Pro Tip: HOW TO HOLD A BOOM

[@MrNotThatFamous]

no joke, forgetting to turn the power on is always my biggest issue.

[@PogieJoe]

I like this Kevin fellow. You should keep him.

[@rpeters330]

He's been with them since season 1

[@PogieJoe]

rpeters330 I suspected he's been there a while. I was just making a joke. :)

[@MovieVisions]

Nice video, but I guess you missed one important thing: When you boom someone speaking, the mic should always point at his/her chest and not the mouth. This is a pretty common mistake made by beginners. Usually boom mics are directional mics so when someone is speaking and quickly turning his/her head in a conversation (which happens pretty often), a lot of sound information is lost when you point the mic directly to his/her mouth. You are safe with the chest area, because it is some kind of "sound box" for our voice. Would have loved to see that tip in the video, because i think what you are doing with RJFS is a great alternative for regular film schools. a film student

[@MovieVisions]

***** It was a pleasure helping out! Good luck with your shoot!

[@IWTBFOY]

MovieVision I was taught to boom by pointing the mic nearly straight down. So when I boom overhead It'll form a straight line from the mouth to the chest.

[@KevinSenzaki]

MovieVision Thanks for bringing that up, and that's definitely a good technique to apply! These "Pro Tip" videos are meant to be quick advise videos to get some basic techniques across, so the finer details of mic aiming and the difference of on-and-off mic by varying degrees is something I felt would be better explored in a longer video where we can get into more detail with more examples. At the same time, I totally appreciate you bringing up your point! We're directing discussion towards the RocketJump Film School forums (linked in the description) and it'd be great if you'd also consider checking us out there!

[@agral100]

This is quickly becoming one of my favourite channels ;-D

[@KahlevN]

Good stuff, I like how you're doing this in small segments, and this was fairly thorough for the subject chosen. Can't wait to see you cover the other elements of Boom Op'ing like dealing with shadows on practical sets, finding wild sources of sound that can be disabled/muffled, cabling techniques, when to move away/get closer with the mic, ways to limit your own sound creation (shoes, hand sliding on pole (there are gloves that help!), helping put on lavs, which length pole to use, and other stuffs! I will say though that if you're needing to twist the mic back and forth between actors (or really move it at all), try not to rest it on your shoulders etc., as the cloth will generate noise as the pole is turned, which will be transmitted through the pole and can actually effect sound!

[@KaitlynYang]

I like Freddie's new haircut

[@KevinSenzaki]

Kaitlyn Yang It's a really good look for him

[@xnekonekoo3594]

This Kevin Guy is a Genius xDD

[@PsychonautTV]

+xNekoNekoo ;)

[@PsychonautTV]

+xNekoNekoo ;)

[@BrianMonette]

Great pro tip Kev!

[@NegativeScion]

Appreciated that last one, Kevin.

[@tvwontturnon]

Hi Kevin, love your stuff, I've boomed for several projects now and was told that a good way to keep your arms from aching is, whenever possible to boom low enough, to press the bicep of the arm closest to the mic into your torso. This allows the arm to have more force exerted onto your body rather than gravity pulling it down and your other arm at the pole's end to pivot the pole flexibly. Another thing I was told is actually not to boom with the pole over your shoulder as this makes it difficult to move with a lack of control. Coming from the UK I was told this was the 'American' way it's done haha but if my arms are hurting too much I will sometimes do it. Are there any other tips like this that didn't make it to the video?

[@IWTBFOY]

Mitchell Ward Apple boxes are your best friend.

[@KevinSenzaki]

Mitchell Ward A lot of the specifics depend on your personal preferences and situation (and just alternating to reduce fatigue); I also do the positioning you describe in alteration with some others. I wouldn't say the "American" way is by default difficult to control; there's a lot of other aspects that can influence it like the overall boom weight, and other parts of your positioning. These "Pro Tip" videos are bite-size quick tips, so I figured it made more sense to talk about the general optimal pole position rather than get into a lot of specific holding techniques. Definitely appreciate your bringing that up though!

[@CZsWorld]

A lot of people point it at the actor's head. You need to hit their mouths, not the top of the head!

[@valentinavee]

I really enjoyed this. And not because I didn't know any of it, but because Kevin's charismatic as fuck.

[@DHPshow]

how lovely done real splendid fellahs

[@JoshPaice]

Another really helpful tip guys. Thank you!!!

[@rayyanquraishi]

Really looking forward to the cinematography episode.

[@goodoldpete]

Great job guys, keep it up!

[@rpeters330]

KEVIN EVERYONE LOVES YOU!

[@tadhgbrady]

When I use a boom pole I am often holding a tsacam zoom recorder as well that interferes with my holding of the boom pole correctly and comfortably. Do you have any tips for where to put the zoom recorder? Do they make belt clamps for them or is there a clamp that can attach to the pole you can attach the zoom recorder onto?

[@ChangoHango]

Amazing Video!

[@NoniiPlusSquare]

thank you i need to know this cuz i have a shortfilmake in few days

[@ThatGuyProductions]

Isn't the shock mount considered a piece of the boom setup? Not all boom poles come with one.

[@KevinSenzaki]

That Guy Productions Most microphones that are boom-applicable will come with at least a basic mount, but I get your point there.

[@stanmanjam]

Question: Why is it wrong to point the mic upwards (obviously in shots which are ECU to mid only)? I could see it as potentially advantageous in that you have no problems with reflected sound. What problems might it introduce?

[@marklanza7516]

+Tim Stannard well unless you are under the actors you are pointed at the ceiling, getting reflected sound is not pure sound, it adds reverberation and lowers the levels. Technically this is bad in studio as well, heat from the mics rises and you don't want that heat from the body of the mic going over the mix capsules. Really doesn't apply to live sound on a shoot.

[@stanmanjam]

You may get away with rotating a mic on a sound stage or other totally controlled environment, but I was advised (by a retired head of sound at Sky TV) that this was bad practice as you are changing the background sound by pointing the mic in different directions. Seems logical.

[@KevinSenzaki]

In really noisy locations, you ideally want to boom one actor consistently to help mitigate this issue (if it's standard over-the-should dialogue coverage, you can get one actor per setup). However, an on-mic actor with a shifting background is usually better than having one actor off-mic. A healthy signal-to-noise ratio is almost always more important (even if the audio isn't usable, you'd have clearer ADR reference). But that said, you definitely want to minimize changing backgrounds; shooting straight down and just waving back and forth is usually a decent compromise.

[@user-yl3cc5sz4f]

nice one

[@byRyanStevens]

I'd like to know what I'd need to record audio separate from a camera, mic and all included. On top of that some recommendations people can make. I don't want to spend a lot but I still want it to be decent.

[@KevinSenzaki]

+MepsiCax You'll need a recorder unit; small ones that record to SD card like the Zoom H4n, Zoom H6, etc. are pretty popular. For microphone, a shotgun microphone like the Rode NTG2 (or NTG3 if you have the cash) is a good one to start with that will perform well in the majority of environments. You'll need headphones to monitor your sound (I'd recommend over-ear headphones instead of earbuds, for both comfort and sound insulation - but earbuds will work), an XLR cable to connect your microphone to your recorder, and, ideally, a boom pole with a shock mount, though these can be a bit pricey if you buy new. You can attach a microphone to something other than a boom pole if need be, but for their size, boom poles are pretty light and do their job pretty well.

[@byRyanStevens]

Kevin Senzaki Thanks a lot. Was really surprised to see you reply. Really appreciate it!

[@KevinSenzaki]

Absolutely! I try to check the comments periodically, but it's easy to miss stuff. If you have any tough questions down the line, definitely check out the RJFS forums (link in video description); I check those more frequently, and there may be a post with an answer to your question already, if you're lucky!

[@byRyanStevens]

Kevin Senzaki I just looked over the stuff you told me about and it's still quite expensive considering I'm just starting out. Is their any cheap alternative? Obviously the quality would be lower but that'd be something I'd have to deal with.

[@KevinSenzaki]

Recording audio independently is an investment, and the above is unfortunately about as cheap as you can get, using "conventional" equipment. However, if you're doing shooting with mediums and close-ups in reasonably quiet locations, you can also get good material using an onboard shotgun microphone. If you're on a DSLR, I would recommend something like the Rode VideoMic Pro. The biggest factor affecting audio quality is microphone proximity/placement, but for conventional dialogue coverage, you should be fine (I would recommend wild lines or using audio from closer shots if you cut to a wide; an onboard won't pick up wides very well).

[@DylanSaliba]

lol, Freddy lost a little weight! :P Good stuff, thanks for sharing!

[@JavierGonzalez-vf6rr]

Is that angle between the mic and pole important or could it be at 90°?

[@commercialand]

Could you please do a tutorial on which actor to boom? do we always boom the actors who are not intended in the shot? or just boom the actor who is on camera? I have seen boom opts try to boom both but cannot get back in time to boom the actor on camera.

[@KevinSenzaki]

This depends mostly on the coverage being shot - if there's a wide and two closeups, you can try to get both actors evenly in the wide (or favor one if he/she is facing camera more), and then concentrate on the on-screen actor in the closeups. However, if the scene's being shot differently, you may need to change the plan - I'll often ask questions on set if there's ever confusion about what specific coverage we're shooting.

[@m.d.6068]

This video consists of a short and brief summary of what a boom operator does on set. Someone studying film for 4 years or more might find this video very reductive, especially If his career is that of a boom operator. I hope there are no aspiring boom operators out there thinking that 2 minutes of explaining how to hold the mic are enough for you to become a professional in this field. Any kind of education that will get your mind going about sound for a film could very well mean a four-year college, as many nowadays boom operators attend. Still, it could also mean countless hours volunteering on student or low-budget movies, web series, or any media projects you can get your foot into just to gain some on-set experience. When aspiring to become a Boom Operator, you must know how to operate and handle all of the sound equipment needed on a shot. The knowledge of the sound equipment is imperative to both understand the job and be able to communicate with other crew members. A boom operator might sometimes be the only member representing the sound department at the location where a scene is taking place. If the boom operator notices a wire hanging out of an actor's pocket, it is visible in the shot. Still, no one else sees it; possessing diplomatic language and knowing how to approach the situation and talk to the star actor is essential in resolving those kinds of minor problems that could save a ton of time in a post or improve the quality of the scene substantially. Most of the time, a particular type of body, body posture, athleticism, endurance, equilibrium, balance, and tenacity are required to perform this job as it is an all-day physical experience. Other crew members that feel skilled enough in this field or want to experiment with such professional expertise or need to challenge themselves out of necessity in losing weight, becoming more athletic, or for any adjustments they feel they need to make might want to become one for a specific amount of time. I have experienced many actors when in between acting jobs but still had enough behind-the-camera experience likes to perform such functions on set to challenge themselves in losing weight or gaining the body needed to go back to acting or to book or perform a specific role that requires a different physicality to that one they have in that very moment. This way, they are still working a job within the field and, at the same time, changing their body for the better for any future goals they might have as actors.

[@dayandknight.]

Here comes the BOOM!!!

[@bishopknight-sm]

"If you hold it like a fishing pole, not only do you look like a complete perv..." XD

[@genesismingle2056]

I like this dude He sounds funny tho 😁

[@monkeyxx]

the information was good but the LOL's were great

[@ChangoHango]

FIRST! Under 301+ club :D

[@MegaOrcas]

Kevin reminds me of solid snake

[@Richard_Bumblebee]

0:28 *surprised Pikachu face*

[@obamahadalama]

Kevin you have the voice of Patrick Bateman.

[@KevinSenzaki]

+obamahadalama This is not the first time I've been compared to Patrick Bateman; what is going ON

[@ChickenTikiMasala]

A bean pole with a boom pole. :P

[@ajminifigure]

quality

[@MrGrobor]

Well, i just shot a short movie thing and guess waht, the atmo mic was turned off. For fucks i feels so stupid.

[@KyleLi]

You know whats worse? The fact that I spent 12 hours filming multiple timelapses for a documentary and realized I didn't record any of it except for a clip where I was talking about how ironic it would be if I didn't record any of it.

[@MrGrobor]

Kyle Li holy shit. That requires some serious talent for fucking things up :D

[@MrGrobor]

***** Yep. I feel the same...

[@KyleLi]

Voldemortred I was using a DSLR with magic lantern for the first time, and didn't realize I had set my timelapses to 0 second video instead of images.

[@DAThegreat]

Kyle Li That's some hard core irony right there

[@rebeccabell1994]

How do peoples arms not get tired is why I'm watching this video ...

[@thatphangirl7073]

PROTIP

[@2inchfromtheground]

you dont point it at their head you point it at the talents mouth

[@antmantheraven]

This dude looks like Joel olstein

[@SidiceProductions]

21 like xD