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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.
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 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. After jury-rigging a handful of booms that didn't end up working, I went looking for a professional boom pole. Recently I tested the K-102 boom pole from K-Tek.
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. I've used broom sticks, shower rods, long pieces of wood - whatever it took to get the mic out over the talent and pick up a good audio feed. If you think it's easy, try this: attach a can of food to the end of a broom handle and hold it above your head and away from your body for...