What A Boom Operator Does On Set: Crew Breakdown

INTRODUCTION

In this series I go behind the scenes and look at some of the different crew positions on movie sets and what each of these jobs entails. If you’ve ever watched any behind the scenes videos on filmmaking you’ve probably seen this person, holding this contraption. 

In this Crew Breakdown video I’ll go over the position in the sound department of the boom operator, to break down what they do, their average day on set and some tips which they use to be the best in their field.

ROLE

The boom operator, boom swinger or first assistant sound is responsible for placing the microphone on a set in order to capture dialogue from the actors or any necessary sounds in a scene.

They do this by connecting a boom mic, or directional microphone, to a boom pole. The mic is then connected either with an XLR cable or wirelessly to a sound mixer where the sound intensity is adjusted to the correct level. 

On feature films this mixing is done separately by the sound recordist who heads the department, and is responsible for recording all the audio and delegating the positioning of the mic to the boom operator. However, for low budget features, TV shoots, documentaries or commercials, the role of the sound recordist and the boom swinger is sometimes performed simultaneously by one person.

To get the best possible sound and capture dialogue clearly the microphone usually needs to be placed as close as possible to the actors. Since film frames have quite a lot of width to them and see a lot of the location the best way to get the microphone in close to the action without it entering the shot is to attach it to a boom pole, with the mic angled downwards and use the length of the boom held overhead to position the microphone directly above the actors and outside of the top of the frame.

For stationary shots without camera movement this involves finding a position for the boom and holding it throughout the take. Sometimes for long documentary  interviews this can be done with the help of a stand. However, for shots which involve camera movement or actors that are moving and talking, the boom operator is tasked with performing a kind of dance. They need to move tighter or wider as the camera does, always fighting to get the mic as close as possible while making sure it never dips into the frame and enters the shot. If this happens during a take the DP, director or 1st AD will often call out ‘boom’. 

While the act of operating the boom mic during filming is their primary responsibility, there are also some other tasks that boom swingers need to perform.

Dialogue is usually captured by two different types of microphones, the boom mic, as we mentioned, as well as lapel or lav microphones. These are small microphones which are strapped directly onto the actors with a clip or with an adhesive tape. They are usually positioned under clothing near the chest or throat area so that they will pick up intimate sound but be unseen by the camera.

These microphones are attached to a transmitter. This wirelessly transmits the recorded sound to a receiver that is then connected to a sound mixer where the audio feed is recorded. The boom operator is usually responsible for attaching this lav microphone to the necessary actors.

It’s best practice to always inform and explain how you’ll be attaching the mic to the actor, as it can be a bit invasive. Experienced actors are aware of this but it’s still professional to ask their permission before touching them or putting on the lav mic. 

The boom operator also assists the sound recordist with any necessary technical builds or changes, such as switching out batteries or attaching a lock it box for synchronising timecode onto the camera. 

AVERAGE DAY ON SET

After arriving on set the boom operator will track down a copy of the shooting schedule and sides. This lists what scenes are planned for the day and pages from the script with dialogue for those scenes.They’ll read the sides to see what dialogue needs to be recorded and what actors need to be mic-ed up. They’ll replace the necessary batteries and make sure everything is charged up and ready to go. 

The boom operator or the sound recordist may test that their audio feed is getting transmitted to VT and hand out a pair of headphones and receiver to the director for them to monitor the sound during takes.

The boom operator will mic up any actors in the scene that have dialogue and prep their boom setup. This may involve changing their gear, such as using a blimp, or a ‘deadcat’ as it’s called, to cut out wind noise if they are recording a scene outdoors.

They’ll find out the lens that the camera is shooting with, or take a peek at the monitor to see how wide the frame is and how close they can position the boom without getting in the shot.

Once ready to record a take the 1st AD will call roll sound, and the sound recordist will begin recording, then the cameras will roll. The boom swinger will then move the mic over so that it’s directed at the 2nd AC, who will announce the information on the clapper board and then give it clap so that the editor has a point where they can sync the sound with the video. The boom operator will then quickly position the boom above the actors and be ready to begin recording dialogue. 

They always wear headphones while recording which can help them to position the boom further away, closer or at a different angle to get the best possible sound.

When recording sound the default rule is to usually capture whatever audio is present on screen.

So, for wider shots where multiple actors are in a frame the boom swinger may alternate and move the boom closer to whoever is speaking, positioning the mic back and forth as the actors exchange dialogue. Then for close ups where only a single actor is on screen they will usually focus only on recording sound for that actor alone. When the camera switches to a close up of the next actor then their full sound will get recorded. By doing this they will then have clear dialogue for both actors which the editor can use at their discretion. 

Sometimes if the boom was unable to capture a certain sound effect or a certain line of dialogue during a scene then they will pull the actor aside between setups and record what is known as wild sound - sound that isn’t recorded with any specific video footage but which may be synchronised or used later. 

They may also need to record ‘room tone’, a quiet ambient recording of the space without any dialogue. This can be placed as a layer underneath the dialogue in the edit to make the cuts more natural and provide a background noise to the scene. 

In this case the 1st AD will make an announcement to the set, the crew will awkwardly freeze so as not to make any noise and the mic will record about a minute of quiet, ambient sound.

TIPS

Since any footage where the boom dips into shot will be unusable one of the most valuable skills for boom operators is to know how wide a frame is. If you’re starting out, it’s useful to look at the framing on the monitor and find what is called an ‘edge of frame’. This could be a marker on the set which indicates what is in or out of the shot.

As boom operators become more experienced they’ll begin to learn focal length sizes and be able to place the boom without needing to look at a frame. For example, if they know how wide a 35mm lens is then they can imagine its field of view and be sure to stay out of it. 

As space on a set can sometimes be limited, it is useful to find the best position to stand before shooting begins. When finding a position it’s important to be mindful of how the camera and actors will move and to identify any lights that may cast shadows or reflective surfaces that will pick up the mic in shot.

Always make sure to never position the boom between a light source and a character, as it will cast a shadow of the gear in the image. Adjusting the length of the boom so that it has enough reach, but isn’t overextended will also save space and mean that it stays out of the way of other crew members, gear or lights. 

Boom mics are directional, meaning that they capture whatever sound they are pointed at most prominently. Any sound behind or off to the side of the mic will be recorded much softer. Therefore positioning the boom overhead with the mic facing down towards the speaker is most common. 

In a dialogue scene with two people close together the operator may be able to turn the angle of the directional mic toward whoever is speaking at the time without needing to move the position of the actual pole.  

If the frame has a lot of headroom it is also possible to boom sound from underneath the frame. However, when recording outside this may sometimes pick up excess aviation noise if any planes pass overhead, so should be avoided unless it’s necessary.  

If you’ve ever operated a boom during a long scene you’ll know that holding it in an awkward position gets surprisingly heavy surprisingly quickly. The solution is to either spend more time at the gym or find positions that better mitigate the weight of the mic pole, such as resting it on a shoulder or on the head.