3BO: 10 Things Every Boom Operator Should Know - Sound Speeds

Boom operators can be difficult to pin down and ask questions of and even more rare will they list important things they believe you need to know in order to achieve success but in this video, that's exactly what you'll find. Master boom operator and educator Ken Strain joins us in this episode to help create the top 10 list of things every boom operator should know.
Obviously, there are many other things a boom operator should know too and another skilled veteran could have a different list but we believe these 10 things are critical to know and/or master. Perhaps they aren't as widely discussed or maybe we learned thru the school of hard knocks but regardless, serious boom operators should pay attention and and learn.
If you have any questions about anything in this video, be sure to write them in the comments below.
For more info about Ken and his sound education, follow the links below:
Purchase Ken's BoomRight Master class here:
www.videomantis.com/courses/b...
BoomRight Facebook Page:
/ 2352792034942504
BoomRight KZbin Channel:
/ @boomrightmasterclass
Interested in buying the Mechanix .5mm Gloves? Click below:
geni.us/MechanixGloves
To make a donation to Sound Speeds: www.paypal.me/SoundSpeeds
Gear Commonly Used In My Videos:
Panasonic Lumix FZ-80: geni.us/SoundSpeedsLumixFZ80
Panasonic Lumix DMC-G7: geni.us/SoundSpeedsLumixDMCG7
Tascam DR-40: geni.us/TascamDR40
Sound Devices MixPre-6:
www.sounddevices.com/products...
To watch my video on sensory gating:
• Sensory Gating - Sound...
Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links and if you purchase something using one of these links, you'll pay the same price that you'd find on Amazon if you looked it up yourself but Amazon will pay me a small referral fee for sending you there to make a purchase.
Make sure to subscribe for more content!
Have a question? Write it in the comments below or email [e-mail]
Join us on Facebook: / soundspeeds
Follow us on Twitter: / soundspeedsyt
Interested in becoming a patron? / soundspeeds
To make a donation: www.paypal.me/SoundSpeeds
Join my Discord: / discord
All donations received will go directly back into this channel.
If there's something specific you'd like the donation funds to be spent on, please specify in the donation notes or send me an email.

[@wesleybrehm9386]

I'm a film school student focusing on sound. One thing I've noticed is that no one seems to care about boom operations besides me. My teachers don't care, and other students don't care. I'm so glad I found your channel. Thank you for taking the time to cover boom operations!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Sure thing! That's the reason why there's such little care of what we do. Holding a pole is a small part of it. Side note... Most technique they teach in school is wrong.

[@Knightofspirit]

I always say that the LAV is the GoPro and the boom is the Alexa, so the camera guys can understand.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I've said the same thing sometimes when in a feisty mood... DP: Aren't they laved? Me: That's like you shooting coverage with a GoPro.

[@HLBURDETTEFILMS]

Facts

[@SoundSpeeds]

Truth

[@SoundSpeeds]

I don't understand that spam.

[@jasonnakai4700]

You two are powerhouses in pro sound, great episode

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thank you.

[@douglasgrizzell9834]

Gentleman. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to your chatting about the worlds greatest but most under appreciated careers in the world, the Boom Operator. I wished I had known you two during my 20 year tenure in the business because you two are on the same page as I am as far as experience and work ethics. Two quick tips that you probably are already aware of but thought I would mention. Ken mentioned my favorite mic, the Schoeps microphone. Schoeps makes a boundary mic that is just as amazing as it's regular mics, that is really amazing rigging cars. The biggest downfall of that particular brand of mics is the fact they don't do humidity very well., or should I say at all. They will crap out in an instant and become highly unuseable. Remedy? Have two on set with you. One you use tilll you can't and keep the stand by in a tupperware, air tight plastic container full of packets of Silica gel because it will absorb the moisture and dry out so that you can swap them out when need be. 2nd tip I figured out on my own. Gunshots. The sounds of gunfire are 80% of the time are replaced in post due to the fact that they clip any recording devices but needs to be recorded to use as a guide track. In order to get the authtic sound from that particular weapon , then you point the directional mis, 415 or the 816 to the source and then then spin the barrel 180 degrees and you will catch the sound that your looking for appears. I hope this was informative.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Great info. Yeah, I've found the trick to Schoeps mics is keeping them acclimating to the weather whatever that is. Closing them in air sealed containers doesn't do it well for me but putting them in containers that still allow outside air to hit them thru the container helps that tremendously. Obviously don't let rain or anything hit them directly but keeping them constantly slowly adjusting works wonders. If moving from a cool sound stage to outside, you'll need to seal those containers up though because the temperature change will cause instant condensation to your point. As for gunshots, I usually spin my boom around backwards and capture the sound that way but also use my gunshot mics to capture them. Large diaphragm condenser mics with a high SPL are great for this as you have the decay and trail off along with the full frequency pick up and it's awesome. Hardlining is key though. Great info and thanks for watching.

[@MichaelWynneCAS]

Allen, thank you for bringing Ken Strain on your channel. Really enjoyed listening to both of your insights! My favorite was "Wires get the Dialogue, Boom gets the Performance!" Love this, will be using this on set!

[@SoundSpeeds]

I used it a few times on P-Valley. It's something I'm so glad he said in this video.

[@SoundSpeeding]

"Wires get the Dialogue, Boom gets the Performance!" We need to turn this into a meme, spread this phrasing far and wide! Get everyone knowing it.

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@SoundSpeeding I want it on a shirt!

[@SoundSpeeding]

@@SoundSpeeds and baseball caps!

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@SoundSpeeding Me too!

[@SoundSpeeding]

I've heard it said that the boom op and the 1st AC are the two toughest / highly skilled jobs on set! And I'm inclined to agree.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Honestly... the 1st AC probably has the most difficult job on a film set. The focal plane of a lens at 2.8 or wide open is razor thin and you gotta keep someone in focus having not seen rehearsal, the actors don't know their exact marks and the dolly is still finding it's place in the shot. Luckily because of focus assist, their job is less of a guessing game and might be a little easier than it used to be. Perhaps us boom ops got them now. I'm not sure.

[@crfvp4u]

I was smiling the entire time I was watching this because it is soooo spot on the real life. I enjoyed this tremendously. Thank you.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thank you! This was a fun video to make. We collaborated again on this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWHEmIJ3YpiZpLs Another Top 10 list.

[@harrij.9542]

I watched Ken's course on videomantis. It was worth the price of 60 dollars. I would have liked to watch alot more of that stuff.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Ken is awesome! I hope he releases more videos.

[@HackMyControlSystem]

Took it over the weekend and walked away with so much knowledge.

[@yevhenhribanov5428]

Ken is such an amazing person, true professional with very inspiring attitude. His masterclass is a treasure well of information, you play it and immediately realize you'll have to watch it over again. Looking forward to his big book to be finally released. Thank you for the guest, Allen!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Ken's Masterclass came to Atlanta two weeks ago and I loved meeting him in person. Even as a veteran career boom op, I learned a lot. He's a gem to those of our profession and as a person.

[@VideoMantisEducation]

What an awesome video! Hi Ken and thank you Allen for this incredible resource!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Dude, thank you for everything you do. Your vault alone is one of the most awesome sound things on the internet today.

[@chemicalcupcake431]

Picked up those mechanix gloves last week for a commercial set and wow they were helpful. Super smooth boom operation with them on! Thanks for the recommendation!

[@SoundSpeeds]

My pleasure. I love how thin and nonbulky they are. I must have bought 12 different gloves before I found them and there are many different kinds of Mechanix gloves each with different feels.

[@Kookosnakki]

This was quality content!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Humbly... I agree.

[@SoundSpeeding]

oh man, that point about poor operators who are inconsistent hits so close to home! :-( For example yesterday I had a critical shot for sound, but the actor was being inconsistent in the rehearsal, so I asked her to pick a spot for her mark at which she delivers her dialogue. Which she did, because once "someone" (me!) gave her a mark then she happily clicked into hitting that point. I then got myself figured out against her mark for where my edge of frameline is at that point in the scene, plus a few extra inches for safety, then I lined up my spot against the far wall. Did the take, went great! Going for another take now... and before we even start rolling the DoP shouts at me "boom in shot" I'm thinking "WTF", as at this point I hadn't even dropped down my boom into place, I was cradling it somewhere up in the air roughly a foot or even higher than my actual mark, as I used my other hand to fiddle with my Maxx recorder. HOW ON EARTH can in be in shot? When I'm so far above my mark, that I haven't even got myself into position yet! Unfortunately this DoP was just extremely inconsistent himself in his camera operation, even worse he'd go into each take with seemingly no plan or only a rough idea. I'd ask him for instance after a rehearsal how it was for him, and if he might be doing anything different? Nope, no help at all, no idea. So each take I'd sometimes have no idea as to which actor he was planning to follow with his camera, if he'd follow them down as they sit or let them fall out of frame, or what! Just mad chaos guesswork.

[@SoundSpeeds]

That's the worst! No help and inconsistency and as a topper... people watching the monitor will think you're the one without skill.

[@SoundSpeeding]

@@SoundSpeeds yes, they think you're the one "without skill". When that wasn't really the case, you nailed your marks! It is something I've been pondering lately, the big impact the others who are around you (or not around you!) can make yourself look. Working with better people: makes you look better! Even if you're the same person before/after NOT working with certain people that you need (like a boom op....): can make you look worse! Even though it wasn't really your fault, but the production's underresourcing of the sound department.

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@SoundSpeeding They're so willing to OMB the sound department but camera gets a full crew.

[@SoundSpeeding]

Tip #2 Listening: during the previous tip you were talking about the importance of looking after your physical health, I reckon this applies here as well. Got to look after your ears! I hear of some folks going home at the end of the day with their ears ringing, that SHOCKS me that they're listening to it too loud! But even if I'm cautious, I can find it tricky for myself. For example I recently did a horror short film that seemed to entirely be whispering or SHOUTING, where do I put my gain there? Either too high and risk my ears, or too low and not able to critically listen to the whispering sections. Another recent case was during a web series, the take was fairly normal in terms of levels, if anything slightly on the low level, just a bit of chatting between a small group of actors. But... then right at the end of the take, immediately after "cut" the actress cracked a random joke which made everyone else on set EXPLODE IN LAUGHTER! Arrrrrggghhh my ears! And there was a low low ceiling, I was at full extension, so by the time I had made my boom safe, and got a hand free to crank down the volume, it was too late, I had already had the full impact of the laughter explosion hit my ears. Tip #3 Rehearsals: do you ever swing a boom around during a rehearsal? I frequently do, I find it helps me get a feel for the scene and the environment. Although what bugs me a lot is those sets which has people shouting out "BOOM IN SHOT" during a take (gee... don't you know what a *rehearsal* is?? You basically NEVER hear someone say "OUT OF FOCUS" during a rehearsal practice run)

[@SoundSpeeds]

I always swing a boom during the camera rehearsals but if you swung one around during a marking rehearsal, everyone would think you're nuts. I know what you mean about the whispers and yells. Drives me nuts too!

[@kstrain1]

I just took delivery of an Ultimate Ears sound guard, and I will be giving my review soon. Sometimes the mixer I work wants to talk to me, and he creates a blast of painful feedback. Hopefully this can stop this from hitting my ears. pro.ultimateears.com/ue-900s-204.html

[@HubLocationSound]

Legendary episode! Thanks, Allen and Ken.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I would have been here regardless but Ken... he's awesome and the one to thank.

[@HubLocationSound]

Sound Speeds I bought his masterclass the day it came out. You should do one too.

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@HubLocationSound Proudly I was his first customer and boy was I pestering him about it for weeks and weeks before it was released. It popped up on Video Mantis but the Buy link didn't work so I started pestering Thomas Popp telling him to take my money! It's a great Master Class and perhaps I'll do one at some point. We'll have to see.

[@nickr5213]

What a great interview!

[@SoundSpeeds]

More of a collaboration than an interview. If I were to interview Ken, we'd talk for hours. He's brilliant, full of information and not afraid to share either.

[@nickr5213]

Sound Speeds I loved the format, since you both offered information. Watched the entire thing twice so far.

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@nickr5213 I'm glad you found it so helpful. I loved the back and forth nature too. Go check out his Masterclass. There's so much info in it and I can't speak highly enough about it.

[@SoundSpeeding]

@32:30 this reminds me of the defensive cycling measures I take while riding, do I wonder if that car is about to pull out from the carparking space to be a guided missile to hit me? Look at the tyres!! That gives you the clue, where are they angled? @40:50 this is soooooo frustrating! And of course you look worse as "a bad boom op" the lower down the budget levels you're working, that Cam Op (more likely, the DoP himself who is operating too) you KNOW is not being consistent as you've been NAILING your game plan, yet nobody else realizes it. And they think it is *YOU* who is getting it wrong. Or it is not just the Cam Op either.... when you've got newbie actors who don't even come to the same ballpark of hitting their marks, the camera now has to do a totally different frame and you too have to be in a totally different place too, and now you're in the scenario of "shooting the rehearsal" (even if this is your fifth take...). Which of course will run a higher risk of issues.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Well said.

[@RevoNyirenda]

Couldn't have said it any better

[@SoundSpeeds]

Totally

[@Insignistrue]

Great video! I started poking around sound department jobs not long ago and about to buy some equipment. Stumbling upon your channel is really helpful!

[@SoundSpeeds]

I'm glad you find the channel helpful. I do occasional live streams where I answer questions but you can also email me if you have any.

[@Insignistrue]

@@SoundSpeeds thanks!

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thanks for watching!

[@HackMyControlSystem]

Wow..again. This has been an education in itself. Granted I do no to micro budget shorts, this has truly helped me as a filmmaker to ensure sound has authority on my set! Those director examples are cringe worthy.

[@SoundSpeeds]

I'm glad this video benefited you. :-) Thanks for watching

[@stevestussey1928]

You brought up comfortable shoes, people forget socks are also important. Cheap think socks can also make your feet hurt, cause blisters, etc. Get some good thick socks that wick, you'll be amazed in combination with good shoes.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Great add. Especially in cold months because thick socks may not cooperate with your shoes

[@stevestussey1928]

In winter though you get used to thicker socks, even here in Georgia, but you should think about it in summer too. I have some smartwool socks that you wouldn't think because they're wool that you would wear them in summer. But they're great at wicking. I haven't tried Bombas yet. I did buy Strideline, they're comfortable, but not the best at keeping your feet temp regulated. The other thing people don't do is have multiple pairs of shoes, you should alternate shoes to let them air out. Thank again for these formative videos, even if you're not in sound, keep up the great work.

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@stevestussey1928 Even if I'm not in sound? Huh?

[@stevestussey1928]

@@SoundSpeeds I don't work in sound, but find your videos educational.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Gotcha. Thanks for watching regardless.

[@vincenttartiere3833]

Thank you for this great video, I didn't quite catch the name of the shock mounts Ken uses, which are they?

[@boomrightmasterclass]

PSC M5 Pro www.professionalsound.com/specs/m5shock.htm

[@SoundSpeeds]

Beat me to it. We both like the Cinelas and I'm also a fan of the Lyres he isn't fond of.

[@vincenttartiere3833]

Thanks for your replies, I'm only rocking rycote gear and was struggling with handling noise on a recent shoot!

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@vincenttartiere3833 Rycote makes the Invision Lyres. If you get the wrong one, they won't properly support your mic and make noise.

[@sebp400]

started late working on movie sets as a p.a. last year at 39. Is 40 too late to aim to be working as a boom op in a couple years on serious IA productions? I mean, I started going to the gym heavily a year ago and got bigger and stronger also making sure to work on strengthening my rotator cuffs but, is that enough? Or am I deluding myself and should just become a grip or a lighting tech? Thanks for you advice. I'm a sound guy, that's what I like and I'm sensitive to.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Thanks for reaching out. Sound is much more difficult to break in to than other crafts like grip. Only one person on set can run the set for the sound department and finding a mixer willing to give a novice a chance but occasionally you find one that will. You can usually join a grip team as an additional grip and they'll show you what to do one day one and all the other grips will have your back in trickier things. Sound will require you to build up a skill set while working on set. Starting on Indies and volunteer projects will gain you experience and contacts but more importantly, training in the field. Mingle with others on set and you'll meet someone willing to pay $100/day for your skills. Keep working with those people and you'll get a bit more money on another show and so forth. Eventually you'll be making decent money and as you gain experience, you can earn more. Eventually you'll be working on the bigger non-union shows. If you have the time to devote yourself to sound while making little to no money, I'd go for sound but if you don't, other crafts are easier to get into.

[@imark7777777]

Well so far I'm doing pretty good? I learned a few things but most of what I learned is I didn't pick up very many bad habits. That's probably mostly because I let my body lead what I'm doing. I went through a whole day with no fatigue and only briefly for a couple of scenes was I over my head.

[@SoundSpeeds]

A few days is one thing, full time for years is another. Keep up the great start!

[@imark7777777]

@@SoundSpeeds thanks and more importantly I forgot to mention I was facing the camera it just seemed natural for some reason? Trying to learn good habits there's this wonderful resource called watching other people fail and learning from them. It's weird I do a lot of things and find out I'm doing them the right way after the fact.

[@SoundSpeeds]

That's good! Boom ops don't work with other boom ops very often so you have to observe while you can would bring a utility. If not, it's the school of hard knocks and pissing people off on set

[@BluesClues2s]

Allen, have you found a good technique for adjusting the length of your boom pole while rolling? If you don't ever adjust the length, how do you deal with shots that may require two different positions where the length at one position ends up being very difficult for the second position?

[@SoundSpeeds]

This can be tricky. Adjusting the boom length on the fly takes time and can be noisy. I always inform the mixer that I'm making an adjustment and get cover by second boom if I need to (or have them cover the other segment I'd be long/short for). Try to time adjustments on off camera dialogue or even there is none. It's also easier to make a few smaller adjustments than one bug adjustments so if you can extend out a bit at a time, you may find better results.

[@boomrightmasterclass]

I address this very thing in my Masterclass. It's not that hard. You do need either an internal coiled cable pole, or transmitter attached to the pole. Then, you need to let the mixer know when it will happen, or you can do it in a pause in between lines.

[@SoundSpeeds]

It's all in the timing and with proper communication. :-)

[@SoundSpeeding]

@@boomrightmasterclass I can extend/compact with my externally cabled boom pole during a take. My take is that the far end extension segments (which experience more forces as you swing the pole around, thus at a greater risk of cable slap) I tie down tight with bongo ties , but my first segment or two I'll do looser with velcro straps that the XLR cable can still move in/out of smoothly if I need to change the length quickly.

[@paulwells411]

Hey Allen, I shot you a message on FB but never heard back. I enjoyed the conversation alot and I was wondering if you would recommend the 816 long shotgun over some other long shot guns?

[@SoundSpeeds]

I never received the notification. If you sent it to my Sound Speeds Facebook, I don't see it. If you sent it to me personally, I don't use Messenger so I never saw it. Sorry. The 816 works great as a long shotgun. Personally I like the sound of the MKH-70 more but the 816 works great.

[@gsixx8fpv499]

What shoes did Ken mention?

[@SoundSpeeds]

I can't remember but if he said it, it's in this video (or the other video we collaborated on)

[@iancraig]

The career path interests me. So you start, say, in your twenties and just like musicians, you’re still doing the same thing 20 years later, but hopefully with a bigger company?

[@kstrain1]

Bigger, better. With health insurance.

[@iancraig]

Well Ken. Your name certainly suits the job description. ;)

[@SoundSpeeds]

@@iancraig I bet he's never heard that one before. ;-)

[@iancraig]

Sorry Allen, I couldn’t stop myself..... ;) Think Monty Python. I never moved on.

[@SoundSpeeds]

Copy you. On another note... you haven't done any reviews lately. You doing alright?

[@commercialand]

That master class link seems to be broken, not letting me in.

[@SoundSpeeds]

The site is currently down.

[@commercialand]

@@SoundSpeeds would you have any other recommendations for studying in depth booming in regards to technical, communication, physicality and efficiency?

[@commercialand]

@@SoundSpeeds what are you thoughts about the zoom f6 32 float? I'm looking to mix and and boom soon and I really like the idea of not having to worry to much about working the fader, do you have a video on this?

[@SoundSpeeds]

Aside from Ken's Masterboom class and my 3BO videos, I'm not aware of anything else out there.

[@SoundSpeeds]

In the next month I'll be doing a video about 32 bit floating point.