TRIPOD HEAD (In the Entertainment industry. What is a Tripod head?)

Left to right: Ball head, one-way tilt head and three way tilt head Photo Credit: Tony The Tiger - Wikipedia

TRIPOD HEAD (In the Entertainment industry. What is a Tripod head?)

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

Tripod head

A tripod head is the part of a tripod system that attaches the supported device (such as a camera) to the tripod legs, and allows the orientation of the device to be manipulated or locked down. Modular or stand-alone tripod heads can be used on a wide range of tripods, allowing the user to choose which type of head best suits their needs. Integrated heads are built directly onto the tripod legs, reducing the cost of the tripod system.

The main function of any tripod head is to provide the ability to hold the attached device fixed in a specific orientation until the user needs to change its position. In the case of a photographic camera, this can help reduce vibration that would appear when using relatively slow shutter speeds while still being able to quickly recompose for another shot, or allow for very long exposures. In cinematography or video applications, a tripod head allows the camera operator to pan and tilt with much more control when compared to hand-holding the camera.

The various types of tripod heads available provide different control mechanisms and have distinct applications. Some can restrict movement to a single axis, while others offer robotic movement to increase the precision of the movements. The materials used to construct tripod heads and the physical designs of various heads can be drastically different, depending on their intended use.

In some situations a tripod head may be used without a set of tripod legs. Heads can be attached to monopods to provide more versatility, or to a simple plate with a base mount for when the height of a full tripod is unnecessary.

Base mounts

The base mount is the connection between the tripod head and the tripod legs. Often the head will have a fairly large, flat base that sits on top of the tripod, and uses cork or rubber to increase the friction between the two, to prevent the head from unscrewing during use. The actual connection between the two is often made with a screw. A common standard for base mounts on photographic tripod equipment is a 1/4-20 screw on the tripod (a screw that is 1/4 inches in diameter, with 20 threads per inch) and a matching receptacle on the camera base. Tripods intended for larger photographic equipment that require more rugged support (such as professional grade video graphic equipment) may use a larger 3/8-16 screw, but often include an adapter for 1/4-20 mounts.

Head mounts

The point where the tripod head and the device attach is called the head mount. Most camera equipment includes a built-in female 1/4-20 receptacle, so the majority of tripod heads utilize a male 1/4-20 screw as their head mounts. Many consumer level tripod heads use the bare head mount to attach the camera, but higher end models often include a camera mounting system that is pre-attached to the head mount.

Camera mount

Camera mounting systems are used to make attaching and detaching devices to the tripod quicker and easier. Many mounting systems are called "quick-release" systems, and utilize a two-piece mechanism. One piece is a plate that is affixed to the underside of the device, and the other piece is a receiver (normally mounted to the tripod head's head mount) that is specifically designed to hold the plate. This is often achieved with a groove or a taper on the plate, and a locking release on the receiver that allows for quick removal of the device.

Arca-Swiss style

Camera equipment maker Arca-Swiss independently developed a quick-release system for use on their tripod heads. It is based on plates that are 38mm wide, and have a 45° dovetail,[1] which is held into place on the receiver with a screw clamp. Starting in the 1990s, with the popularization of the Arca-Swiss B-1 ball head, many other companies began producing plates and including Arca-Swiss style (sometimes referred to as arca-type) receivers on their tripod heads. Many other manufacturers now utilize this system, including Acratech, FEISOL, and Giotto’s, Kirk Photo, Really Right Stuff, Wimberley and others. Today most plates are machined aluminum which are attached to the cameras or lenses with a 1/4-20 hex screw.

Another aspect of the Arca-Swiss system is that the mounting plates are designed to prevent accidental rotation of the plate relative to the device. When used with a camera or camera body the plates incorporate an anti-rotation flange or lip. When mounted to a lens with a foot, the plate will often be secured with two screws to prevent rotation. When this type of system is used, the camera cannot become accidentally detached from the tripod, which is possible when using a quick-release system that doesn't prevent rotation, or when no camera mount is used. Nearly all makes and models of modern SLRs, medium format cameras, and large lenses have specific plates available with anti-rotation flanges. There are plates available for certain models of other formats of cameras, such as point and shoots, as well. Universal mounting plates are also available, which can be used with nearly any camera with a tripod mount, though they provide little or no anti-rotation protection.

Some plates and receivers implement further failsafe’s. In the event that the receiver clamp is loosened slightly, it is possible the plate would be able to slide out of the receiver completely. To prevent this, grooves are added to the receiver and small protrusions (stops) are added to the plate (often in the form of small screws, so that they are removable). Even if the clamp should loosen, the stops would limit the movement of the plate to only within the grooves, preventing a complete disconnect, and often equipment damage.

Even though arca-type systems from various vendors are similar, variations do create some incompatibilities. The width of the mounting plates, as well as the depth and angle of the dovetails, can introduce such incompatibilities when mixing components from different brands. While the traditional screw clamp used to hold plates can accommodate various plate widths, some clamps use a lever-release, which has much lower tolerances. Often the lever-release clamps are only guaranteed to be compatible with plates from the same brand, though they are still considered to be arca-type, and often are compatible with other plates.

Ball heads

A ball head, showing panoramic rotation lock lever, and ball lock knob.

A ball head uses a ball and socket type joint for orientation control. The ball sits in a socket, which can be tightened to lock the ball in place. A stem extends from the ball which terminates at the head mount. They tend to have fewer parts than other types of tripod heads due to their simple mechanism, but the parts must be precisely machined to fit well together and provide smooth movement, increasing their average price. Ball heads offer the convenience of simple controls, but are lacking in terms of precise movements, making specific alignment and image positioning a challenge.

The most basic ball heads offer a single control, a tension control, which is used to tighten or loosen the joint and prevent or allow movement of the attached device. Higher end heads may offer additional controls. Some have independent panning control, which allow the entire joint mechanism to be rotated horizontally 360°, while maintaining the orientation of the ball joint. Other ball heads include an additional control on the joint, called a drag control. This allows the user to set a secondary tension level on the ball, based on the current load, to hold the attached device in place when the tension control is disengaged, while still allowing explicit movements.

Pan heads

A 3-way pan-tilt head on a tripod, showing panoramic rotation, lateral tilt, and front tilt controls

A pan head, also called pan and tilt head, allows independent rotation of the camera about two or three perpendicular axes, which normally do not intersect. Typical pan heads have lockable levers for each axis, a scale marked in degrees at least for the vertical axis, and one or more spirit levels. This construction is significantly more complicated than that of a ball head.

Pan heads can be used for panoramas, but suffer from the deficiency that the axes of rotation normally do not go through the entrance pupil of the lens and thus can give rise to problems with parallax. A better choice for panoramas is a custom-built panoramic tripod head.

Some specialist pan heads, such as the Induro PHQ series, offer up to five axes of rotation, two of them in parallel with the other axes.

Geared heads

A geared head takes a pan and tilt head and adds gears to each of the axes. They typically have a release on each axis to allow for rough positioning the camera, and geared controls then allow small adjustments to finesse composition. They are typically heavier than ball or pan heads due to the weight of the mechanisms.

Panoramic heads

Panoramic heads facilitate taking a number of images that will be stitched together to make a single panoramic image. The most important function is to rotate the camera around the entrance pupil of the lens, frequently (but inaccurately) called the nodal point. Commercially available heads are categorized as "single-row heads" and "multi-row heads". Single row heads rotate round a single vertical axis and typically require the lens axis to be positioned horizontally. Multi-row heads allow rotation about two axes.

Gimbal heads

Gimbal heads are designed mainly for long, heavy telephoto lenses, and are often used for wildlife or sports photography. Their primary feature is the ability to balance the camera and lens within the tripod head and use tension controls to simulate a "weightlessness", where the camera can be moved freely, but stays in place when not being moved. They allow for easy tracking along the vertical and horizontal axis, but generally do not offer the ability to make precise angular movements along either. A gimbal head excels at tracking a fast moving subject, and allowing large, cumbersome camera setups to be used with more agility than nearly any other support system.

Video and film

Fluid heads are the dominant tripod heads used in the motion picture industry. They provide extremely smooth free movement, even with the heaviest of filmmaking and professional video cameras. The fluid reduces the risk of the camera operator introducing any jerkiness or vibration to the shot during a pan or tilt through dampening, and also reduces the friction between moving parts of the head. As the size of high-quality video cameras has become greatly reduced, there are now fluid heads designed even for consumer camcorders, which are being used increasingly in television production environments.

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, Steadicam, Tiffen, Maggie Elrawy. "Wimberley Professional Photo Gear - Product Details", "Really Right Stuff",

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.

Left to right: Ball head, one-way tilt head and three way tilt head Photo Credit: Tony The Tiger - Wikipedia

STEADICAM? (In the Entertainment industry. What is a Steadicam?)

Steadicam Pilot / Photo Credit: Steadicam - Lorne Lapham

STEADICAM? (In the Entertainment industry. What is a Steadicam?)

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

What is a Steadicam?

People often ask, “When was the Steadicam first used?” read on… In the early 1970s, American cinematographer Garrett Brown had a simple, but revolutionary idea: to make a device that could smooth out handheld action shots. The result is the Academy Award-winning Steadicam®, which made its feature film debut on the movie “Bound for Glory,” and rose to prominence in the films “Rocky” and “The Shining.”

Over the past 3 decades, Steadicam has been an invaluable, dynamic production tool in the industry.  New generations of Steadicam Camera Stabilizing Systems have been comprehensively redesigned to unleash endless creative possibilities. Tiffen offers you a complete line of state-of-the-art models to meet your film and video needs.  Tiffen is committed to support the needs of the motion picture, broadcast and professional imaging industries with the latest state-of-the-art steadicam technology to meet your film and video needs.

Steadicam is a brand of camera stabilizer mounts for motion picture cameras invented by Garrett Brown and introduced in 1975 by Cinema Products Corporation. It mechanically isolates the operator's movement, allowing for a smooth shot, even when the camera moves over an irregular surface.

History

Before the camera stabilizing system, a director had two choices for moving (or "tracking") shots:

The camera could be mounted on a dolly, a wheeled mount that rolls on tracks or leveled boards. This procedure is time consuming to set up, and it is impractical in many situations.

The camera operator could simply hold the camera. This manual grip allows speed and flexibility, but even the most skilled operator cannot entirely prevent shaking. Hand-held camera footage has traditionally been considered suitable mostly for documentaries, news, reportage, live action, unrehearsable footage, or the evocation of authentic immediacy or cinéma vérité during dramatic sequences.

While these cinematic techniques are still common, the Steadicam has added another dimension to motion picture cinematography and videography.

A Steadicam combines the stabilized steady footage of a conventional tripod mount with the fluid motion of a dolly shot and the flexibility of hand-held camera work. While smoothly following the operator's broad movements, the Steadicam's arm absorbs jerks, bumps, and shakes, while it’s almost frictionless gimbal gives precise control of the camera and framing.

The Steadicam was introduced to the industry in 1975 by inventor and cameraman Garrett Brown, who originally named the invention the "Brown Stabilizer". After completing the first working prototype, Brown shot a ten-minute demo reel of the revolutionary moves this new device could produce. This reel was seen by numerous directors, including Stanley Kubrick and John G. Avildsen. The Steadicam was subsequently licensed to and manufactured by Cinema Products Corporation, which later diversified the brand into a consumer line for DV cameras.

The Steadicam was first used in the Best Picture–nominated Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory (1976), debuting with a shot that compounded the Steadicam's innovation: cinematographer Haskell Wexler had Brown start the shot on a fully elevated platform crane which jibbed down, and when it reached the ground, Brown stepped off and walked the camera through the set. This technically audacious and previously impossible shot created considerable interest in how it had been accomplished, and impressed the Academy enough for Wexler to win the Oscar for Best Cinematography that year.

It was then used in extensive running and chase scenes on the streets of New York City in Marathon Man (1976), which was released two months before Bound for Glory. It landed a notable third credit in Avildsen's Best Picture–winning Rocky in 1976, where it was an integral part of the film's Philadelphia street jogging/training sequences and the run up the Art Museum's flight of stairs, as well as the fight scenes where it can even be plainly seen in operation at the ringside during some wide shots of the final fight. Rocky was also released before Bound for Glory. Garrett Brown was the Steadicam operator on all of these.

The Shining (1980) pushed Brown's innovations even further, when director Stanley Kubrick requested that the camera shoot from barely above the floor. This prompted the innovation of "low mode" to mount the top of the camera to the bottom of an inverted post, which substantially increased the creative angles of the system which previously could not go much lower than the operator's waist height. This low-mode concept remains the most important extension to the system since its inception.

A Steadicam rig was also employed during the filming of Return of the Jedi (1983), in conjunction with two gyroscopes for extra stabilization, to film the background plates for the speeder bike chase. Brown, who personally operated the shot, walked through a redwood forest, with the camera running at a speed of less than one frame per second. The end result, when projected at 24 frames per second, gave the impression of flying through the air at perilous speeds. In the Michael Crichton film Runaway (1984), a Steadicam rig was used to simulate the point of view of a futuristic smart bullet in flight while targeting specific individuals by their heat signature.

Description

The operator wears a harness, the Steadicam vest, which is attached to an iso-elastic arm. This is connected by a multiaxis and ultra-low friction gimbal to the Steadicam "sled" which has the camera mounted at one end and counterbalancing weight (the monitor and batteries) at the other. The monitor substitutes for the camera's viewfinder, since the range of motion of the camera relative to the operator makes the camera's own viewfinder unusable. In the film industry the armature and weight are traditionally called the sled, as the two units combined resembled a sled in an early model of the Steadicam. The sled includes the top stage where the camera is attached, the post which in most models can be extended, with the monitor and batteries at the bottom to counterbalance the camera weight. This is how the Steadicam stays upright, by simply making the bottom slightly heavier than the top, pivoting at the gimbal. This leaves the center of gravity of the whole rig, however heavy it may be, exactly at the operator's fingertip, allowing deft and finite control of the whole system with the lightest of touches on the gimbal. The skill of the operator is to keep the desired framing and composition by feathering his touch on the gimbal, while the rig and operator is in motion, and, indeed, when still.

The combined weight of the counterbalance and camera means that the armature bears a relatively high inertial mass which is not easily moved by small body movements from the operator (much as it is difficult to quickly shake a bowling ball). The freely pivoting armature adds additional stabilization to the photographed image, and makes the weight of the camera-sled assembly acceptable by allowing the body harness to support it.

When the armature is correctly adjusted, operators can remove their hands from the Steadicam entirely and the camera stays in place. During operation, the operator usually rests a hand on the camera gimbal and applies force at that point to move the camera. To avoid shaking the camera when lens adjustments are made, a wireless remote operated by the camera assistant is used to control focus and iris.

For low-angle shots, the Steadicam sled can be inverted vertically, putting the camera on the bottom, and the monitor and batteries on the top. This is referred to as low mode operation.

The newest generation is the Tango. A body-supported camera-stabilization-system, its horizontal mechanism makes it possible to move the camera freely while staying horizontal. A Steadicam operator can change from low mode to high mode without any alteration. Dimensions are not limited to ups and downs, but also in depth and over or through obstacles.

The smallest, lightest Steadicam that can be used with a support arm and vest is the Merlin. It is light enough to be hand held with cameras weighing up to about 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg), and may carry cameras up to about 7 pounds (3.2 kg) when used with the arm. The Merlin may be folded and carried in comparatively small spaces such as medium-size camera bags. In its lightest configuration, the Merlin weighs just 12.5 ounces (0.35 kg). Photographers who shoot with HDSLR cameras that combine still and motion photography most often work with the Merlin. Since the Merlin has no facility to carry a separate monitor, cameras suitable for it must have built-in monitors.

Steadicam introduced a camera mount for smartphones, called the Smoothee, in 2012. Marketed to consumers instead of video professionals, its tubular frame supports iPhone and Android phones that are 4.53" to 6.26" long by 2.32" to 3.27" wide (115 to 159 mm long by 59 to 83 mm wide). An adapter can be used to fit a GoPro camera to it. An even smaller, camera-specific Steadicam Curve (a single, curved aluminum slash) is available for GoPro cameras. It is also marketed to consumers.

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, Steadicam, Tiffen,

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.

Steadicam Pilot / Photo Credit: Steadicam - Lorne Lapham

RED WEAPON 8K VV CAMERA? (In the Entertainment industry. Watch how an $80K RED Weapon 8K VV is made on This Factory Tour?)

Red Weapon 8K VV Camera being manufactured / Photo Credit: Red Digit Cinema - No Film School

RED WEAPON 8K VV CAMERA? (In the Entertainment industry. Watch how an $80K RED Weapon 8K VV is made on This Factory Tour?)

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

Watch how an $80K RED Weapon 8K VV is made on This Factory Tour?

https://youtu.be/eAtZYveB1U0

You've already seen what RED cameras can shoot. Now you can see how they're made.

On a production floor out in Southern California, some of the best digital cinema cameras are being manufactured to be sold to professional filmmakers with a $50,000 price tag attached. I'm talking, of course, about RED Digital Cinema's line of high-end shooters.

A black rugged box that costs $50,000, has an "8K" label, sometimes its called а "weapon," and it also shoots. What is it? A RED camera, of course. In this video, you will see the process of how these professional cinema cameras are manufactured.

"The Hobbit" trilogy, "Gone Girl," "Transformers," "Birdman," "Godzilla," and "The Great Gatsby" are just a few of the Hollywood movies shot on a RED camera. It is one of the obvious choices of pros when it comes to producing great visuals. It is always fascinating to take a peek behind the scenes not only on how movies are made, but how tools used in the production are made.

Although there are no explanations in the video, the visuals are pretty much self-explanatory. You can see the process starting from a blank piece of metal being machine-cut, assembling the circuitry, placing it inside the black box, laser engraving the body of the camera, the production of the REDMAG SSDs, and the final packaging.

I've never had the pleasure of working with RED, but I'm looking forward to the time I'd be able to personally assess the craftsmanship of these precision devices.

While watching the video, I've wondered if they've shot it with a RED camera. Probably they did. These cameras were all over the place.

The company released a video earlier this month that takes you to its headquarters in Irvine, California to get a rare behind-the-scenes at its manufacturing process. It's a short video that runs less than 3 minutes and doesn't offer any explanation of or narration about what exactly is going on in the facilities, but still—you're watching some of the best, most expensive digital cameras being born, so who really cares?

It's quite a beautiful sight to behold—the artisanship, not the cameras. (Okay, the cameras, too.) As you can see in the video, RED offers a little peek at not only the Helium censor but at its new flagship camera, the $80,000 Weapon 8K VV with Monstro sensor.

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, Red Digit Cinema, No Film School, PetaPixel, Tihomir Lazarov,

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.

Red Weapon 8K VV Camera being manufactured / Photo Credit: Red Digit Cinema - No Film School

WHICH MIC SHOULD I USE? (In the Entertainment industry. Which mic should I use?)

Tascam four track recorder mixer / Photo Credit: Learn about Film - Tascam

WHICH MIC SHOULD I USE? (In the Entertainment industry. Which mic should I use?)

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

Which mic should I use?

Most audio producers and reporters heading into the field will have the basics: a handheld recorder of some kind, a pair of headphones, and one or two microphones.

But which mic should you use?

This is one of the most common questions about field recording and the decision can be confusing. We usually make the choice based on the pickup pattern — the directions from which the mic captures the most sound. But that’s not always the best way! With a little more info we can make a better choice for the job at hand.

Get to know the mics.

Different mics allow you to work more effectively in various situations. Understanding the mic you have will allow you to use it more effectively.

Let’s start by exploring those pickup patterns to ensure we understand them. 

• Omnidirectional microphones capture sound from all directions equally. Whether the sound source is behind, in front of, or beside the mic, it’s all the same…
• Cardioid mics have an upside-down heart-shaped pickup pattern – they capture mostly from the front, not so well from the sides, and reject sound at the rear…
• The shotgun microphone narrowly focuses on whatever is directly in front of it (even sounds at a distance), rejecting sounds from the sides and the rear…

As Neil Tevault, longtime NPR broadcast recording technician, explains it:

“Pickup patterns are like the inverse of lights (since light shines out but sound radiates towards a mic). An omnidirectional mic is like a bare light bulb, shining on all things equally. A cardioid mic is a like a flashlight, shining forward in a wide but focused pattern and blocking light behind. The shotgun mic is like a laser, narrowly focused on one spot.”

An omnidirectional mic picks up sounds from all directions equally, so you need to hold it close to your subject if there are competing background sounds. 

The shotgun mic focuses wherever it is pointed with a narrow and long beam. It can be really helpful if you can’t get close to your subject.

The cardioid mic is directional and is good at rejecting noise from behind.  However, it can often be quite sensitive to plosives!

There’s another factor we need to take into consideration when selecting a microphone. You may have heard the terms dynamic and condenser. These two words describe the inner workings of the microphone. (For the curious, dynamic microphones rely on the movement of a coil around a magnet to turn sound into an audio signal, while condenser microphones use a capacitor.)

These descriptors are used in conjunction with the pickup pattern to give a complete picture of how the microphone operates. It is common for reporters to have one of each – a dynamic omnidirectional mic (like the ElectroVoice RE50N/D-B) and a condenser shotgun (like the Audio Technica AT8035) are frequent choices.

So we’ve got the pickup patterns (omnidirectional, cardioid, and shotgun) and dynamic vs condenser mics. Given all of this, how do you determine which mic to use for field reporting?

Rules of thumb

Here are a few tried-and-true rules of thumb that will achieve reliable results in most reporter-style field situations:

• Omnidirectional microphones experience less wind noise and handle p-pops better than cardioids and shotguns.

If you find yourself outside on a windy day without proper wind protection for your shotgun mic, pull out the omni. An omni will fare much better in gusty winds than a shotgun or cardioid mic.

• Omnidirectional mics have to be held close to the primary sound – sometimes very close.

Because omni mics pick up sound equally from all directions, any sound in your environment will compete with the primary sound you want to record. Use proximity to your advantage. The closer you are to a sound source, the louder it is, meaning it will be more present in your recording than the sounds from the space around you. If you can’t get close…

• Shotgun microphones have a long reach, which can be helpful when you have to record at a distance.

This is what shotgun mics are known for – their pickup pattern is long and narrow, allowing the mic to focus on distant sounds and reject extraneous sounds from the sides. This can be really helpful in an environment like a “halls of the capitol building”-style scrum when you can’t get close to the voice you need to record or where there is extraneous sound in the environment competing with your source…

• Cardioid microphones can be helpful for handheld, back-and-forth style interviewing but lack the advantages of omnis and shotguns.

Most cardioid mics meant for field use are built to alleviate handling noise. Their pickup pattern can also be used to reject sound from behind the mic. This is nice for on-the-street interviews with one microphone, but it lacks the specific advantages of omnis and shots mentioned above. Alternatively…

• Shotgun mics (and many other condensers) are susceptible to handling noise.

Shotgun mics aren’t built to be held in the hand, but many reporters do it and end up with handling noise on their recordings. The sound of fingers sliding across the surface of the mic or tendons and bones creaking often rears its head at the most inopportune times (like when recording quiet ambience)! Handling noise can be prevented by using a pistol grip with a shock mount…

• Shotgun mics and other condensers often have a helpful high-pass filter.

The high-pass filter removes unwanted rumble and low-frequency noise. That can help alleviate (but not prevent) p-pops, wind noise, handling noise, and level problems with low frequency sounds (like that of a bus zooming by during an on-the-street interview). The filter is usually turned on via a switch on the side of the microphone. Some audio engineers prefer to leave the filter on at all times unless they are recording something where low frequency is important. (Learn more and hear examples of high pass filters…

• Shotgun mics and other condensers often have wonderful presence but can be sensitive to loud sounds.

Condenser mics are known for their present, clear sound and will usually have a crisper sound than a dynamic mic. This sensitivity, however, can mean that they don’t always handle loud sounds well. If you know you will work in a loud area (like in a factory or around loud vehicles) where the voices you want to record will speak very loudly, you may have a hard time managing levels…

• Shotgun mics and other condensers require phantom power, which is an extra drain on battery life.

One of the defining characteristics of condenser microphones is that they require phantom power — a small amount of voltage provided by the recorder. This extra draw on a handheld recorder’s batteries should be considered when choosing a mic. Some models of condensers (like the AT 8035 mentioned previously) can operate on their own battery, sparing those of the recorder. (Just remember to remove the battery from the mic when it’s not in use! They have a habit of corroding and making a mess of the battery compartment…)

This list may feel like a lot to remember, but odds are you already know much of it from experience and intuition! Keep in mind that mics are simply tools and there isn’t a tool that works well in every situation. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses. Get comfortable with that idea, learn the characteristics outlined above, and you’ll be well-suited to capturing great sound no matter the environment.

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, NPR’s Neil Tevault and Serri Graslie, Rob Byers, NPR,

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.

Tascam four track recorder mixer / Photo Credit: Learn about Film - Tascam

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