that may be the dialog take they want to use. I've had somebody yell "boom" at the end of the scene, but the director already know how they want to cut it, and knew it just didn't matter. They were letting the actors run the whole scene to get into it. 

[David Waelder]

(Gandy Moon)

Incidentally, I had the idea of a device that feeds a quiet beep into the boom op's phones that the mixer or someone behind a monitor can press if the boom gets too edgy.

***

I have used the PL switch on the mixer to accomplish this. There is a soft click in the boom op headset when the switch is pushed. And, of course, since it's the PL switch, there is no noise on the track. One could speak into the skate mike but it often takes a moment to position one's mouth over the mike or just to have the presence of mind to speak quickly. Just pushing the PL switch can be done very quickly even when not completely mentally focused.

David

[RPSharman]

While we're on the topic, an operator calling "boom" in the middle of the shot is one of the most unprofessional things I think we have to deal with. You don't hear them yelling "focus" or "panned into a stand" or "missed your mark" (although if an over can't be fixed by camera, they might stop and ask the actors to check their marks).

Sometimes focus pullers yell it too. It drives me crazy.

If the boom op isn't watching the camera operator for the "eye", or there was a miscommunication about lens size, or camera not going down with an actor when they sit, or any number of other things, there's simply no reason not to wait until after the take. If it's just a dip, why break the actor's concentration?

If there's a reflection throughout, or the wide shot is wider than discussed and the mic is in the whole time, or some sort of catastrophic issue that'll render the whole take useless, then that's one thing. Otherwise it should be resolved after the take, like any other camera issue.

[Jeff Wexler]

"I don't like the only 1 dip a day or your not a good boom OP rule personally. Some days are just hard. Steadicam, dolly, handheld, weird camera moves and changing actions can all add up." If this is referencing my comment, I didn't say that dipping in once a day means you're a bad boom operator --- what I meant was, this is the way the rest of the crew views this.

[rickcardone]

I agree that this is how the rest of the crew perceives how well you boomed. They can't hear it and don't want to see it.

I had a DP tell me that he was impressed that I only dipped in once during a very loose hand held shot. He seemed to think that I had boomed the scene well. Had no idea whether I was booming or flying a kite.

[old school]

F 'em if they can't take a joke. It always sounds better when it is in the frame... Anyone other than the director who yells "boom in" is a douche. The Pros don't. There is a better way. There will be words if that happens. 

CrewC

[old school]

Also with todays digital magic it is almost a moot point if the mic is in frame.

CrewC

[Wandering Ear]

"I don't like the only 1 dip a day or your not a good boom OP rule personally. Some days are just hard. Steadicam, dolly, handheld, weird camera moves and changing actions can all add up." If this is referencing my comment, I didn't say that dipping in once a day means you're a bad boom operator --- what I meant was, this is the way the rest of the crew views this.

This was not directed at you or your comment. I worded my statement poorly, I just wanted to point out there are a lot of factors that can make it hard for a boom OP to stay out of frame, and so some days a couple dip ins are no big deal, while some days there is no reason for it to happen. Dare I say what I meant was "it depends"

[dfisk]

On one of the very few production gigs I've done, I was on a green stage for the whole thing. I had never done that kind of work before, so I was all concerned about being out of frame. When I watched video playback my whole body was in the shot. I asked why nobody complained and they said not to worry..that they'd just remove me from the shot. 

[atheisticmystic]

On one of the very few production gigs I've done, I was on a green stage for the whole thing. I had never done that kind of work before, so I was all concerned about being out of frame. When I watched video playback my whole body was in the shot. I asked why nobody complained and they said not to worry..that they'd just remove me from the shot.

Indeed.

I recently was OMB swinging boom on an unscripted, unblocked, barely rehearsed commercial, shot wide in a tight little Malibu bedroom. When I worked again with the same Director last week on another commercial I asked how frequently he had to cut around my boom.

"Not much, but I did have to rotoscope your whole body out of the mirror once" he said.

Bust a take? Bust a boomer !

[jrd456]

The boom operator must be on the set when they are lighting and establish his position.In the "old school" we could have the director,producer etc. move out of the way of the boom operator and if the boom op establishes himself,the gaffer will light around him or leave him a "hole"-----being on set all the time is one of the reasons booming can suck unless you love it.

 

                              J.D.