Good night.
Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut. Boom and shot. Reset.
This is Fisher. He will teach us about being a boom operator and recordist.
What's a boom, you ask? It's this thing.
This is the microphone that records the audio to your favourite TV shows and movies.
We'll get back to this technical bit later.
So let's start with auditory muscle exercise knowledge, also known as AMEN.
Amen.
This is the absolutely fundamental acronym of the boom operator's job.
The first letter in AMEN is A for auditory.
So, Fisher, stop what you're doing.
Take a moment to listen. Let's count the sounds as we hear them.
Humming of electrical equipment.
Footsteps. People talking.
And lunch being served.
But it's also important to get rid of extraneous noises that could interrupt the recording.
Some are simple, such as killing an annoying bug, quieting the crew,
and finally, taking out the noisy cat and shutting the door.
Hey, come back.
What if, hey, this guy's a piece of work.
Hello? Hello? Hello?
OK, we're back. Oh, excuse me. I'm back.
This is muscle exercise, or ME, in AMEN.
The most common position to hold the boom pole is the H position.
Due to budget limitations, we'll only cover this.
Keep a firm grip on that pole, lad.
And squat. Squat. Squat.
Keep going. Do you feel it? Squat.
Keep going. Feel the burn, Fisher. This is how I feel during this job.
Squat. Squat. Squat. Squat. And squat.
I think someone's getting enthusiastic. That's great.
Keep going, Fisher.
OK, you can stop.
You can stop now. You can stop.
By now, you're probably wondering what makes up the boom operator's equipment.
Just remember AMEN. N for knowledge.
This is the Tascam DR60 DMK2.
A four-channel portable recorder. It's perfect for all your needs.
Connected to this Tascam is the XLR cable.
This connects the Tascam recorder to the lovely microphone,
situated on our beautiful road boom pole.
This boom pole has three sections, able to extend farther than any other boom pole on the market.
And it has a soft, cushioned grip to ease your fatigued hands. Magnificent.
Finally, we make our way to the king, the grand finale, the microphone on top of the boom pole.
Point that baby at your talent's general neck area and bam!
You'll be hearing some beautiful dialogue.
Well, get yourself on out there, you new boom polars. You got this.
And boy, am I ready for this job to be over. Who wrote this?
