Community Answers

1. 

   54

   

   6-2-11

   David H. Lawrence XVII says:

   Answer: There are more than one pertinent definitions for the word “boom” when used in the world of acting. One is a sound person’s pole on which he hangs his mic over the heads of the actors, and the other is a movable platform on which the camera sits.

   
   

   The word “boom” has a couple of important meanings to actors, and the usages come from two different departments, sound and camera. Knowing how both of these departments use these words can make you a better actor – when either of the operators of their respective booms mention how they’ll be using them, you can be prepared.

   First, the sound department’s boom. Their boom is an extendable pole that has not only a special mount for a microphone, but some way of handling the microphone cable that extends down from the mic itself, and is plugged into a device that is part of the recording chain.

   Working backwards from the mic itself, which is attached to the end of the mic boom using a standard 1/2 inch threaded mount, the microphone cable is attached to the XLR connector on the mic, then run back to the recording equipment in a number of ways. The cable could be wrapped around the boom, run along the boom with grommets, or run inside the boom in a hole at the mic end of the boom, and out a hole at the operator’s end of the boom.

   Here’s a picture of a mic boom in use, on a handheld camera shoot, as seen on gearslutz.com:

   

   A mic boom can also be mounted on a dolly, so the boom operator doesn’t have to hold it high above the heads of the actors, and can also contain a swivel mount, to allow the mic to be swung back and forth between two actors engaged in a conversation. Most of the time, a boom is used in conjunction with individual miking of each actor, hidden in their clothes, and usually wireless – no cables coming out of your wardrobe.

   
   

   The boom operator will be involved in the rehearsal and blocking of a scene, so he can find a place that is not in the shot, yet is close enough to you and your scene partner to cleanly and evenly pick up your dialogue. Boom operators not only have to watch to not be in the shot itself, but also to position themselves not to cast a shadow with their boom by getting between available light and any surface that is in the shot. It’s not an easy thing to do – and you should know that your boom operator is critical in making you look good on camera by both keeping the shot clean, and making sure you sound great. Treat them like gold.

   Second, the camera department’s boom is just like the sound department’s boom, but is usually more complicated than just a mount for the camera – often, the boom’s length, height, sweep and movement are controllable by a camera operator using a number of freewheeling controls to lengthen, shorten, raise, lower, move from side to side and pan and dolly the actual base of the boom itself.

   
   

   Camera booms can be very simple, just a pole with a camera on one end, the cabling coming back to the operator and then on to the recording device. These booms can give very dramatic effects in establishing shots, in follow shots and more, without many complicated controls. Even homemade booms can drastically change the production values of your webisodes and indie efforts.

   Camera booms can also be very, very complicated. Take the TekBoom as an example. This behemoth is used frequently for very involved shots, and can be programmed via computer to repeat the same moves over and over. This monster weighs many tons, has more in common with a construction crane than the simple boom we see in the image below (as seen on b-hague.co.uk), and is responsible for some of the most dramatic shots ever seen on television and in film. The TekBoom requires more than one man to operate, and is large enough and heavy enough to require a safety meeting before using it.

   

   There is one last meaning for the word boom, used in either case as a verb: to boom in, boom out, boom up or down is often used to describe the movement of either a sound or camera boom.

   As an actor, be aware of what a boom is capable of doing, and match your work accordingly. The camera itself may not be close enough to really zone in on when being boomed towards you or away from you – and the director may want you not to play to the camera at all – he may just want to set the scene or leave it with a dramatic boom shot. You’ll have that conversation during camera blocking and during the shots themselves.

   Treat the mic boom the same way – if you’re being boomed closely, make sure the sound person if you’re going to yell or drop to near whisper. The size of the shot will also inform his movements, and allow him to make adjustments in distance from you and the other actors to accomodate accurate recording of every emotional nuance.

   What’s your answer to this acting question? Let me know in the comments below.

   Reply

   +209

   Was this answer helpful?

   LikeDislike