WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SHOTGUN MIC AND A BOOM MIC…? (In the Entertainment industry. A shotgun mic and a boom mic?)

Rode NTG 2ShotgunMic / Photo Credit: Top Found Footage Films - Rode

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SHOTGUN MIC AND A BOOM MIC…? (In the Entertainment industry. A shotgun mic and a boom mic?)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

What’s the difference between a shotgun mic and a boom mic?

Shotgun

Shotgun refers to the polar pattern of the microphone. Shotgun mics are typically a hypercardiod pattern. This means the mic is very directional i.e. you can point it at and it will only pick up the subject, not the surrounding ambience.

For close-ups and medium-angle shots, you’ll find you’re better served with a good shotgun mic like either the Audio-Technica AT8035 or Sennheiser MKH 8060. Boom-mounted shotgun mics let you pick up a focused area, with very little off-axis noise, and their tight polar pattern provides better performances at longer distances than typical condenser microphones. That said, you don’t want to back them away more than necessary, and you’re almost always better served by putting separate shotgun mics on each actor.

Shotgun microphones are also the kind of mic you want to use shooting outdoors with any kind of wind. A shotgun mic windscreen, known commonly as a dead cat (because of its furry covering), dead wombat, windsock, zeppelin, or blimp, will make microphones usable in outdoor settings where wind is an issue.

Blimp2-largeShotgun mics do present their own unique set of challenges, though. First, you may need a bit of additional equipment to make the best use of them. While it’s possible to stand-mound a shotgun mic for speakers who aren’t going to move, if you’re shooting any degree of action (even just someone walking around a bit) you’ll need a boom pole and a special shock mount. Take it outdoors, and you can add a blimp with a dead cat to the list. But that’s only half of it — you’ll also need a crew who knows how to keep boom-mounted shotgun mics trained on the talent and out of the shot, which is harder than you might think.

Pro Tip: For face-to-face interviews, you can aim a couple of shotgun mics placed between the speakers up at their mouths (and off camera). They won’t pick up the voice talent they’re not aimed at, and the sound will probably be way better than what you’ll get from a lav.

Lavaliers

Lavalier microphones were born for the wide-angle lens and talent who like to move around a lot. These button-sized microphones are often called lapel mics, but before you go pinning one on, there are a few things you’ll want to know about them. First off, lavs typically come in omnidirectional and cardioid configurations, and these are great for different applications.

Cardioid lavs like the Shure WL185 or DPA 4080-BM block out off-axis background noise and are ideal for isolating actors when they’re close together, but you need to aim the mic at the actor’s mouth.

Omni lavs like the RODE smartLav+ or Sennheiser MKE 2 Gold provide a more natural sound and allow you to more freely position the mic, but they pick up a lot of ambient background noise and other actors.

Regardless of which you choose, the lavalier microphones’ diminutive size allows for positioning within scenes (in flower arrangements or behind set pieces), but they also provide a few hurdles you’ll need to avoid. First, since they’re usually mounted on clothing, you run the risk of turning a garment into a giant noise source, and when clothing rubs against the diaphragm of a lav, the sound is an awful scraping noise. Even with omni lavs, which are more forgiving than the cardioid variety, if the mic is placed too far from the center of the chest, and the speaker’s head moves too much, you’ll get some weird frequency artifacts. Finally, lavs are small but still visible. If you’re filming in close, they might not be the right choice.

Pro Tip: Head worn mics can also be super useful for these applications. Many these days are made in “nude” or skin-toned colors and are practically invisible under the right circumstances, and they get the mic far closer to the wearer’s mouth than a lav will. You can even use clever camera angles to completely hide them, even for close-ups.

Boom

Boom only refers to the type of stand (i.e. an overhead mic stand commonly used in film shoots). You can put any mic on a boom - directional mics, omnidirectional mics, and binaural mics - depending on what you want to record.

A boom operator is an assistant of the production sound mixer. The principal responsibility of the boom operator is microphone placement, usually using a boom pole (or "fish pole") with a microphone attached to the end (called a boom mic), their aim being to hold the microphone as close to the actors or action as possible without allowing the microphone or boom pole to enter the camera's frame.

Invention of the boom mic

The first noted use of a boom mic was on the set of Beggars of Life (1928) when director William A. Wellman wanted a tracking shot of two actors walking down a street, and the sound man refused, telling the director that the actors had to be static and the microphone had to be hidden in a flowery vase. Wellman said "that's crazy" and instructed the sound man to put the microphone on a broom-handle and walk along the actors just outside of the frame. According to David O. Selznick, "I was also present on the stage when a microphone was moved for the first time by Wellman, believe it or not. Sound was relatively new and at that time the sound engineer insisted that the microphone be steady. Wellman, who had quite a temper in those days, got very angry, took the microphone himself, hung it on a boom, gave orders to record—and moved it."

Another instance of a prototype boom mic was on The Wild Party (1929). To allow Clara Bow to move freely on the set, director Dorothy Arzner had technicians rig a microphone onto a fishing rod.

A patent was filed a year later for a very similar sound-recording device by Edmund H Hansen, a sound engineer at the Fox Film Corporation.

The job: 

• Positioning microphones during filming…
• Making sure that microphones don’t get in the way of cameras or actors…
• Looking after sound equipment… 

To do this role you will need to: 

• Have a basic understanding of electronics…
• Have a good working knowledge of all sound recording equipment…
• Understand microphones, lighting techniques and camera lens angles…
• Have an interest in acoustics and audio technology…
• Have excellent listening skills…
• Have good physical stamina, dexterity and agility…
• Have good timing and the ability to anticipate…
• Have a good memory…
• Be patient, flexible and reliable…
• Have good attention to detail…
• Be diplomatic and sensitive on set…
• Understand the relevant health and safety laws and procedures… 

What does a boom operator do?

Boom Operators assist the Production Sound Mixer and operate the boom microphone. This is either hand-held on a long arm or dolly mounted (on a moving platform). If radio or clip microphones are required, Boom Operators position them correctly around the set or location, or on actors’ clothing.

Boom Operators are responsible for positioning microphones so that Sound Mixers can capture the best quality dialogue and sound effects. If this is done well, a great deal of money can be saved by not having to re-record (post-sync) the dialogue at a later stage.

Boom Operators are also responsible for all the sound equipment, ensuring that it is in good working order, and carrying out minor repairs where necessary.

Boom Operators begin work on the first day of principal photography. They have to read the script and familiarize themselves with the characters and their lines of dialogue. Members of the Sound Department arrive half-an-hour before call time, in order to unload and set up all the sound equipment.

Boom Operators are given “sides” (small booklets of pages from the script that are to be shot each day. They have to memorize all lines of dialogue and anticipate when to move the boom during filming. During rehearsals Boom Operators carefully note all planned camera movements and lighting requirements. They have to make sure that the microphone does not accidentally fall into shot or cast shadows.

Boom Operators are on set virtually all day. They work very closely with the Camera Crew. They are often asked to move slightly because of lights or camera angles and Boom Operators may also make similar requests. They finish work when the film wraps (is completed).

Boom Operators work on a freelance basis, and report directly to Production Sound Mixers in Production Sound Departments. They usually specialize in film or television, but may also work on commercials. The hours are long and the work often involves long periods working away from home.

Applications

Often in television studios, the boom operator will use a "fisher boom", which is a more intricate and specialized piece of equipment on which the operator stands, allowing precise control of the microphone at a greater distance from the actors. They will also attach wireless microphones to persons whose voice requires recording. Boom poles are usually manufactured from several lengths of aluminum or carbon fibre tubing, allowing the boom to be extended and collapsed as the situation requires.

Some poles have a microphone cable routed through the inside of the pole, which may be a regular cable protruding at the bottom end, or a coiled cable that can extend with the pole, connecting to a socket at the base into which the operator plugs the microphone cable. The ideal boom pole is lightweight and strong, supporting the weight of the microphone on the end while adding as little weight as possible.

Frequently, a wind-attenuating cover, called a "blimp" or "mic-blimp", is used to enclose the microphone. A blimp covered with sound-absorbing fuzzy fabric is usually nicknamed a windmuff or a "dead cat". In film crew jargon, the gruesome-sounding phrase dead cat on a stick is simply a boom microphone fitted with a fuzzy wind-screen.

The boom operator and production sound mixer may often be combined into a job performed by one person, usually when the crew number is to be kept minimal, such as for documentaries or news collecting, or in low budget productions. The one-man unit is often known simply as a "sound recordist" or "sound man", and would perform all on set sound duties.

The boom operator must decide where to place the microphone based on a combination of factors, including the location and projection of any dialogue, the frame position of the camera, the source of lighting (and hence shadows) and any unwanted noise sources. Often the boom operator will need to be as familiar with the script as are the actors, as they may be required to tilt or move the microphone according to who is speaking.

In productions with a bigger budget, more than one boom operator may be used, with each operator focusing on a different actor.

Having the boom mic or its shadow appear on the screen in a completed picture is considered a sign of poor film-making. Notable examples include the mic's shadow appearing above two crewmen flying a plane in Plan 9 from Outer Space and the mic itself dipping into the frame numerous times in Rudy Ray Moore's film Dolemite. The TV Tropes wiki has a list on its "Visible Boom Mic" trope page demonstrating more examples. Pastiches of bad film-making may also use boom mic visibility to spoof their material.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Jeff Mann, Sweetwater,

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND BRUCE BISBEY MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF PERFORMANCE, MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, REGARDING THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR TIMELINESS OF THIS INFORMATION. YOUR USE OF THIS INFORMATION IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND RISK OF LOSS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION. BRUCE BISBEY WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, WHETHER IN AN ACTION BASED UPON A STATUTE, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATING TO THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION.

Rode NTG 2ShotgunMic / Photo Credit: Top Found Footage - Films Rode