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With the growing popularity of surround-sound systems, it's increasingly important for video professionals to deliver pristine audio. An unsung hero of the on-location team — the boom operator — fills a position that's vital to capturing good audio. The Blimp windscreen is essential for filtering wind noise out of your outdoor shoots. Camera-mounted mics might be adequate for general ambiance and background sounds, but they lack the reach and versatility of boom-mounted mics. And while today's wireless mic systems go a long way toward helping you capture good sound, there are many situations in which a boom pole is a better idea — or at least a good addition. Sometimes a small wireless lavalier mic won't cut it. Costumes ruffle, there's RF interference, and actors speak too softly or are too animated, often turning away from the mic. A good boom mic held dynamically over the set can provide a warmer, more realistic, and more flexible means of capturing audio to videotape.
A professional boom operator puts the mic in the right spot at the right time — if not, the actor's voice is off-axis and sounds off-mike. You must be strong, flexible, and observant, silently moving with the scene. You keep the mic out of the video frame, yet in the proper position for the actors. |