The basic production sound team on a small-scale film project usually consists of two people, the sound mixer (aka the sound recordist) and the boom operator. Occasionally, on shoots with very simple location audio requirements, you’ll see one person performing both roles, but when gathering sync sound, like dialogue, is part of the production, two people are highly recommended. On bigger shoots with complex sync audio needs, there is a third person called the cable wrangler, who sets up equipment, holds a second boom when necessary, and wrangles the cable when the boom operator follows a moving shot. The sound personnel are a tight team, and they should be chosen with the same diligence as choosing the DP, AC, and gaffer. The sound mixer is the head of the sound department and is responsible for getting the best quality audio onto the recording format. This not only means setting the record levels on the sound recorder but also includes understanding the acoustics and ambient qualities of a given location, listening for unwanted noise intrusions on the set, and choosing the most appropriate microphones for the situation. The sound mixer works very closely with the boom operator in strategizing optimal microphone placement. The boom operator is responsible for placing the microphone where it needs to be, whether that means holding it aloft over a scene, hiding it under an actor’s collar, planting it somewhere on the set, or any combination of these. The boom operator must know the pickup patterns and capabilities of a variety of microphones and how they function in different acoustic environments ( Figure 16-1 ).
High Resolution and Color Figures
On this page