Happy new year! I hope you enjoy and learn some useful things about operating boom microphones and working on set with this conversation with Allen Williams - Sound Speeds!

@SoundSpeeds

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for having me back Curtis. Always a pleasure.

About 46 minutes into the interview I mention that I own am ENG harness but couldn't remember what it is. I own a Versa-Flex BHS harness.

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Allen!

My two favorite sound people... Yay.

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

👍

Loved this conversation. So many great nuggets of wisdom.

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

👍

That was a nice conversation, and a good way to start the year. Thank you, Curtis and Allen (@SoundSpeeds) for clearing so much about boom-operating. A Happy New Year to both of you and all of us!

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Pradeep. Happy new year to you!

Happy happy ! Great interview & he’s a great guy who loves what he does making you feel like your not the only nut who loves production .

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

👍 unbounded enthusiasm!

Technique video would be great-thanks to both of you.

@curtisjudd

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Leo, good idea.

Great interview, thanks Curtis

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

You’re welcome. Thanks to Allen!

\ Fantastic interview!

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

👍

Great knowledge 💪🏾

@curtisjudd

4 жыл бұрын

👍 Thanks to Allen!

Thank you :)

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

😀

Oh no. How did I miss this!

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

It was recorded without an audience. My internet doesn’t handle remote interviews and live streaming simultaneously.

@ErynKnight

4 жыл бұрын

@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions Oh no. That is an unfortunate quirk.

That was a great session, and I'm not a boom op and have never been on any set but my own in my life! Thanks

@LearnLightAndSoundSessions

4 жыл бұрын

👍

Curtis Thanks for another great interview. Allen always is interesting to hear. Hey, if you're looking for topics to talk about, I have one for you. How do you "detach?" the audio from a "picture locked" short film so you can edit it in another program. What's the process? I've worked on a bunch of short films and I'm never happy with the audio of the finished product. I'd like to be able to pitch in and work on the audio, but I don't want to work on every track from ever take. It would be nice to see what they're using and only work on those "bits". I'm assuming that there are a lot of people in my situation. Thanks again for the work you do.

@curtisjudd

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Michael, thanks! We have covered this a bit in the past. At a high level, the post sound mixer usually receives an OMF or AAF XML file with the film edit. You then bring that into your DAW app and mix from there: FCPX to Audition: kzread.info/dash/bejne/fW2fp7CHYq2YfKQ.html Mix Overview in Audition: kzread.info/dash/bejne/jGZlzMOjfLmrips.html OMF from Premiere to Audition: kzread.info/dash/bejne/na6g2Mafpqvam9I.html

I'm only 15 minutes in and this already sounds like too much hard work. I've never worked with a proper hand-held boom pole in my life... but I know easyrig exists, and I know spring loaded steadycam rigs. Why not just do the obvious, combine the two, and hook the pole into a supported pivot over the shoulders to transfer all the weight down to the chest / hips? Just mount the pole itself on top of a rail system using an over-sized shock-mount, and you then have means to attach that rail to the belt using a locking spring loaded pole so the angle can be easily changed... Attach a couple of handles to it like a gimbal mount to stabilise and guide it, and you've just moved 90% of the force onto the hips, and all the arms have to do is make small adjustments (and they wouldn't even have to be raised). I mean... it'd basically be a feet-operated, backpack mounted fisher-pole, minus the inbuilt extension I guess... I present this highly technical drawing of my suggestion. i.imgur.com/vDUCQxg.png Anyway, this seems obvious, so now I'm going to hit play again to watch the rest, and inevitably find out it already exists, or it did but isn't used because it's a terrible idea.

@SoundSpeeds

4 жыл бұрын

They have systems like the Support-A-Pole and Kit Cool but they aren't overly popular because they hinder your ability to move where you want. A camera operator can use Easy Rigs and Steadycams because they control their distance off the actors and tightly take turns while us boom ops don't always have that option. If we're in a big room or outdoors, sure but another factor is the time it takes to get into them. Camera operators can ask for 10 minutes to make a small adjustment and get it but if a boom op doesn't call "Sound Speeds" quick enough, we're going to be pressured by the 1st AD. It's unfair how people on set seem to think we're invincible and don't need breaks between takes or how it takes a moment to extend a pole in troublesome environments. There are ExoVests and other systems used by mechanics to assist hands overhead under a car but they're $4K and not ready for our industry just yet. Ken Strain is championing this and I hope to see something for us in the future. Soon I'll be reviewing a small but very helpful product that boom ops can certainly find helpful in some circumstances. I do.

@markusr3259

4 жыл бұрын

@@SoundSpeeds Good call on the Exovests. What do you think would need to be done to make powered exoskeletons applicable to the booming profession, is it a matter of reducing bulk, maybe limiting noise output? From what I've seen from Curtis, a professional sound recordist might be carrying a $6000+ recorder, a $1000+ microphone, $1000 on a boom pole and thousands more on all the accessories like wireless..... compared to all that, spending $4k to buy, or hire out a powered exoskeleton to stop your shoulders being strained or even damaged, would seem like an incredibly good investment if the option were there.

@SoundSpeeds

4 жыл бұрын

@@markusr3259 An ENG bag mixer usually wears a harness to help shift the weight from neck to shoulders and, as mentioned, the harnesses with a spine or some way to hold some of the weight on your hips are invaluable. To answer your question though... I don't know what it would take. It would have to be quick to get on and off, easy to shift tension on front and rear arms, low profile, comfortable for 12+ hours a day, etc.

@markusr3259

4 жыл бұрын

@@SoundSpeeds Thanks for the response. It sounds like it might be a fun little engineering project for me one day.

@SoundSpeeds

4 жыл бұрын

@@markusr3259 If you need a product tester... don't hesitate to reach out.