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Boom Op: Head to Toe

There are many articles that cover technical gear of location sound, but I want to focus on the skills and personal touches that will make a Boom Operator more efficient on set.  While the majority of these guidelines come from my own experiences, I also draw from Richard Patton’s Sound Man:  An Introduction to the Art, Science, and Business of Location Sound.  Richard Patton is a film Sound Mixer with 40 years of experience and over 70 credits.  Patton describes the job of a Boom Operator as the “placing of all microphones.” including the boom mic, lapel mics, and other miscellaneous mics planted for the scene.  It is important to note that sometimes there is only one location sound person on set, and therefore they become the Mixer, Recordist and Boom Operator.

Set etiquette

A hierarchy on set exists that determines who is in command of whom.  The two main groups are divided into “Above the Line” and “Below the Line.”  This refers to how the budget is arranged but is a smart way to think about interactions with others on set. The Sound Department’s domain is audio, and so even if the crew consists of two other people, a Boom Operator’s job is never to direct the actor. Therefore do not interfere with eye-lines.  Direct interaction occurs only when wiring an actor, or when someone Above-the-Line initiates conversation.  Getting a repeat contract depends on respecting these rules.  Speaking of wiring talent, be professional.  Respect boundaries and let the actor be in charge of how much help they need.  When wiring younger actors, have their guardians present and walk them through the process.

Head

Not every set is a temperature-controlled warehouse.  There will be sun, cold, and extreme heat from halogen lights.  I keep a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a bandana with my kit no matter the season.  Other creature comforts include headphone covers (they make a huge difference), and a towel.  I have depended on towels for drying hands, puddles, tears, and cables.  They are the true answer to life, the universe, and everything.

During a take, a Boom Operator must capture the dialog.  They have to know who is talking and direct the mic to them.  Even during a monolog, the boom operator is thinking of more than just the script. Is the actor on or off axis?  Loud noises like airplanes or dogs barking will require more takes, but sometimes now is not the time to cut the current take.  Patton gives an anecdote in his book about caramel keeping loud pups occupied.  There is also the housekeeping of collecting room tone and making track notes.

Eyes

While sound is the medium of the Boom Operator, the camera is king on set.  It is crucial to watch the camera’s movements and to get a feel for different lenses and focal points.  The last thing any director wants is the perfect take ruined by the boom.  Often the Boom Operator dances a duet with the camera crew.  This can be complicated by a wire tether (recording audio to camera) or an intricate long take.  If the choreography was not complicated enough, the mic must be just out of shot and not visible via shadows or reflections.  Whenever possible rehearse the scene.  And while each crew is different, learn to communicate with the camera team; a good relationship can facilitate recording.

Arms

A tense body is one that fatigues faster.  Keep hands and arms relaxed. The hand closest to the mic should act as a shelf to hold the boom, while the other is a counterweight that controls mic direction.  The boom is steadier when hands are further apart.  There are several arm positions that rely on the skeleton rather than muscles to support the weight. Therefore these are the most natural positions to hold.  The first is the arms straight up.  This is the stereotypical boom position. The second is elbows at the sides with the hands straight out and facing upwards.  Often one hand is staggered higher to get the boom above the camera.  The third is arms completely down.  This one is used for when the boom is below the actors.  Other positions can be used but at the expense of the Boom Operator’s energy.

Body

Actors are meant to be seen; the crew are meant to be invisible.  This means wearing black clothing with quiet fabrics.  Long sleeves are better than short sleeves, but it is not a hard rule.  Make sure to dress for the weather.  Merino wool is an excellent place to start, and Army Surplus stores always have good deals.  Fingerless gloves are useful for keeping hands warm while maintaining dexterity.  Make sure they do not have tacky (and therefore noisy) grip enhancers.

The secret to surviving long set days is core strength.  Good posture includes keeping the stomach sucked to the spine, relaxing shoulders, and having a wide leg stance.  Wide stances are more stable, especially when standing on a step stool.  To not fall, one’s center of gravity should be kept between one’s feet.  It is better to lunge than lean. Locked knees is a recipe for disaster as it restricts blood flow and can lead to fainting.  Cue half of all America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Feet

Twelve-hour days last an eternity if one does not have proper footwear.  Boots are often required or requested for safety, but that does not mean fit has to be compromised.  I know that several respected brands have models that are custom built for women instead of “smaller men’s” boots.  It is essential to break in boots before working in them for a full day, and there is no shame in swapping for a more comfortable insole.  During the colder months make sure that boots accommodate thicker socks.  Boots that are either too tight or too loose cause blisters.  And keep in mind that although athletic socks are okay, merino wool is better.  I suggest keeping an extra pair in with the gear.

Sometimes a scene is relatively stationary, but not to the point of requiring a stand.  A rubber mat works well as a foot silencer, but also to make concrete floors more forgiving. And if a boom operator is short, like me, then an apple crate can be used as a step stool. Apple crates deserve more than a few sentences but note that film apple crates can hold weight, the local grocery store’s probably won’t.

As I mentioned before:  boom operators dance with the cinematographers. Therefore one should traverse like a dancer. Someone who is light on their feet will fall less often.  When walking backward the weight should be on the balls of the feet, and the body should lean ever so slightly forward.  Falling forwards means a bloody nose, but falling backward means a concussion.

Film crews can be like family, and by using these tips, I hope that future boom operators are seen as assets rather than glorified Production Assistants.

 

Celebrating Women in Small Town America

Not often does a small southern town host a women’s event that stretches beyond wedding expos or Ladies’ Nights, so when I heard about the Carolina Lily Festival, I was intrigued.  Boasting an all-female line-up, the Festival serves as a fundraiser for the local non-profit women’s shelter (Coastal Women’s Shelter) in New Bern, NC.

The Coastal Women’s Shelter’s focus is on those who have suffered from domestic abuse.  As outlined on their website: “During the fiscal year 2015-16, we served 550 individuals in Craven, Jones, and Pamlico counties. One hundred women and 46 children lived in the safe house for an average stay of two months. We can house up to 19 individuals at any one time.

Bailey and Grant

The Carolina Lily Festival is celebrating its third year.  This year The Brown Pelican, a nautical-themed bar, is the venue.  On stage is Gabrielle Christie, playing guitar and singing a mix of covers and originals with a creamy voice that fills the room.  And the place is bursting at the seams with people of all ages and genders.  In the back is the raffle table where I find Bailey Evans and Grant Golden, key members in GEM productions, an event company hosting the festival.  They are the festival’s event coordinators.  I reached out to these three to find out why they chose to get involved.

Nicole Kirch (NK):  What is the Carolina Lily Festival and why is it important?

Gabrielle Christie (GC):  The Carolina Lily Fest is an event to raise money for the Coastal Women’s Shelter while supporting and celebrating local female artists. It’s important for several reasons. One, we need to continue raising awareness for CWS so that any woman in need knows that services exist and knows how to access them. Two, as a community we need to help financially support organizations like this. I think it’s our duty to make sure places like the CWS can continue operating. And three, I will always jump on the chance to support and cheer on local artists.

Bailey Evans (BE):  Coastal Women’s Shelter works to end domestic violence by providing women in our area with the skills, support, and confidence to live better lives.   It felt in keeping with the spirit of the organization to spotlight and support female artists during this event.  It’s been important to us to empower all artists to take the stage and follow their dreams, but Carolina Lily Fest is a celebration of women because empowering women is the reason we gather for this particular event.  Small towns like ours benefit from festivals dedicated to women for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, this specific festival highlights an organization that actively improves the lives of local women.  It reminds us of the challenges many women still face but also allows us to be part of the solution.  Additionally, it’s no secret that the entertainment industry is and has been rife with sexual harassment, so it’s important to give women some extra and exclusive opportunities to shine safely.

NK:  Is this your first time performing at the festival and why did you want to perform?

GC:  No, I had the honor of performing last year. I’ll always be happy to get involved. I think it is a cause worthy of our time and our donations.

NK:  What were your reasons behind a full female line-up?

BE:  We struggled with committing to the concept of an all-female line-up when we began planning the first Lily Fest.  We weren’t sure if that was the best way to develop an inclusive community-minded vibe.  However, we decided that there’s nothing problematic about celebrating a particular group and having an all-inclusive event.  This event focuses on women, but it welcomes everyone and invites all people to be involved in supporting a vital community organization.  This night is about encouraging the potential of women in our community, so it feels fitting to incorporate that concept into our line-up as well.

Grant Golden (GG):  We had a hard time deciding if we should do a full female lineup. Do we need to have an all-women lineup to empower female musicians, does it feel patronizing to make it feel like an entirely separate event? Ultimately we decided that an all-female lineup is the best way to ensure that the most female voices are heard, highlighted and praised. This seemed to be the best way to show that Carolina Lily Fest is here to serve as a safe-space for all attendees and a day to honor the strong women in our lives.

NK:  Have you ever performed in an all-female line-up before, what is your impression of it?

GC:  No actually, last year when I performed I did a solo set then got my band Bearfoot Monty to play as well which has male members. But I am so stoked for this year’s all female line up.

NK:  What made you interested in music and performance?

GC:  I’ve always loved music. And it’s been a long journey to performer. I was lucky to be brought up in a home where lots of different music was played. My sister bought me the album “Lungs” by Florence and the Machine when I was about 13, and from then on I knew I wanted to be a songwriter and performer. But I wasn’t until I was a junior in high school when I met an amazing music teacher did I get the push to pursue it. He made me learn the guitar so I could back myself up on stage. He told me I don’t ever want to have to rely on someone else for my music and I need to be able to do it myself. So I did. And over the years I just continuously get inspired by people and music and get encouraged to go further and further.

NK:  Define female empowerment.

GC:  Female empowerment… I think it’s the ability for a woman to be in charge of herself and not feel ashamed. It’s tough to truly get there though. I know I get put down a lot or condescended to and it can make you feel like you’re less. But being empowered means pushing past that and knowing your worth.

BE:  Encouraging women to determine their paths, assert their boundaries, and define themselves free from stereotypes or cultural expectations.  It’s such a hard thing for me to define eloquently because it includes so many concepts.  I just want everyone of all genders to be allowed to follow their paths and be treated as whole human beings on their journey.  Gender shouldn’t be allowed to define one’s personhood, limit one’s potential, or determine one’s role in the world.  In many places and for many people, being a woman still comes with restrictions and constraints that are unacceptable.  Female empowerment is encouraging women to break free from what they are told a woman is and become whatever they want to be.

GG:  As a male, I likely will have a slightly skewed definition of this, since it’s not necessarily a battle I have to fight on a regular basis, but to me, female empowerment is the act of empowering women to be the fearless leaders they indeed are. There’s always been an implicit disadvantage that women face in society, whether it be lower pay in the workforce, undermining of their thoughts and opinions in both career and social settings, or the constant sexual harassment they’re subject to. Female empowerment is how we can help to push past these struggles and work towards a mutual goal of development and sustainability for females in their communities.

NK:  Why is it important to have a festival dedicated to women and why should small town America have a festival dedicated to women?

GC:  I love that this small town is doing something that even some big cities aren’t. It just shows how much character this town has. It’s important because we are a tight-knit community and we need to be here for one another. Support is everything.

GG:  The music industry itself has always been somewhat of a boy’s club. Females in the industry always seem to have to push a little harder and speak a little louder to gain some traction in their scene, and if you have the power to help change that then you 100% should be doing that. Small towns can sometimes exist within an echo chamber, and while by and large New Bern seems to do a great job of elevating women in the community to positions of power, there is always room for improvement and GEM Productions wants to further help the development of gender equality amongst our town.

NK:   How has the festival changed in it’s three years and where would you like to see it go?

BE:  Lily Fest, like most of our events, is always an evolving concept.  Our ultimate goal is raising money for the Coastal Women’s Shelter, so we’ve made adjustments   It went from a ticketed event to a free one.  Each year we’ve tweaked our raffle and auction idea to better serve our audience and see greater returns.  It’s also beginning to make itself known as an annual event, so we are gathering regular supporters and volunteers.  I’d like to see that support and participation continue to grow because it’s those connections that allow us to grow the event and reach new donation levels.  I’d love to see it grow into a more significant, full-day event with more interactive aspects like panels, creative workshops, and the like, that raises more and more money each year.

GG:  Carolina Lily Fest is an ever-changing event. We’ve moved venues since our first year and changed it from a ticketed event to a free night of music at The Brown Pelican. While we had a larger production scale for our first year, it seemed to be a bit more pomp than it needed to be. We’ve minimized our overhead costs, and almost all of the artists are donating their time and talents to the cause, which is a fantastic contribution that we can’t be thankful enough for. As for where we’d like to see it go, I think having more community involvement would be fantastic, more visual artists and businesses being highlighted and contributing their goods is a great way to show how much our community truly appreciates the females in our scene and our lives in general.

NK:  How is this year different than previous years for the festival?

BE: This year we’ve seen far more interest in the event in the weeks leading up to the festival.  People remember it or they’ve heard about it and have reached out about getting involved or helped spread the word.  The buzz is a bit bigger, and hopefully, that means the crowd and donations will be as well.  Our raffle prizes and silent auction items are more numerous than in previous years.  Overall the spirit and intentions of the festival are the same as they’ve been since the beginning, but our skill set has grown each year, and this year we’ve hit our stride and feel much more confident about being able to achieve or exceed our goals.

GG:  This year features our biggest headlining act yet, Laura Reed, which is someone we’ve wanted to bring to town for years now. Laura serves as a beacon of light amongst the North Carolina music scene in terms of female empowerment. She’s worked with Grammy winning producers, has performed the national anthem at several national sporting events, and has toured internationally with some immensely talented artists. Laura is without a doubt one of the most accomplished artists we’ve brought to New Bern and having her on board to help support this great cause is nothing short of fantastic.

We’ve also forgone the traditional array of “vendors” that we have at events and are instead having people donate their supplies so that all money raised goes straight to CWS.

NK:  Any closing thoughts.

GG:  Carolina Lily Fest is our most significant fundraiser throughout the year, and it’s continued to grow along with GEM Productions. We’re always thrilled to see the feedback and reaction from Lily Fest because so many of these folks may not be familiar with the breadth of local talent our community contains. We’re lucky to be a part of such a supportive and inviting community, and we can’t wait to share another evening of fantastic local art with New Bern!

BE:  It’s a privilege to answer these questions and share my opinion with you, thank you for the opportunity.  This area has an incredible network of women in the music industry, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.

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