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Boom Op Video Feeds


Colin Heath

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Hello all you soundos,

 

While I was scanning the vast realms of the internet movie websites i noticed a boom op watching a video feed on a wrist band while filming.  I always thought it could be helpful, and have seen bag mixers carry a screen around but not many documented photos of boom ops doing so. 

 

Im sure theres plenty of mix criticism if its needed but I'm sure the gent has his reasoning. 

 

I think the film is called "Lucy"

 

Just out of curiosity, any Booms on the forum doing this.

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Looks interesting,

I've wondered myself if anyone did this, but never seen it before.

I think the trick would be to only use it when required. And not use it most of the time.

To me its kind of like focus off a monitor, which always seems to be reacting after the move from a delayed feed. While watching the action feels better and I can get in sync with the actors. Kind of like a dance. It always feels great when everything is flowing, the actors have the dialogue down and a nice rhythm is happening in the scene, then I can hook into that and boom it with a nice flow. IMHO a monitor would put a wierd interface into the job and when in coverage probably not needed.

But there would definitely be times when a personal feed would be useful.

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I heard of sound departments doing this. before the digital tv transition you could find TV watches for maybe $100-$150. I know some crews used a short range transmitter to go from video village to the boom op's TV watch. Places like x10 sold the transmitters to do wireless sd video. The idea was to share a DVD player to multiple rooms. It wasn't details, but I guess to see the frame.

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I like the idea of a monitor avail to the boom op to check framing before we roll, but once the scene starts there are too many things for them to be watching already--they can't have their head in a monitor.  Think of it--listening to what the mic pattern is doing, watching all the actors they are covering, watching where they step and how, watching where moving cameras are going, keeping track of shadows and reflections, listening for handling noise, recalling the script as they go.....

 

philp

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I've done a lot of booming with a monitor hanging on a strap around my neck.  Very easy to work with, extremely helpful and highly recommended.  A 2009 article in the "695 Quarterly" http://www.695quarterly.com/695QuarterlyPDFs/695-Quarterly-2009-Spring.pdf shows a head-worn setup built by Jeff Erdmann but that's old school technology.  Google Glass would be the way to go.  Here's Jeff's 2009 rig.

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+11 Philip

We actually touched on this a while back here on the forum... and as "geeky cool" as a Boom Op wearing a video monitor is, I think it's an unnecessary crutch at best, and a job-threatening liability at worst.

A proficient Boom Op needs only to ask the Operator(s) what lense(s) they're on and should know where those frame lines will be - throughout the shot - some shots are trickier than others, but that's just a small part of the craft.

A great Boom Op is worth his/her weight in gold.

...just my $.03

~tt

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Yes, knowing lens sizes and communicating with the camera operator are essential.  Usually I don't even ask... I just look at the lens barrel if I'm in range to see the markings.  But with so much hand-held and steadi-cam work these days, the old rules are thrown out the window.  As soon as the camera comes off the dolly, anything can happen and lens sizes are just half of what you need to know.  A proficient Boom Op considers working with a video monitor.

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Yes, knowing lens sizes and communicating with the camera operator are essential. Usually I don't even ask... I just look at the lens barrel if I'm in range to see the markings. But with so much hand-held and steadi-cam work these days, the old rules are thrown out the window. As soon as the camera comes off the dolly, anything can happen and lens sizes are just half of what you need to know. A proficient Boom Op considers working with a video monitor.

I'm sorry Laurence,

I don't intend any disrespect, but I have to ask: To which "old rules" are you referring?

Sure, hand-held and stedicam shots make things a bit more challenging for a Boom Op, but Boom Ops have dealt with those factors for decades without having monitors on their persons... this is nothing new... and, you're absolutely correct - lense sizes are but a fraction of what a Boom Op needs to know.

I think that was Philip's point in part - that a Boom Op has so much information to process on the fly - including frame-lines, eye-lines, actors blocking and dialog cues, shadows and reflections, other obstacles such as light stands, c-stands, diffusion... other crew members (especially in a hand-held or stedicam situation) that adding something more for the Boom Op to watch - effectively taking his/her attention away from all the aforementioned factors - can not only be counterproductive, but in some cases, downright dangerous.

Before you get all up in my grill about how wrong I am, please understand that I'm not saying it's impossible for one to successfully master such a task - I'm simply agreeing with Philip, and suggesting that it might not be as helpful as it first appears.

Personally, I'd much rather rely on my own sense of the physical space around me - including a direct visual account in 3 dimensions, as opposed to a 2D feed on a tiny monitor on my person showing me (one of) the cameras' frame lines.

"As soon as the camera comes off the dolly" is when a great Boom Op really starts to shine.

In any case, I agree that we need to adapt to new technology as it emerges and is implemented into our world, but doing so without being aware of the potential hazards and trade-offs is unwise.

Again, just my $.03

~tt

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No disrespect taken, tt.  It's all a matter of personal style.  Some boom ops don't use headphones and they offer the same arguments as you... they don't think that an expert boom op should need such a crutch and they don't want another distraction.  Indeed, you can say there are already plenty of things to watch out for so who needs another.  But I haven't reached my limit yet and I can still take advantage of another tool if it helps me do the job.  You mention that for decades, boom operators managed without video.  So did directors.  So did sound mixers.  It's all a matter of how you want to work.

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This article gives an example where boom ops are wearing monitors

http://production-sound.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/follow-that-sound-csi-miami-in.html

I like the way the monitor is attached to the wrist, it looks like it wouldn't hinder his movement much and he can glance at the monitor without taking his eye off the action...

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This kind of thing makes me nervous about up and coming boom operators. Granted, I have less experience than many in these forums but in my opinion relying too much on technology and the less important things can hurt you. To help aid a veteran is one thing but a new boom op that loses their video feed could become less than effective. Personally, I think my preference will always be to know your lenses and glance at the monitor to doublecheck what you already know, to face the wide camera while booming and develop a peripheral vision that sees what the camera is doing so you can adjust accordingly.

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It seems like a wrist monitor like that would be too much of a crutch. I'd be far too tempted to stare at the monitor and play Ride-the-Line all day. My attention would be taken away from whether or not I'm on axis. The job of a boom operator is rarely to make sure that the mic LOOKS like it's in the right position, but that it SOUNDS right. It would make me reactionary instead of proactive.

Granted, a small, portable monitor would be AWESOME to have on my person to look at just before the camera rolls. But having it in front of my face during a shot would be distracting. And even then, I'd rather just know the focal length - which I can easily ask for. 

A boom monitor would be the first thing cut in case of difficulties. If a boom op got used to it, then went suddenly without it, s/he would have to readjust. Another variable.

Of course, there are countless times where I've wished I had a monitor in front of me... hence the temptation of such a device.

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I personally would love this. I wouldn't use it all the time, but it would be really handy. Sure, i do just fine without it, but it's just one more tool in my toolbox. I don't share the concerns that i'll all of a sudden forget what I'm supposed to be focusing on just because i can see a monitor. I boom from a place where i can see the monitor if it's possible, and it only helps.

That being said, i've thought about this for a couple years, and it's important enough for me to care to do it, even though i think it's possible for relatively cheap.

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